Ramesh Aravind to return as Shivaji Surathkal, as sequel kicks off this Ganesha Chaturthi

Detective Shivaji Surathkal was never meant to be a one-movie wonder. The makers of the Ramesh Aravind starrer Kannada mystery thriller conceived it as a franchise right from the word go, which is also why the first in the series, Shivaji Surathkal: Ranagiri Rahasya, was Case No. 101. The case number was also in keeping with the fact that the film was Ramesh’s 101st project. Director Akash Srivatsa was writing the script of the next installment earlier this year and going by the latest from the team, it appears that the script has been locked and they are ready to roll.

Akash and his team have a surprise in store on the auspicious occasion of Ganesha Chaturthi, which, also happens to be Ramesh Aravind’s birthday. According to news reports, the second in the Shivaji Surathkal franchise will be officially launched on September 10, with the film to go on floors in October. During the promotions of the original, Ramesh had said that by starting at Case No.101, the team had the liberty to make the next as a prequel or sequel.

Produced by Rekha KN and Anup Gowda, Shivaji Surathkal: Ranagiri Rahasya was running successfully in theatres when the pandemic struck. Although it returned to halls when theatres reopened, the film was eventually taken to TV and OTT on Zee5 Kannada. The next edition will, of course, have Ramesh return as the quirky detective, along with other regulars like Radhika Narayan, Raaghu Raamanakoppa, and Vidya Murthy, among others. Casting for new characters is currently on.

Shivaji Surathkal: The Case of Ranagiri Rahasya is also set to be remade in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam, which are expected to take off in 2022. A Hindi version is in the works, which will, most likely, be directed by Akash himself.