Kannada cinema: 2010 onwards
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Contents |
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2010
'Best films'
The five best films of 2010 according to Rediff
1 Jackie
Cast: Puneet Rajkumar, Bhavana, Rangayana Raghu, Ravi Kale, Harshika Poonacha
Director: Suri
A social message on human trafficking combined with entertaining action sequences and chart topping music is what Jackie is all about. With famed director Suri and numero uno hero Puneet Rajkumar coming together for the first time, expectations were high. Luckily for their fans, the duo didn't disappoint.
Jackie was lapped up by the audience for its fights and songs. Puneet's explosive action sequences by action directors Ravi Verma and Different Danny was the highlight of the film.
Harikrishna, who composed the music deserves no less credit. Yograj Bhat's lyrics added to the popularity of the songs.
Jackie was a movie for the classes and the masses.
2 Aptharakshaka
Cast: Vishnuvardhan, Komal, Avinash, Lakshmi Gopalswamy, Vimala Raman, Sandhya
Director: P Vasu
Aptharakshaka was a perfect last film from late actor Vishnuvardhan. The actor's last and 200th film was a combination of original and gripping storyline, powerful performances, narration technique and high end graphics.
The film is a sequel to Apthamitra which starred Soundarya, who passed away following the film's release. While Soundarya's absence was felt, Vimala Raman as Nagavalli created a niche for herself. Komal too held his own and his comic timing in the film can be rated as his best this year. Lakshmi Gopalswamy was also aptly cast in the role of a dancer. Vishnu's different getups and varied performances were also worth commending. Music by Gurukiran was however better in Apthamitra.
Aptharakshaka was a perfect goodbye present for Vishnu's fans.
3 Super
Cast: Upendra, Nayanthara, Tulip Joshi
Director: Upendra
Karnataka in 2030 that was the subject matter of superstar Upendra's directorial comeback. After delivering blockbuster directorials like Tharle Nan Maga, Shh..,Om, A, the actor-director had a lot at stake when he chose to go with a futuristic film without a title (his fans named it Super).
Upendra's looks and fast racing cars gave the film that added edge. Nayanthara, who made her Kannada film debut was the perfect fit in this stylishly shot film.
Two songs -- Kai Kai Uppinakai and Sikappate Ishatapatte -- composed by Harikrishna rocked. The film had all the necessary ingredients to make the film really Super!
4 Pancharangi
Cast: Diganth, Nidhi Subbiaha
Director:Yograj Bhatt
After Manasaare, star director Yograj Bhat and his blue eyed boy, Diganth got together for Pancharangi. Education, love, profession, marriage, family... Bhat tackled these serious issues in a fun and non-preachy way in the film.
Like Bhatt's previous directorials, Pancharangi is a tale about life and its various facets. Diganth plays Bharath, a student passionate about his language and land.
Diganth and Nidhi scored well in the acting department and so did Ninasam Satish and Ramya Barna.
Bhatt's beachy locales and breezy numbers were a hit with the audience. Lifeu ishtene in fact walks away with this year's youth anthem tag.
Pancharangi added colour to the Kannada industry that was on the verge of hitting a dark patch.
5 Krishnan Love Story
Cast: Ajay Rao, Radhika Pandit
Director: Shashank
At a time of 'happily ever after' love stories, Krishnan Love Story came as a reality check. The film that was partly based on a real incident touched a raw nerve. It brought out the 'head versus heart' dilemma most girls face while choosing their 'Mr Right.'
The film starred Shashank's muse Radhika Pandit who gave yet another stellar performance. This love story also gave Ajay Rao his much needed break. Comedian Sharan acted well too.
Jayanth Kaikini's lyrics and Shreedhar's music complemented each other. Camera by Chandrashekar was good especially in the climax scene.
2011
The hits
2011: Success rate of Kannada films increased
Dec 29, 2011
The biggies Darshan's 'Saarathi' and Punith Rajkumar starrers 'Hudugaru' and 'Paramathma' set the cash registers ringing. The success of medium budget films also took the success percentage up to 10 this year from the average of eight to nine in the past few years.
As many as 122 films were released and about 13 did well and the producers recovered their investment through advance sales.
