Natasaarvabhowma

Natasaarvabhowma ( Emperor of actors) is a 2019 Indian Kannada-language action drama film written and directed by Pavan Wadeyar and produced by Rockline Venkatesh. The film stars Puneeth Rajkumar, Anupama Parameswaran and Rachita Ram, with B. Saroja Devi, P. Ravi Shankar and Chikkanna in supporting roles. Its score and soundtrack is composed by D. Imman, whilst the cinematography is by Vaidy S. The film had a record 1,394 shows on the first day in Karnataka.

Plot
Central minister Ghanshyam Yadav (P. Ravi Shankar) is intercepted by some goons. Gagan Dixit (Puneeth Rajkumar), who is returning from Kolkata, saves Yadav from the brawl that ensues. Gagan later realizes that the fight was a staged act by Yadav in order to gain sympathy votes. Gagan reports to newspaper editor Avinash (Avinash) and publishes this story anonymously. Gagan meets up with his old friend Keshav (Chikkanna), and they decide to rent a haunted house owned by Namadev (Sadhu Kokila). Despite Keshav's objections, Gagan decides to go through with renting the house. Gagan convinces Keshav by saying that since he has a sacred thread on his right wrist, they will be fine. Gagan also unsuccessfully tries to call a phone number of someone he is trying to find. They go to a mobile network's office to obtain the location of the number that Gagan is trying to call. They meet with Sakshi (Rachita Ram), the manager, who refuses to give it.

After story about the fake fight is published, Yadav becomes infuriated, and many ads are removed from the newspaper. To rectify this, Avinash sends Gagan to do a special write-up on Yadav by interviewing him in his private jet. Since Gagan had rescued Sakshi from goons in her office, she had agreed to give the location. After a fairly tense interview in the air, the plane lands in Bellary, and Yadav is ambushed as Gagan leaves. Gagan initially believes it to be another fake fight before realizing that blood is being shed, unlike in the last fight. Gagan then saves Yadav from the ambush, putting himself in the good graces of Yadav. Yadav then gives Gagan the name of "Appaji" and tells him that that he is indebted to Gagan.

As Gagan visits Sakshi, she refuses to give the location since Namadev has revealt that it was their fake plan to gain location. Gagan revisits Sakshi's office to obtain details of number but hears Sakshi's father has experienced heart attack. Gagan takes Yadav's help to rescue to father just in time. Due to this, Sakshi changes her opinion about Gagan and agrees to give details about the phone number and starts to fall for him.

After various superstitious activities in the house, Keshav quarrels with Namadev. Gagan tries to break up the fight and consequently loses his sacred wrist thread. He starts experiencing superstitious activities in the house later that night. The next day, Gagan finds some spectacles in a drawer, and decides to wear them. After wearing them, his behavior begins to change.

Gagan goes to interview Saroja Devi at a country club; while interviewing her, he notices his vision blurring. He wears the spectacles to regain focus, and he completely shifts his focus on the man in the pool. Gagan relentlessly beats up the man and fights off any security who try to hold him back, occasionally asking the man "Why did you kill me?" before the man escapes, and Gagan loses consciousness. Gagan wakes up and sees everybody looking at him and asks Keshav "What happened ?"

Gagan and Keshav go to Yadav's birthday bash where they get drunk. Yadav embraces him, and Gagan wears the spectacles to regain focus. He proceeds to beat up Yadav mercilessly in a similar fashion to his previous fight. Yadav survives, and Gagan wakes up in prison, with no idea of what happened in the party. Gagan gets bail on the case of mental illness, and the media quickly picks up Gagan's story, focusing that he lives in a supposedly haunted house. An observer (Prakash Belawadi) explains the suicide of his niece Shruthi, which occurred in that house. Sakshi then reveals that the location of the number of the person Gagan wants to know is the same house. Gagan is shocked and reveals the person to be Shruthi

