‘Devil’, ‘Mark’ and ‘45’: Sandalwood to witness clash of titans this December

The Kannada film industry, after a dull 2025 barring the sensational hit Su From So, is gearing up for a blockbuster December. This Christmas, three big films are set to cash at the box office, with Devil starring Darshan, Mark headlined by Sudeep and 45, featuring Sudeep, Upendra and Raj B Shetty, hitting the screens.

The box office race will begin with Devil, which is set to release on December 12, 2025. There is massive curiosity around the project, considering the fact that the film’s leading man is currently in jail. Darshan has been arrested in the Renukaswamy murder case.

Directed by Prakash Veer, Devil could be the second film of Darshan that will release without the actor’s involvement in promotional activities. In 2011, Sarathi hit the screens when Darshan was in judicial custody for domestic violence against his wife, Vijayalakshmi. The movie turned out to be a massive success.

Apart from a teaser for the movie, the makers have released a song, titled ‘Idre Nemdi Agirbek’. Devil also stars Mahesh Manjrekar, Rachana Rai and Sharmiela Mandre. The film has been shot in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Jaipur, Dubai and some parts of Europe.

For the second consecutive year, a Sudeep movie is set for Christmas release. In 2024, his cop thriller Maxcame out on December 25. After its blockbuster success, Sudeep has reunited with the movie’s director, Vijay Kartikeyaa, for Mark.

Mark, produced by Sudeep under his banner Kichcha Creations and Sendhil Thyagarajan and Arjun Thyagarajan of Sathya Jyothi Films, will clash with 45, which is also releasing on December 25.

“A clash is just a perspective. I had promised in July 2025 that we are aiming for a Christmas release and we are working towards that. Around 60 percent of the movie has been shot. We are filming for this day and night. Hats off to the director and cinematographer (Shekar Chandra) for their hard work. I am loving the experience of working for this movie,” Sudeep told reporters ahead of his 52nd birthday on Monday (September 01, 2025) in Bengaluru.

Sudeep is also working on the ambitious Billa Ranga Baasha, directed by Anup Bhandari and bankrolled by K Niranjan Reddy of Primeshow Entertainment. The actor dismissed rumours about the movie being shelved. “Billa Ranga Baasha is getting bigger and bigger. It is set for a late 2026 release. We had to give a gap between schedules for the movie. Instead of wasting that period, I decided to shoot and finish Mark during that break,” Sudeep clarified.

The superstar added that the makers of 45 has no reasons to worry about the box office face-off. “Their film has three big stars, who are all dear to me. Karnataka has enough theatres to accommodate two-three big movies at the same time. 45 is a special project that can hold its own against any movie,” he said. “Also, December is the right time to release big projects because of vacations for schools and colleges. If we miss that month, we will have to wait 4-5 months for the next best release window,” he added.

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45 marks the directorial debut of ace music composer Arjun Janya. The movie is touted to be an action-fantasy drama. 45 was earlier scheduled to hit the screens on August 15, 2025. The makers pushed the release owing to unfinished CG work and post-production process, thereby avoiding a clash with Rajinikanth’s Coolie. It remains to be seen which among the three movies will emerge winner in the Christmas royal rumble.