| Custody | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Venkat Prabhu |
| Written by | Venkat Prabhu Abburi Ravi (Telugu dialogues) |
| Produced by | Srinivasaa Chituri Pavan Kumar (presenter) |
| Starring | Naga Chaitanya Aravind Swamy Jiiva Krithi Shetty Priyamani Anandhi R. Sarathkumar Ramki |
| Cinematography | S. R. Kathir |
| Edited by | Venkat Raajen |
| Music by | Songs: Yuvan Shankar Raja Ilaiyaraaja Score: Yuvan Shankar Raja |
Production companies | Srinivasaa Silver Screen Anji Industeries |
Release date | 12 May 2023[1] |
Running time | 148 minutes[2] |
| Country | India |
| Languages | Telugu Tamil |
| Box office | est. ₹15.85 crore[3] |
Custody is a 2023 Indian period action thriller film directed by Venkat Prabhu and produced by Srinivasa Chitturi under Srinivasaa Silver Screen and Anji Industries. It was shot simultaneously in Telugu and Tamil languages. The film stars Naga Chaitanya (in his Tamil debut), Aravind Swamy, Krithi Shetty, Priyamani, R. Sarathkumar and Sampath Raj. The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja and Yuvan Shankar Raja, while the cinematography and editing were handled by S. R. Kathir and Venkat Raajen.
Custody released theatrically on 12 May 2023 to mixed reviews from critics and became a box office disappointment.
Plot[edit]
In 1998, Shiva is a happy-go-lucky police constable, who along with his girlfriend Revathi, a driving instructor, decide to elope and get married. However, Shiva gets involved in a road rage case and arrests Rajasekhar alias "Raju", a dreaded gangster who does dirty jobs for CM Dakshayani and her party. CBI George, who is also imprisoned by Shiva in the case, reveals that he has to produce Raju in court situated at Bangalore within 48 hours as Raju has useful information regarding Dakshayani's involvement in a orchestrated bomb blast at Morampudi. Shiva calls George's superior Varghese and confirms the same.
Meanwhile, Dakshayani learns of Raju's arrest and assigns some goons and IG Nataraj to kill him. Nataraj and Dakshyini's goons try to kill Raju and George, but Shiva subdues the goons and escapes with them. Shiva, Raju and George head to Bangalore, where Revathi also accompanies them. Nataraj tracks them down where their car falls into a lake near a dam. Shiva, Raju, Revathi and George sneak into the dam's underground tunnel, where Nataraj attacks them and George is killed in a crossfire. After escaping from Nataraj, Shiva and the others move to an hospital as Raju was injured during the previous shootout, but the hospital is watched by Nataraj's men. Later, the trio arrive at Maj. Gen. Philips Satya Raj and Raju gets treated and recovers.
After this, Shiva and the others are escorted by officers under Varghese's orders, but Nataraj and his goons surround them. Shiva and Raju fight the men, where Philips also arrives and helps Shiva and the others to escape. Due to sudden circumstances, Raju escapes and arrives at a fair, but Shiva manages to find him. Nataraj arrives and tells Shiva to kill Raju in exchange for his father's life. However, Shiva's father tells Shiva to leave and seek justice for his brother Vishnu, who also died in the Morampudi blast. Shiva's father shoots himself and Shiva escapes again with Raju and Revathi. At the railway station, the trio are attacked by Raju's brother Ravi, who was bribed by Dakshayani to kill him in exchange for taking Raju's place. Raju kills Ravi during a fight and Shiva, Revathi and Raju board the train to Bangalore.
Nataraj and his men follow them, where a fight ensues and Raju separates from the compartment in order to save Shiva. Nataraj kills Raju, thus leaving Shiva devastated. The next day at the court, it is revealed that Shiva actually recorded Raju's confession about Dakshayani's involvement in the Morampudi blast and shows the evidence in the court. Raju also confessed that Dakshayani had committed the blasts in order to cover up the murder of an IAS officer, who was investigating her scandals. Dakshayani, Nataraj and the other officers involved are arrested. Varghese thanks Shiva and offers him a position in the CBI, but Shiva declines and decides to continue being in the police force. After this, Shiva and Revathi plan for their marriage preparation.
