Director Pavan Bhat is gearing up for the release of Yuddhakaanda, and there’s a distinct glint of excitement in him. It’s not just about the story, but also the team behind it. “I’m happy with the star cast,” he says, while adding, “but more than that, I’m proud they’ve worked for the content. I’m not just directing—I’m a part of the content being developed.”

The courtroom drama puts actors Krishna Ajai Rao and Archana Jois in the spotlight, but the real tension brews in the presence of veteran actor Prakash Belawadi—who has worked across multiple languages—playing the antagonist lawyer in Pavan Bhat’s directorial. More than a villain, he represents the other face of the legal system.

“I chased Prakash Belawadi sir for one year,” Pavan recalls. “He initially said, ‘I’ve done enough lawyer roles’. I told him, ‘Just hear the story and screenplay. I’m okay even if you reject.’ But once he heard it—he was in.” And understandably so. “In any film, the stronger the antagonist, the more weight the protagonist carries,” Pavan explains. “Without a villain, there’s no interesting story. That’s why the Prakash Belawadi–Ajai Rao jugalbandi is a must in Yuddhakaanda, and something to watch out for.”

Veteran director TS Nagabharana plays the judge, which he says is not as a mere figure in a robe but as a layered character with gravitas. “He’s not like a regular judge just playing with words like ‘adjourned,’” says Pavan. “He’s made a real contribution to the film’s soul.”

Adding softer shades to the intense narrative is Supreeta Sathyanarayana as the love interest, but it’s young Radnya Rakesh, who Pavan says will be the soul of Yuddhakaanda.

With a blend of legal intensity, emotional depth, and interesting characters, the film produced by Krishna Ajai Rao is a clash of ideologies. "A powerful theme about justice delayed, and at its heart, Yuddhakaanda is a human story,” concludes Pavan.