Floorsingurgaon at 21:21, 3 March 2026

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{{short description|2019 Indian crime thriller film}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Birbal Trilogy
| image = Birbal Trilogy Case 1- Finding Vajramuni poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[M. G. Srinivas]]
| producer = T. R. Chandrashekar
| screenplay = M. G. Srinivas
| writer = Prasanna VM (dialogues)
| starring = {{plainlist|*M. G. Srinivas
* [[Rukmini Vasanth]]
}}
| music = [[Saurabh-Vaibhav]] <br /> Kalacharan
| cinematography = Bharat Parasuram
| editing = Srikanth Shroff
| studio = Crystal Park Cinemas
| distributor = Crystal Park Cinemas<br /> BKG Films
| country = India
| released = {{Film date|df=y|2019|01|18}}
| language = Kannada
| runtime = 149 minutes<ref name="Birbal Review">{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movie-reviews/birbal/movie-review/67582737.cms|title=BIRBAL MOVIE REVIEW|date=18 January 2019|website=Times Of India|accessdate=28 May 2020|archive-date=7 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607211358/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movie-reviews/birbal/movie-review/67582737.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>
| budget =
| gross = 
}}

'''''Birbal Trilogy Case 1: Finding Vajramuni''''' (or simply '''''Birbal''''') is a 2019 Indian [[Kannada|Kannada-language]] [[crime thriller film]] co-written and directed by [[M. G. Srinivas]]. The film is the first installment of the planned ''Birbal Trilogy''. It also marked the third character-based trilogy in [[Kannada cinema]], after ''[[Jedara Bale|CID 999]]'' and ''[[Sangliyana]]''.<ref name="first">{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/birbal-trilogy-has-a-lot-of-firsts-mg-srinivas/articleshow/67571423.cms|title=Birbal Trilogy has a lot of firsts: MG Srinivas|website=Times Of India|date=18 January 2019 |accessdate=28 May 2020}}</ref> It is also the first installment in a cinematic universe followed by ''[[Ghost (2023 film)|Ghost]]'' in which M. G. Srinivas reprises his role.

[[Rukmini Vasanth]] made her debut as a lead actress.<ref name="heroine">{{cite news|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/rukmini-worked-17-hours-713712.html|title=Rukmini worked for 17 hours straight for Birbal Trilogy|first=Tini Sara|last=Anien|newspaper=Deccan Herald|accessdate=15 November 2020|archive-date=24 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924191003/https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/rukmini-worked-17-hours-713712.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The film introduced an 8D song for the first time in Kannada cinema; it was also the first Kannada film to use the scribble effect.<ref name="first"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/international-names-give-birbal-trilogy-a-hollywood-touch/articleshow/67193448.cms|title=International names give Birbal Trilogy a Hollywood touch|website=Times Of India|date=22 December 2018|accessdate=28 May 2020|archive-date=19 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211219144132/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/international-names-give-birbal-trilogy-a-hollywood-touch/articleshow/67193448.cms|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/birbal-trilogy-is-a-kannada-film-made-like-an-english-thriller/articleshow/67554648.cms|title='Birbal Trilogy is a Kannada film made like an English thriller'|website=Times Of India|date=17 January 2019|accessdate=28 May 2020|archive-date=19 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211219132317/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/birbal-trilogy-is-a-kannada-film-made-like-an-english-thriller/articleshow/67554648.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> Its sequels are titled ''Birbal 2: Avrn bitt, Ivrn bitt, Ivryaru?'' and ''Birbal Trilogy Case 3: Turremane''. Although ''Birbal 2'' entered production in 2024, there has been no update on the third film.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment-news/kannada/director-srini-returns-with-birbal-2-article-111669288|title=Director Srini Returns With Birbal 2|date=11 July 2024|website=Times Now}}</ref>

The movie was praised for employing the [[Rashomon effect]] in its story narration technique. The movie is based on the 2017 Korean movie ''[[New Trial (film)|New Trial]]''.<ref name="DC">{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/230119/birbal-movie-review-birbal-from-korea.html|title = Birbal movie review: Birbal, from Korea|work=Deccan Chronicle|first=Shashiprasad|last= SM| date=23 January 2019 |access-date=18 July 2025}}</ref> The Telugu remake of the film ''[[Thimmarusu]]'' released on 30 July 2021.<ref>{{cite web|title=Birbal Trilogy Telugu remake titled Thimmarasu|url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/news/2020/sep/07/satyadev-turns-thimmarasu-20145.html|access-date=2020-12-23|website=[[Cinema Express]]|date=7 September 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

==Plot==
In [[Bangalore]], Mahesh, an intelligent lawyer working for Hegde, a [[law firm]] head, is assigned to investigate the case of Vishnu, who is suspected of killing Ramdas, a taxi driver and a [[Informant|police informer]] 8 years ago. Mahesh learns that Vishnu is released from prison, where he along with his girlfriend Jahnvi and Shastry visit him at his village. Vishnu says that he was returning from work that night and gets injured in an accident, where he found Ramdas lying dead in the taxi and called the police, but the cops led by [[Inspector]] Raghavan, forces Vishnu to take blame for Ramdas' death after finding a knife in his scooter.

