Close friend) is a 2004 Indian Kannada-language Psychological horror action film directed by P. Vasu and produced by Dwarakish.

Apthamitra ran for 365 days in theaters across Karnataka and was the highest ever grossing Kannada movie at that time and was an industry hit.

[8][9] Ramesh and Ganga are a married couple who recently move into Mysore to buy an ancient palace against the wishes of his uncle Shivananda and family elders.

Shivananda agrees to reside with them with his two daughters Vani and Hema on a condition that the room on the first floor which is locked and sealed should not be visited by anyone in the family.

During their stay in the house, they learn that the palace once belonged to Raja Vijaya Rajendra Bahaddur, who had a court dancer named Nagavalli from Andhra Pradesh.

Ramesh's cousin Vani is in love with an orphan dance teacher Mahadev who incidentally resides in the same house behind the palace.

When the whole family is out of town to visit Mahadev to decide on his wedding with Vani, Ganga opens the room on the first floor with the key given by Sowmya.

Vani is also attacked by an evil spirit and these incidents make Shivananda to call Acharya Ramachandra Shastri, a popular exorcist to perform some peace ritual upon the palace.

Convinced that Raja is dead, Nagavalli's spirit, as promised to Acharya, leaves Ganga's body and she gets cured.

Mukunda, Shivananda's elder brother and Ramesh's another maternal uncle, accompanies Vijay to his journey to the States as he had now developed an affection and respect for him.

[16] Gurukiran scored the film's background music and composed for its soundtrack, with lyrics for the tracks written by V. Manohar, Kaviraj, V. Nagendra Prasad and Goturi.

[17] The track Kaalavannu Tadeyoru was taken from the 1977 film, Kittu Puttu which had Dwarakish and Vishnuvardhan playing the lead roles as well; the lyrics for which was written by Chi.