Kaunteya — a name rooted in mythology as Karna, the son of Kunti — is the title of an upcoming Kannada crime thriller that is all set to go on floors. Despite its mythological reference, the film steers into gritty, contemporary territory, unfolding as a murder mystery set in urban Karnataka.

Directed by BK Chandrhasa, the film stars acclaimed actor Achyuth Kumar and Sharanya Shetty as a father-daughter duo. Kumar plays Ranganath, a sub-inspector nearing retirement who’s drawn into a high-stakes murder case in his final days. “It’s a suspenseful story with emotional depth,” he shared.

Sharanya, who plays a crime reporter, adds, “My character shares a strong emotional arc with her father. It’s powerful and layered.”

The film’s muhurat was held at Kanteerava Studio with notable industry figures in attendance. Veteran actor Shashikumar gave the clap for the first shot, while writer V Nagendra Prasad and lyricist V Manohar kicked off filming duties.

Kaunteya is set to begin shooting on June 9 in Bengaluru and Mysore. “There are no songs — the re-recording will be crucial to the narrative,” Chandrhasa noted.

Produced by debutant BK Srinivas, the film also features Bigg Boss fame Neethu in the role of a police officer. The crew includes PL Ravi as cinematographer, BJ Bharath, who takes charge of the background score, dialogue writer Har Mahadev and editor Anuranjan.