Shruthi (Anupama Parameswaran) was a good junior lawyer who befriended Gagan after reading the article he wrote on the disabled. She starts living with him in Kolkata. They both prepare articles to file a case against Yadav. He proposed her and asked her to call him after she reaches Bengaluru to answer, but he hadn't received a call from her since their meeting, hence Gagan was searching the location of that number. Gagan is then taken to Guruji's (Achyuth Kumar) ashram instead of a mental hospital, where a puja is being performed to get rid of the spirit that has invaded Gagan. Gagan wears the spectacles as the pooja is being performed, which is revealed to be the same spectacles that Shruthi wore. He violently kills Yadav's lawyer, before moving to Yadav. Yadav holds Shruthi's uncle as hostage before someone delivers a final blow.

The film flash-forwards to the court where Guruji says that he has seen the violent nature of the spirit while doctors say that he has multiple personality disorder. The court orders Gagan to be sent to a mental hospital due to multiple personality disorder. The film then flashes back to the fight, where Gagan stabs Shruthi's uncle before violently killing Yadav. Gagan then reveals to Guruji that he was never possessed by anyone. Gagan recalls his video chat with Shruthi after she had gone home and witnesses Yadav, the lawyer, and her uncle murdering her. Gagan said that on him, the thought of taking revenge came but never any spirit. He then plotted revenge and gave himself a possessed facade by using the spectacles. Gagan explains that he will be both spiritually and scientifically innocent by the court of law and forces Guruji to lie in front of media.

Back in court, Gagan is in mental hospital van and sees Guruji in car who without blinking eyes, looks at him. As Guruji's car leaves, he smiles indicating that he has completed his revenge and the title Natasaarvabhowma (Emperor of Actors) has gained full meaning.

Cast

 * Puneeth Rajkumar as Gagan Dixit, a journalist of 'The News of India' newspaper who fell in love with Shruthi
 * Anupama Parameswaran as Shruthi, a Junior lawyer, Gagan's love interest, who wants to bring justice to the disabled.
 * Rachita Ram as Sakshi, a mobile network office manager, who first refuses to give the location to Gagan but later falls for him.
 * Chikkanna as Keshav, a moneyless film director (making 6 movies at a time), Gagan's friend who always has a problem with Shruthi's house and its landlord Namadev
 * Sadhu Kokila as Namadev, Gagan's landlord who reveals Gagan and Keshav's plan of fake threatening and saving plan to Sakshi
 * P. Ravishankar as Ghanashyam Yadhav, Central Minister, who mercilessly killed Shruthi
 * Achyuth Kumar as Yadhav's Guruji, who keeps Gagan's secret of Gagan not being possessed
 * B. Saroja Devi as Herself in a Cameo appearance to be interviewed by Gagan
 * Srinivasa Murthy as Gagan's father, who gave him a sacred thread
 * Avinash as Avinash, 'The News of India' newspaper editor in Bangalore Branch, who refused to print about the disabled against Yadav even though requested by Shruthi
 * Nishanth ls, special appearance in
 * Jani Master, special appearance in "Open the Bottle"
 * Rockline Venkatesh, special appearance in "Natasaarvabhouma Title Song"
 * Choreographer Bhushan, special appearance in "Natasaarvabhouma Title Song"
 * Avika Gor, Special appearance in "Tajaa samcahara" song as bride

Filming
The main scenes between Puneeth Rajkumar and Anupama Parameshwaran were shot in Kolkata, along with one romantic song. The Kolkata shooting schedule wrapped up in September 2018.

Music
The audio launch was on 12 January 2019 in Hubli.

Release
The first look was released on Puneeth's birthday on 17 March 2018. The teaser was released on 21 December, along with that of another Kannada film K.G.F: Chapter 1. The trailer was released on 25 January 2019.

The film was released to positive reviews. Sunayana Suresh of Times of India gave the film 3/5, saying that "the film has the commercial elements in place, but also has a little twist". A. Sharaadha of Cinema Express criticized the pacing and the writing, but commended Puneeth's performance and the roles of the supporting characters.