The Devil’s basic idea is from 2018; is Darshan’s film outdated for today’s trend?
Director Prakash Veer had told Darshan an idea he had for another film soon after they did Tarak, which the actor liked and asked him to develop. The film, The Devil, releases on December 11, 2025
Last Updated: 01.14 PM, Dec 03, 2025
The Devil director Prakash Veer has said that he’d had a very basic idea for a new film right after he’d made Tarak with Challenging Star Darshan Thoogudeepa, way back in 2018. Darshan liked the log line he was told and asked Prakash to develop it as their next collaboration. It took them 6 years to go on floors with the film and another, to finally get it to screens. The film, The Devil, hits theatres on December 11, 2025.
'Story from 2018, but no chance of The Devil being outdated'
Seven years, though, is a lifetime in cinema and with risks of everything, from the story to the technical aspects, likely to become dated. Would a story that Prakash conceived in 2018 still be relevant today? “See, the basic plot has remained the same, but the screenplay has had multiple revisions over the years, as we kept updating it in keeping with the times. It’s been an ongoing process to give the narrative the freshness it needs. In fact, even during the edit of the film we’ve been trying to explore what new technique can be adopted. There is no chance for the film to be outdated,” said a very bullish Prakash to Prajavani, on the sidelines of the film’s first media briefing this week.
So far, the team has given audiences absolutely no inkling about what to expect in the film, with some light likely to be shed on it when the trailer drops on December 5. All that Prakash has revealed is that Darshan will have multiple shades in the film and that his performance is quite literally terrific. The film pairs Darshan with Rachana Rai, while his Navagraha co-star Sharmiela Mandre also reunites with him, albeit in a pivotal character role. Also on the cast are the likes of Nata Gilli, Chandu B Gowda, Vinay Gowda, Mahesh Manjrekar and Achyuth Kumar, among others.
The Devil is Prakash’s first directorial since Tarak, which is not rated among Darshan’s finest works. The cast has been quite vocal about the fact that the filmmaker has presented the Challenging Star in a never-before-seen onscreen avatar, which they say, will be entertaining for fans.
The Devil FAQs
Q. What was Darshan Thoogudeepa's last release?
A. Darshan Thoogudeepa was last seen onscreen in 2023's Kaatera , which is available on Z5 (via OTTplay Premium also).
Q. What is Darshan's next film?
A. Darshan's next is The Devil, which has him reuniting with Tarak maker Prakash Veer. The film had been announced as a December 12, 2025 release, but has now been advanced by a day. The film is being released in the actor's absence, as he is currently in jail in connection with the Renukaswamy murder case.