Award‑winning director Sumanth Bhat’s new Kannada horror‑comedy ‘Shankarabharanna’ set for Nov 20 release

Shankarabharanna, a new Kannada horror‑comedy, will open in theatres on 20 November 2026. The movie is directed by Sumanth Bhat, who earned a National Award for his debut feature Mithya. Shine Shetty plays the lead role and also produced the film under his own banner. Malayalam actress Tanvi Ram makes her first appearance in a Kannada film with this project. In a recent interview the trio explained how they blended scares with laughs during production. The film mixes horror tropes with slap‑slap comedy to appeal to a broad audience. Sumanth Bhat’s award for Mithya was for Best Feature Film in Kannada, raising expectations for his next work. Shine Shetty, previously known for supporting roles, is now taking a dual role as actor‑producer. Tanvi Ram is recognised for her performances in Malayalam cinema, and her debut signals growing cross‑industry collaboration. The producers have not released details on the shooting locations or budget. The November release places the film in the festive season when Kannada audiences flock to cinemas. The producers plan a multi‑city launch across Karnataka’s major towns. Early promotional material highlights a blend of spooky visuals and comic timing. The announcement was updated on 6 November 2026 at 02:56 pm IST.

Context

The National Award is India's top film honour and often leads to wider distribution for winners. Kannada cinema regularly partners with talent from neighboring language industries, helping actors reach new audiences. Horror‑comedy remains a niche genre in the region, making the film a notable experiment.