Shivaji Surathkal: The Case of Ranagiri Rahasya - Kannada Film 2020

Shivaji Surathkal: The Case of Ranagiri Rahasya [Running time 125 Minutes] is a Kannada-language Mystery Thriller film released in cinemas on 21 February 2020. Shivaji Surathkal was the highest-grossing Kannada film of 2020.

The film is a landmark film in Kannada cinema. It is the first Kannada film to gross over Rs. 75 crore. The film's success has helped to mark Kannada films' presence on the map of Indian cinema.

Detective Shivaji is the Hindi dubbed version of Shivaji Srathkal. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) issued a "UA" certificate bearing No. VIL/2/2023/2020 - MUM on 15 October 2020. The Hindi dubbed version is available on the YouTube Channel of B4U Movies.

Cast and Crew

Cast

Ramesh Aravind plays Detective Shivaji and the lead role in Shivaji Surathkal: The Case of Ranagiri Rahasya. The film features Aarohi Narayan, Radhika Narayan, Raaghu Raamanakoppa, and Vinay Gowda in pivotal roles.

Film Shivaji Surathkal also features Amita Ranganath, Avinash, Namratha Surendranath, Ramesh Pandit, Rohith Bhanuprakash, Nishant Gudihalli, and many others.

Crew

1. Akash Srivatsa - Director
2. Anup Gowda- Producer
3. Rekha KN - Producer
4. Akash Srivatsa - Writer
5. Abhijith YR - Writer
6. Judah Sandhy - Music Director
7. Guruprasad MG - Cinematographer
8. Srikanth - Film Editor
9. Akash Srivatsa - Film Editor

Budget and Box Office Collection

The tentative budget of Shivaji Surathkal was 15 crore INR (US$1.9 million). The film was a commercial success, grossing over 75 crore INR (US$9.9 million) at the Worldwide Box Office [India: Rs. 65 crores and Overseas: Rs. 10 crore]. By earning 75 Crore INR, Shivaji Surathkal became the highest-grossing Kannada film of 2020.

Movie plot

Roshan Ravi (Vinay Gowda) rents a room in a resort when his car breaks down at a remote place in Ranagiri. People believe the resort and the surrounding area are haunted.

Roshan hears some strange noise at midnight. He comes out of his room and mysteriously dies in the hotel pool. Since Roshan is the son of Home Minister Rajiv Ravi (Avinash), the police get alert immediately. Shivaji Surathkal (Ramesh Aravind), a brilliant detective, reluctantly accepts the case as per the orders of SP Raheem (Ramesh Pandit) and moves to Ranagiri.

The Backstory of Shivaji Surathkal

Shivaji Surathkal is an honest and upright police officer who lives happily with his wife, Janani (Radhika Narayan). However, his wife goes missing, and the police department does not allow Shivaji to investigate the case because of his emotional bonding with the missing case of his wife.

Shivaji is still searching for his wife and does not want to focus on any other case. However, since Roshan Ravi is the son of the Home Minister, Shivaji has to take the murder case of Roshan.

Investigation

Shivaji arrives at the crime scene, a resort in Ranagiri, and quickly begins to piece together the clues. Govindu (Raaghu Raamanakoppa) is the assistant of Shivaji.

Shivaji learns that the resort has six rooms. He interrogates every guest and staff member but does not find any clue about the murder of Roshan. However, every guest believes that the resort is haunted.

The initial investigation reveals that the height of Roshan is around 6 feet, whereas the pool is only 5 feet deep. Moreover, Shivaji learns that Roshan won awards in swimming in his school days. Thus, Shivaji assumes that it is a planned murder.

List of Suspects

Shivaji starts doubting every staff and guest in the resort. Pritam Shetty (Rohith Bhanuprakash) is the resort owner who earlier used to work as a Commercial Pilot. Moreover, the time of the death of Roshan is 1:30 midnight, but Preetam informs the local S.I. Rudresh (Nishant Gudihalli) at 5:30 in the morning. Shivaji also suspects his wife, Smitha Shetty (Namratha Surendranath), because she has not updated her Facebook. 

Mahakali Bhujang Gowda

Mahakali Bhujang Gowda, a young photo blogger, is one of the guests in the resorts. He hears the mysterious stories about the resort from another guest Eureka Lobo (, and comes here to make a story for his blog.

Eureka has come here to investigate the mysterious disappearance of young guys from the resort. She also senses something supernatural in the resort. Moreover, she has a sleepwalking disorder.

Another guest, a married couple [Soukya Ajjampura  (Amita Ranganath) and Su), witnesses dead pigeons in the room lobby and believes it a supernatural event. Shivaji learns that pigeons often die in the resort.

Vidya Sagar (PD Sathish Chandra), a professional palm reader, is also one of the guests in the resort. He distributes some magical threads to all the guests to protect them from any evil power.

The biggest twist

Vatru works in the resort and believes a witch Rangnaiki, is killing the young guys. However, Shivaji does not believe in ghosts. In the meantime, Dr. Anjali (Aarohi Narayan), the fiancee of Roshan Ravi, reaches the resort. While talking to Dr. Anjali, Shivaji hears a mysterious voice of a woman. However, it is strange that Dr. Anjali hears nothing.

Soon Shivaji starts witnessing supernatural events. He also sees the so-called witch Rangnaiki. Soon Shivaji starts believing mysterious powers in and around the resort and decides to leave the place without solving the case.

Who is the killer of Roshan Ravi? Whether it is a planned murder, or some supernatural power is behind the murder? Will Shivaji leave the case or find the real culprit? What happens to Janani? Is any connection between the murder of Roshan and the missing case of Janani? Film Shivaji Surathkal gives replies to all such queries.

Sequel

Akash Srivatsa, the producer and director, announced the film's sequel on 10 September 2021, titled Shivaji Surathkal: The Mysterious Case of Maayavi. The sequel was released in 2023.