[5] A prequel to the 2017 film Mufti, it stars Shiva Rajkumar, alongside Rahul Bose, Rukmini Vasanth, Devaraj, Chaya Singh, Madhu Guruswamy, Shabeer Kallarakkal and Babu Hirannaiah.

[33] Sanjay Ponnappa of India Today gave 4/5 stars and wrote "Bhairathi Ranagal delivers an impactful telling of the character's backstory, leaving the audience wanting more.

"[34] A. Sharadhaa of The New Indian Express gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Bhairathi Ranagal blends action, drama and intensity, but misses the mark in some key areas.

[36] Vijay Lokesh of The Times of India gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Bhairathi Ranagal is sure to captivate Shivarajkumar fans and will appeal to those who enjoy crime dramas with an emotional core.

"[37] Jagadish Angadi of Deccan Herald gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Bhairathi Ranagal still delivers an entertaining experience, particularly for Shivarajkumar fans and action thriller enthusiasts.

"[38] Shashiprasad SM of Times Now gave 3/5 stars and wrote "For those curious about the backstory of Bhairathi Ranagal and eager to see Shivanna in peak action, this is a must-watch.

"[39] Pratibha Joy of OTTplay gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote "Director Narthan's prequel is strictly for those who loved Mufti's Bhairathi Ranagal and want more of that.

"[40] Vivek MV of The Hindu wrote "Bhairathi Ranagal is elevated by the commanding screen presence of Shivarajkumar, who revels in mass moments to power a straightforward gangster origin story.

"[41] Avinash Ramachandran of The Indian Express wrote, "With so much care going into the elevation of the titular character played by Shivarajkumar, it is slightly disappointing that Narthan rushes through the last act.