Bell Bottom 2019

Divakara Rishab Shetty is a wannabe detective who grew up devouring murder mysteries, spy novels, and crime films, notably Goa Dalli CID 999. Under immense pressure from his Constable father Annappa Achyuth Kumar, he steps into the police as a constable, chasing the fantasy of solving crimes in the real world.

When Divakara cracks a murder case, his breakthrough earns him unexpected fame and the attention of the precinct’s senior officers. Inspectors Sahadeva Pramod Shetty, Manjunath, and Parashuram entrust him with a vexing robbery mystery: a pile of recovered goods keeps vanishing from the police station, every time a new clue seems to surface.

The case thickens as Divakara toils with the help of Constable Qureshi, chasing leads that point toward a murky network. He narrows his suspicions to Marakutuka Yogaraj Bhat and a volatile figure known as Sagani Pinto Sujay Shastri. Along the way, he crosses paths with Kusuma Hariprriya, a bootlegger selling hooch in the area, and what begins as professional caution gradually blooms into something more personal.

As the investigation unfolds, Divakara learns of a drug called Devil’s Breath and a drug-dealing thread that reaches a priestly circle around Mantravadi Modi Nanjappa. Pinto’s information hints at deeper involvement, but the trail remains tangled. Even as the pressure mounts, Divakara’s feelings for Kusuma deepen, complicating his pursuit of the truth.

A turning point arrives when Divakara confronts a rift with Sahadeva, prompting him to seek vengeance with the aid of Gurupada, a photographer who documents suspicious incidents. A pivotal moment comes when Gurupada captures images of Parashuram’s wife Lalitha in a compromising situation with Sahadeva, triggering a chain of events that leads to the arrest of the Inspectors and a crisis of trust within the police leadership.

Digging deeper, Divakara interrogates Kusuma about the robberies, though no immediate evidence ties her to the crimes. Night-time inquiries reveal that Kusuma may possess the antidote to Devil’s Breath, a crucial detail that explains how the robberies could be executed without leaving clear traces. The investigation also uncovers that Annappa may be the mastermind behind the scheme, shaking Divakara’s sense of loyalty and duty.

Annappa provides a stark motive: Chamanlal Seth, a wealthy merchant, has his eyes set on the land occupied by the Ashakirana orphanage—famed for its bell-bottom pants—and is willing to pull strings to seize it. With the aid of Sahadeva, Parashuram, and Manjunath, Seth stages a scheme that uses a façade of renovations to erase the orphanage’s existence while orchestrating the theft of the goods. The plan spirals toward a moment of reckoning as the missing items are buried and the truth about the land dispute comes to light.

Divakara relentlessly pursues the truth, steering Seth away from the land deal by exposing the superstition-laden basis of the push to take the orphanage. The orphanage is ultimately saved, and the drama culminates in a double wedding: Divakara and Kusuma, and Annappa and his girlfriend Lalitha, tying the knot in a moment of reconciliation and renewal.

In the end, the story blends crime investigation with personal loyalties and community resilience. It underscores that courage, truth, and love can illuminate even the darkest corners of crime, leaving a sense of closure and a renewed faith in justice.