Mahesh begins his investigation, where he learns that the bar owner (where Vishnu is actually working) had tried to molest his friend Sheela, but Vishnu saved her and sent her away from the city. Through Sheela, Mahesh and Vishnu learn about an article describing the murder which was published 9 months ago, after Vishnu's imprisonment. They meet a retired police officer and learn that Suri, a call center employee, was behind Ramdas's death. Mahesh, Vishnu and Shastry capture Suri, who reveals that Raghavan used to make Suri and other young men commit robberies. Suri tried to force Ramdas to give money, but he accidentally stabbed Ramdas and escaped.

Fearing that his illegal activity would be exposed, Raghavan framed Vishnu and had him imprisoned, where he also makes Suri to pretend that he is mentally unstable. Vishnu tells Mahesh to present Suri in the court, but Mahesh refuses as the court already declared Suri as a mentally ill person and begins to find more clues. Later, Mahesh learns that the truck driver was at the murder spot, where he learns from a truck driver that a boy named Amoghavarsha took a lift in order to escape as he witnessed Ramdas' death. Mahesh finds Amoghavarsha and learns that he was returning home from a bar where he witnessed Ramdas' death and recorded it in his camera.

Later, Raghavan arrests Amoghavarsha for harassing the girl, which leads Mahesh to discover that Jahnavi was bribed by Raghavan to spy on Mahesh during his investigation. In the court, Mahesh manages to prove Vishnu's innocence and Raghavan is suspended. Later, Mahesh finds from the video that another person was present and behind Ramdas' death, where he traces the killer's bike and learns that the bike owner Narayanappa is a constable, who died from a stroke. Meanwhile, Raghavan kidnaps a person where Vishnu witness this and tries to kill Raghavan, but Mahesh stops him and Raghavan is arrested.

Mahesh takes a number from which Narayanappa received blackmail calls, where he devises a plan and manages to identify the killer, who is revealed to be a retired inspector named Vajramuni. Mahesh reveals himself as Ramdas's son and also knows that Vishnu was not present at the time of his father's death. With Shastry's help, Mahesh joined Hegde's law firm and secretly opened Vishnu's case. Mahesh had learnt about a memory card which revealed that Vajramuni had committed gruesome murders of various business persons' rival in the form of [[Encounter killing|police encounters]], where Ramdas learns about this from a [[Grave|grave caretaker]]. Fearing that he would be exposed, Vajramuni told Narayanappa to silence Ramdas. After the conclusion, Vajramuni gets arrested and sentenced to prison.

==Cast==
{{cast listing|
* [[M. G. Srinivas]] as Mahesh Das, a lawyer
* [[Rukmini Vasanth]] as Jahnvi, Mahesh's girlfriend
* Vineeth Kumar as Vishnu
* Sujay Shastry as Shastry
* [[Suresh Heblikar]] as Hegde, a law firm head
* [[Aruna Balraj]] as Sumitra, Vishnu's mother
* Ravi Bhat as Ramdas
* [[Madhusudhan Rao (actor)|Madhusudhan Rao]] as Inspector Raghavan
* Krishna Hebbale as Parthasarathy, a [[Prosecutor|public prosecutor]]
* Keerthi Baanu as Retired Inspector Vajramuni
* [[Kavitha Gowda]] as Sheela (cameo appearance)
* Prithvi Banavasi
* Thirumalesh
* Amoghavarsha as Amoghavarsha
* [[Sandeep Jain]] as Suri
* Vilas Kulkarni
* Vinay Bharadwaj
* Deepak Raj
* Raghavan Lakshman
}}

==Music==
The soundtrack and background score were composed by Saurabh Vaibhav and Kalacharan. It was released under the label of Crystal Music.

{{Infobox album
| name = Birbal
| type = Soundtrack
| artist = Saurabh Vaibhav and Kalacharan
| cover =
| alt =
| released = 2019
| recorded = 2019
| venue =
| studio = Crystal Park Cinemas
| genre = [[Film soundtrack|Feature film soundtrack]]
| length = 6:51
| label = Crystal Music
| producer =
| prev_title = 2018
| prev_year = [[Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety]]
| next_title = [[Old Monk (film)|Old Monk]]
| next_year = 2022
}}

===Track list===
{{Tracklist
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| title1 = Birbal Title Track
| extra1 = Saurabh Gupta
| music1 = Saurabh Vaibhav
| length1 = 2:44
| lyrics1 = Trilok Trivikram
| title2 = Ragini Madam
| extra2 = [[Sanjith Hegde]]
| music2 = Kalacharan
| length2 = 4:06
| lyrics2 = Ajith Hedge Boppanalli<br />MG.Srinivas
|}}