Saarathi
Darshan starrer 'Saarathi', directed by his brother Dinakar Toogudeepa, was the blockbuster of the year. The theatrical collections of the film have already crossed Rs.15 crore mark and trade analysts are expecting it to reach Rs.20 crore by earning revenues from the sales of satellite and audio rights.
Made for Rs.7 crore, the film has broken records of previous Darshan films. 'Saarathi' also marks the debut of K.V. Sathya Prakash as a producer.
"Many industry veterans advised me not to release the film when the film's hero Darshan was in jail. I sought Darshan's advice and he said that the film can be released and I won't be put into a difficult spot. The audiences liked the film. I thank Darshan and his brother Dinakar Toogudeepa for delivering such a good product for me," he said.
Other hits
Saarathi's success was followed by other big grosser like Puneet Rajkumar starrers 'Hudugaru' and Paramathma'; Sudeep's Kempe Gowda' and Only Vishnuvardhana; and Vijay's Johny Mera Naam.
The year was particularly good for Sudeep whose two films received lot of appreciation. On the other and Vijay churned out three damp squibs - 'Kanteerava', 'Jarasandha' and 'Veera Bahu'. Even Ganesh delivered two flops in 'Maduve Mane' and 'Eno Onthara'.
Real Star Upendra, who had a rollicking time last year with blockbuster 'Super', had only one release this year - Srimati, which turned turtle at the ticket window.
Among the heroines it was Ramya who stole the show with two super hits - Johny Mera Naam and Sanju Weds Geetha.
Radhika Pandit delivered one hit in Hudugaru, while debutant Deepa Sannidhi had two hits in Saarathi and Paramathma.
Raagini was appreciated for her performances in Kempe Gowdaand Kalla Malla Sulla.
Ganesh's release Shyloo did well.
Low budget successes
The success percentage was evenly shared between big budget-star-studded movies and medium budget films made with known artists of lesser charismatic appeal.
"Even some non star cast medium and low budget films like 'Bhadra', Sanju Weds Geetha', 90', Kirataka, and Lifeu Ishtene earned profits through revenues from theatrical collections and satellite rights," said Kumar.
Flops
The year's biggest disappointment has been Shivaraj Kumar's 100th film Jogayya directed by Prem; Ganesh's directorial venture Kool; Vijay's Jarasandha; Upendra's Srimathi, in which he acted with his wife Priyanka and Bollywood actress Celina Jaitley; Chiranjeevi starrer Dandam Dashagunam; and Yogi's home production Yaksha.
At the same time 'Olave Mandara' ran for 100 days in theatres, but couldn't recover its cost because of the huge production outlay.
2012
The hits
Sandalwood's top ten hits of 2012, in the alphabetical order.
Addhuri:
Addhuri saw the debut of Dhruv Sarja, nephew of Arjun Sarja. The film had Radhika Pandith starring opposite him and was a surprise hit. It got a good opening and sustained the audience’s interest for quite long. The film had a successful 50-day run and made good money for both, its producer and distributors. Dhruv Sarja, who shows a lot of energy in action and dancing, seems to have arrived.
Anna Bond:
Directed by Duniya Soori and produced by Parvathamma Rajkumar, Anna Bond starring Puneeth, Nidhi Subbaiah and Priyamani, opened to full houses because of Puneeth’s loyal fan following. Despite getting mixed reviews from the press, the film went on to become a commercial success.
Chingari:
Chingari was a typical Darshan film, with liberal doses of action and romance. The film was lapped up by Darshan’s loyal fan circle and he laughed all the way to the bank. It completed a successful 100 day run at the box office. The film’s collection records were broken only by Darshan’s next which was Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna.
