ISmart Shankar

**iSmart Shankar** is a 2019 Indian Telugu-language science fiction action film directed by Puri Jagannadh, who also co-produced it alongside Charmme Kaur. The cast includes Ram Pothineni in the lead role, with Satyadev, Nabha Natesh, Nidhhi Agerwal, Ashish Vidyarthi, and Raj Deepak Shetty in supporting roles. Mani Sharma composed the music, while Raj Thota handled cinematography and Junaid Siddiqui managed editing. The story follows an assassin who aids the police in solving a high-profile case after the memories of a deceased police officer are implanted into his brain.

The film was released in theaters on 18 July 2019 and performed well at the box office. A sequel, **Double iSmart**, came out on 15 August 2024.

**Plot** The protagonist, iSmart Shankar, is a street-smart assassin working under another killer named Kaka. He falls for a woman named Chandini and eventually wins her affection. Following Kaka’s orders, Shankar assassinates Chief Minister Kasi Vishwanath and flees to Goa with Chandini. The police track them down, leading to a shootout where Chandini is killed and Shankar is captured. Meanwhile, neuroscientist Sara has been successfully experimenting with memory transfer in rats. Her fiancé, CBI officer Arun, investigates the CM’s murder and suspects a larger conspiracy. Shankar escapes custody and realizes Kaka was involved in Chandini’s death. He shoots Kaka inside Sara’s car. Just as Arun closes in on the truth, he is murdered. Desperate for answers, CBI chief Chandrakanth enlists Sara to transfer Arun’s memories into Shankar, knowing this will erase Shankar’s past. Shankar awakens confused, experiencing foreign memories, and grows furious when Sara explains the situation—he will soon forget Chandini. He experiences brief flashes of being Arun but mostly remains himself. Following clues from Arun’s belongings, Shankar arranges to meet Chandrakanth in Goa. During the meeting, he shifts between identities, ultimately revealing that the CM’s son Devendra and brother-in-law Central Minister Ramamurthy orchestrated the assassination. Arun’s plan leads to a confrontation in Varanasi, where Devendra is exposed. During a fight, Devendra beats Shankar’s head, causing him to revert to his original personality. Sara tells Shankar that Devendra caused Chandini’s death. Enraged, Shankar kills Devendra. Later, Sara and Arun (now back in control) head to