===Original soundtrack===
{{Soundtrack
| title1 = Birbal Theme
| length1 = 0:45
| title2 = Mahesh Das alias Birbal
| length2 = 1:52
| title3 =The Murderer
| length3 = 2:15
| title4 =Butterfly Effect
| length4 = 2:48
| title5 =The Trap
| length5 = 4:33
| title6 =Raghava Theme
| length6 = 2:47
| title7 =The Attack
| length7 = 1:13
| title8 =Vajramuni Theme
| length8 = 1:20
| title9 =The Witness
| length9 = 1:16
| title10 =First Dimension Theme
| length10 = 1:14
| title11 =Second Dimension Theme
| length11 = 1:40
| title12 =Mahesh Das and Janhavi Love Theme
| length12 = 2:01
| title13 =The Vishnu's Love Theme
| length13 = 2:57
| title14 =The Plot
| length14 = 0:53
| title15 =Burqa Theme
| length15 = 4:30
| title16 =Vishnu vs Mahesh
| length16 = 1:49
| title17 = Amogha Arrest
| length17 = 2:43
| title18 = Freeze Scene
| length18 = 3:33
| title19 =The Final Reveal
| length19 = 1:00
| total_length = 42:18
|}}

==Release and reception==
The director's efforts, an engaging screenplay, the cast's performance and the background score received praise from critics but was critiqued as having a slow-pace, being overwritten and being too long.<ref name="DC"/>

=== Critical reception ===
Sunayana Suresh of ''[[The Times of India]]'' rated the film three out of five stars and wrote, "The film has some interesting moments that stand out. A little tighter editing and screenplay would have elevated those. Yet, the film can be an interesting watch for those seeking something different".<ref name="Birbal Review"/> Karthik Keramalu of ''[[Film Companion]]'' wrote, "''Birbal'' is 2019's first big Kannada release and I can say that the year has begun on a positive note. Chewing on Mahesh's findings was fun indeed!"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/reviews/kannada-review/birbal-movie-review-a-fun-thriller-that-holds-your-attention|title=Birbal Movie Review: A Fun Thriller That Holds Your Attention|website=filmcompanion|date=18 January 2019|author=KARTHIK KERAMALU|accessdate=25 August 2020|archive-date=23 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723125257/https://www.filmcompanion.in/reviews/kannada-review/birbal-movie-review-a-fun-thriller-that-holds-your-attention/|url-status=live}}</ref> Aravind Shwetha of ''[[The News Minute]]'' wrote, "The film lives up to the expectations mostly but also suffers from slow pacing."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/birbal-trilogy-case-1-finding-vajramuni-review-watchable-thriller-95251|title='Birbal Trilogy Case 1: Finding Vajramuni' review: A watchable thriller|website=The News Minute|date=18 January 2019|accessdate=28 May 2020}}</ref>

Shyam Prasad S. of ''[[Bangalore Mirror]]'' rated the film two-and-a-half out of five stars and wrote, "''Birbal'' has the looks and feel of a well-made film. If you have enough time on your hands and are adept at binge-watching online crime dramas, you may actually end up liking this film."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/reviews/birbal-movie-review-a-slow-moving-whodunnit/articleshow/67594492.cms|title=Birbal movie review: A slow moving whodunit|website=Bangalore Mirror|accessdate=28 May 2020}}</ref> Shashiprasad SM of ''[[Deccan Chronicle]]'' wrote, "The most crucial aspect for a thriller of any nature on celluloid is to keep the audience engaged for an edge-of-the-seat experience. Unfortunately, ''Birbal'' lacks this momentum. But for a couple of moments, the audience has a laborious time as they become curious about who the actual killer is."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/200119/birbal-movie-review-an-investigation-which-kills-two-plus-hours.html|title=Birbal movie review: An investigation which kills two plus hours|website=Deccan Chronicle|date=20 January 2019 |accessdate=28 May 2020|archive-date=27 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327013140/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/200119/birbal-movie-review-an-investigation-which-kills-two-plus-hours.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Home media ==
The movie was released on [[Over-the-top media services|online platform]] [[Amazon Prime Video|Amazon Prime]] on 20 April 2020.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://theprimetime.in/after-dia-and-love-mocktail-another-kannada-movie-sets-a-trend-on-amazon-prime/|title=After Dia and Love Mocktail another Kannada movie sets a trend on Amazon Prime|website=The Prime Time|accessdate=30 May 2020|archive-date=12 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412171207/https://theprimetime.in/after-dia-and-love-mocktail-another-kannada-movie-sets-a-trend-on-amazon-prime/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|tt8364132}}

[[Category:2019 Kannada-language films]]
[[Category:2019 films]]
[[Category:Films shot in Karnataka]]
[[Category:Indian nonlinear narrative films]]
[[Category:Indian mystery thriller films]]
[[Category:2010s mystery thriller films]]
[[Category:Films about murder]]
[[Category:Indian detective films]]
[[Category:Kannada films remade in other languages]]

Birbal Trilogy - Revision history

Floorsingurgaon at 21:21, 3 March 2026