# Ghost (2023 film)
**Ghost** (ಘೋಸ್ಟ್) is a 2023 Indian Kannada-language action heist thriller written and directed by Srini (M. G. Srinivas), starring Shivarajkumar as a gangster who hijacks the central prison of [Karnataka](https://www.edgepedia.org/karnataka) and takes prison officials hostage.[1](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/ghost/0-0-1z5465536) It was released theatrically on 19 October 2023 in Kannada, Tamil, Hindi, and Malayalam, with the Telugu version following on 27 October, and it was billed as Shivarajkumar's first pan-India film.[2](https://www.ottplay.com/news/revealed-the-heist-element-of-shivarajkumars-ghost-as-films-synopsis-emerges-online/dd7dac3be769) • [3](https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/ghost-movie-review/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director and writer | Srini (M. G. Srinivas), who also wrote the story and screenplay[1](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/ghost/0-0-1z5465536) |
| Lead cast | Shivarajkumar, Jayaram, Anupam Kher, Prashant Narayanan, Archana Jois, Satya Prakash[1](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/ghost/0-0-1z5465536) |
| Release | 19 October 2023 (Kannada, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam); Telugu on 27 October 2023[2](https://www.ottplay.com/news/revealed-the-heist-element-of-shivarajkumars-ghost-as-films-synopsis-emerges-online/dd7dac3be769) |
| Streaming | Zee5, from 17 November 2023[4](https://www.filmibeat.com/kannada/movies/ghost.html) |
| Music and crew | Music by Arjun Janya, cinematography by Mahendra Simha, editing by Deepu S Kumar[4](https://www.filmibeat.com/kannada/movies/ghost.html) |
| Production | Sandesh Productions, presented by Sandesh Nagaraj; the banner's 34th film[5](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/interviews/2023/Oct/18/ghost-was-originally-penned-with-shivanna-in-mind-48715.html) |
| Audience score | 6.3/10 on IMDb from about 7,300 user votes, with 1 award nomination[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27125266) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
The story centers on a criminal who infiltrates the central prison of Karnataka, taking prison officials hostage, while ACP Chengappa negotiates with him and tries to find the real motive behind the attack.[1](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/ghost/0-0-1z5465536) The hijackers are after a massive stash of gold hidden inside the prison, and the man calling himself a notorious crime boss is later revealed to be an imposter.[2](https://www.ottplay.com/news/revealed-the-heist-element-of-shivarajkumars-ghost-as-films-synopsis-emerges-online/dd7dac3be769) Per the Zee5 synopsis, the impostor flees with the genuine gold, after which it emerges that he is Anand Rao, joining forces with his father to bring down a corrupt man called Vamana and obtain justice for a colleague who has died; the conclusion suggests a sequel.[1](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/ghost/0-0-1z5465536)
## Production and release
**Casting and crew.** Srini wrote the story with Shivarajkumar in mind from the start, and he described the heist thriller as a genre less explored in Kannada, suited to a multilingual release because action films have universal appeal.[5](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/interviews/2023/Oct/18/ghost-was-originally-penned-with-shivanna-in-mind-48715.html) The film also marks the Kannada debut of the Malayalam actor Jayaram.[7](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/news/2023/Jan/15/motion-poster-of-shivarajkumarsghost-impresses-audio-label-38792.html) Arjun Janya composed the music, Mahendra Simha handled cinematography, and Deepu S Kumar edited.[4](https://www.filmibeat.com/kannada/movies/ghost.html) The audio rights were sold at what the makers called an exceptional price, with the motion poster credited as drawing the audio label's attention.[7](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/news/2023/Jan/15/motion-poster-of-shivarajkumarsghost-impresses-audio-label-38792.html)
**Release.** The first look was released on 12 July 2022 and the motion poster on 2 January 2023.[1](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/ghost/0-0-1z5465536) The film reached theaters on 19 October 2023 and premiered digitally on Zee5 on 17 November 2023.[1](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/ghost/0-0-1z5465536) Reported runtimes differ by source: 2 hours 7 minutes on Zee5 and Rotten Tomatoes, 133 minutes on Filmibeat, 131 minutes in the Australian classification record, and 127 minutes in a festival catalog.[1](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/ghost/0-0-1z5465536) • [4](https://www.filmibeat.com/kannada/movies/ghost.html) • [8](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/ghost-58) • [9](https://16th.biffes.org/frontend/images/widget/15th-biffes-final-book.pdf) The Australian Classification Board rated the film MA 15+ for strong themes, violence and suicide scenes, noting two suicide scenes, gun and knife violence, and themes of corruption, revenge, and criminal activity.