Rangayana Raghu, known for his outstanding performances, over decades, has earned the title Abhinayasura (Master of Acting). The actor was bestowed with this honour at the pre-release event of his upcoming film, Shakhahari, which will be released on February 16.

Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar and director Suri graced the event, showing support for the film and the actor. “Previously, when we wanted to make a movie with Yogaraj Bhat, Rangayana Raghu was a non-negotiable. Since then, he has been with us, from big-budget films to small projects. Now, we are leaving the role he was supposed to play. If I make any decision, they would provide a background and reinforce it strongly. Yogaraj Bhat and Rangayana Raghu sir are our mentors. If I say I’ve done something today, a major credit belongs to Rangayana Raghu. Sometimes, I wonder if we didn’t utilize Raghu sir’s talent properly,” explains Suri.

Rangayana Raghu expressed his gratitude: "In my entire life, Suri and Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar have been among the most invaluable people to me.” He also emphasised the importance of artistic freedom in filmmaking and the collaborative effort behind the success of Shakhahari.

The film, set in a village near Tirthahalli, Shivamogga, revolves around mysterious incidents in Malenadu. Raghu plays a cook, with Gopalakrishna Deshpande as a police officer and Sujay Shastry in a prominent role. Other actors include Pratima Nayak, Harini, Vinay YUJ, Shriharsha Gobhata, and Nidhi Hegde. Shakhahari, directed by Rajesh Keelambi who has also produced the film along with Ranjini Prasanna, has Vishwajith Rao handling the camera, Shashank Narayan editing, and Mayur Ambekallu composing the music.