[8](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/ghost-58)
## Srini Cinematic Universe
Ghost is positioned as the introduction to the Srini Cinematic Universe (SCU), a connected-film project by the director.[1](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/ghost/0-0-1z5465536) Writing at the film's release, The New Indian Express noted that spin-offs and multiverse storytelling were gradually making their mark in Indian cinema, and that Ghost brought the concept to Kannada film; the reviewer gave it 3.5 out of 5 and called Shivarajkumar's performance electrifying.[10](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/review/2023/oct/19/ghost-movie-reviewshivarajkumars-electrifying-performance-holds-the-fort-in-srinis-multiverse-48776.html) Srini had earlier connected his film Birbal to the same shared world.[11](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/news/2023/Aug/09/director-srini-explores-multiverse-with-ghost-and-birbal-46407.html)
## Reception
**Critical response.** Reviews ranged from mixed to positive.[1](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/ghost/0-0-1z5465536) The Times of India called it a one-of-its-kind heist thriller for the Kannada audience, packed with mass scenes assembled for Shivarajkumar's fans, and rated it worth watching.[12](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/28370/ghost/reviews/) [The Hindu](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-hindu)'s Vivek M V wrote that a heist thriller with a fixed timeline in Kannada after a long time felt like a welcome change, but that the film deserved appreciation for its attempt more than for its result.[12](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/28370/ghost/reviews/) The Free Press Journal's review was headed Skip, describing the film as an exercise to please fans.[12](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/28370/ghost/reviews/) The News Minute described it as an attempt to combine the ethos of a slick heist film like [Spike Lee](https://www.edgepedia.org/spike-lee)'s Inside Man with the whistle-worthy mass moments fans expect from a Shivarajkumar film.[13](https://www.thenewsminute.com/amp/story/karnataka/ghost-review-shiva-rajkumar-shines-in-mg-srinivas-clunky-heist-thriller) A Letterboxd review praised the background score and Shivarajkumar's acting while finding the de-aging visual effect on the lead actor unconvincing.[14](https://letterboxd.com/iamhcb/film/ghost-2023-1/)
**Audience response.** On IMDb the film holds 6.3/10 from about 7,300 user votes.[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27125266) Filmibeat's Kannada critics' rating was 3.5 out of 5, against a user rating of about 2.7.[15](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/movies/ghost.html) The film was Shivarajkumar's first attempt at the pan-India level, coming after his popularity rose with a cameo in Rajinikanth's Tamil film Jailer (2023).[3](https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/ghost-movie-review/)
## References
1. [Watch Ghost (2023) on Zee5, plot and cast](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/ghost/0-0-1z5465536)
2. [Revealed: The 'heist' element of Shivarajkumar's Ghost, OTTplay](https://www.ottplay.com/news/revealed-the-heist-element-of-shivarajkumars-ghost-as-films-synopsis-emerges-online/dd7dac3be769)
3. ['Ghost' Kannada movie review, The South First](https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/ghost-movie-review/)
4. [Ghost 2023, Filmibeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/kannada/movies/ghost.html)
5. ['Ghost' was originally penned with Shivanna in mind, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/interviews/2023/Oct/18/ghost-was-originally-penned-with-shivanna-in-mind-48715.html)
6. [Ghost (2023), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27125266)
7. [Motion poster of Shivarajkumar's Ghost impresses audio label, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/news/2023/Jan/15/motion-poster-of-shivarajkumarsghost-impresses-audio-label-38792.html)
8. [Ghost, Australian Classification](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/ghost-58)
9. [Director M. G. Srinivas, BIFFES catalog](https://16th.biffes.org/frontend/images/widget/15th-biffes-final-book.pdf)
10. [Ghost Movie Review, The New Indian Express / Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/review/2023/oct/19/ghost-movie-reviewshivarajkumars-electrifying-performance-holds-the-fort-in-srinis-multiverse-48776.html)
11. [Director Srini explores multiverse with Ghost and Birbal, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/news/2023/Aug/09/director-srini-explores-multiverse-with-ghost-and-birbal-46407.html)
12. [Ghost Movie Reviews, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/28370/ghost/reviews/)
13. [Ghost review, The News Minute](https://www.thenewsminute.com/amp/story/karnataka/ghost-review-shiva-rajkumar-shines-in-mg-srinivas-clunky-heist-thriller)
14. ['Ghost' review by Bhargavi Chandrashekar, Letterboxd](https://letterboxd.com/iamhcb/film/ghost-2023-1/)
15. [Ghost (2023), Filmibeat Kannada](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/movies/ghost.html)
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