Dandupalya:
Based on the notorious “Dandupalya gang” of robbers and murderers, the film opened to positive critical reviews. Realistic performances by the ensemble star cast of Ravi Kale, Makarand Deshpande and Ravishankar were applauded. Pooja Gandhi went topless for a particular scene and created quite a stir. The film went on to be a commercially successful venture for the producers and Srinivas Raju
Drama:
After average fares like Paramathma and Pancharangi, director Yograj Bhat came up with Drama, a huge year-end hit. Starring Yash, Radhika Pandith and Neenasam Sathish in the lead, the film hit bulls-eye with the younger audience. Catchy one-liners and peppy music supported by some good acting by Yash and Sathish contributed to making the film a hit. The song, “Thundhaikal saavasa…” is quite a rage amongst the
Govindaya Namaha:
Directed by debutant director Pawan Wodeyar, Govindaya Namaha was successful in bringing the audience to the theaters, all thanks to comedian Komal and his antics. “Pyarge agbittaithe…,” the song with the Urdu slang caught on like wildfire and garnered a huge number of hits on YouTube.
Kalpana:
A remake of the Tamil-Telugu hit Kanchana, Kalpana was a money spinner from the Uppi stable. His histrionics as a man possessed by the ghost of a transgender was much appreciated. Dialogue king Sai Kumar also turned in a powerful performance. The film is considered one of the top hits of Sandalwood this year.
Katari Veera Surasundarangi:
Katari Veera Surasundarangi is one of the first Kannada films to be made in 3D. Starring Upendra, Ramya and Ambareesh in the lead, the film opened to packed houses. It is partly a sequel to the hugely successful Uppi film, Rakta Kanneeru. The film ran into trouble with some Kannada groups for its portrayal of great Kannada poets in a bad light. But the film, nevertheless, was hugely
Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna:
Producer Anand Appugol’s magnum opus Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna starring Darshan in the lead, raked in the moolah this year. People were skeptical about Darshan being accepted back after the domestic violence case slapped by his wife. But he proved his detractors wrong and made a strong comeback and that too with Nikitha Thukral. The film supposedly grossed a whopping 20 (CRORE?)
Rambo
Sharan, brother of actress Shruthi, known for his comic roles, starred in the comedy-thriller Rambo. It was the actor’s 100th film and one of the first in which he had the lead role. Sharan managed to get a thumb up from his audience and the film had a successful stint at the box office.
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Landmark films
Tagaru
Tagaru starring Shivarajkumar, directed by Soori, remains a classic. The emotional sequences, non-linear screenplay, impressive performances by Shivarajkumar and Dhananjaya, and the magic of the Shivarajkumar-Soori combo are the five factors that made the film a classic. The film exceeded expectations and had a huge impact on Dhananjaya's career, leading to more offers.
Films ahead of their time
Kannada Films That Are Ahead Of Its Time
Lets see some of the five Kannada films that were made ahead of its time
Accident One more thought-provoking and very much ahead of its time film made by Shankar Nag in Kannada cinema. 'Accident' clearly shows the dangers society is going to face when the youth get addicted to drugs and commit accidents on the roads. After nearly 40 years also, there is no change among our youth who are still getting addicted to drugs and choosing the wrong path in their life. 'Accident' will always be a life lesson film for youth who take the wrong path in their life.
Katha Sangama Today's OTT players are overdoing the anthologies now, but the legendary Puttanna Kanagal did it decades ago in 1976 itself before the word anthology was termed and he also hit the ball out of the park in his directorial style where he took three short stories and made it as a film which has been an inspiration for many filmmakers over the years.
Lucia Known as the new-age revolution in Kannada cinema in modern times, 'Lucia' was ahead in multiple aspects. The crowdfunding idea was novel and of course, the screenplay and the making had the audience stunned and had to give their brains solid work to understand the film which goes in a non-linear screenplay.
Nodi Swamy Navirodu Hige This social satire is a classic made by Shankar Nag. Very few directors attempt it in the contemporary era. With a stunning screenplay, Shankar Nag was at his best in this film. The title song became a chartbuster sung by Master Bhimsen Joshi. Shankar Nag as a director had shown the western influences on the people of Bangalore in 1983 itself and how the people of Bangalore are advancing their sense of thoughts and ideals.
Ulidavaru Kandathe Rakshit Shetty brought the Roshomon concept to the Kannada cinema. Rakshit Shetty gave his version of cinematic touches by bringing raw stories of coastal Karnataka. During the release, the audience found the film to be complex but over the years the film grew over the audience immensely making them love the film so much and are madly waiting for the sequel.
2000-2022: Remakes that became classics
Here are some of the 5 remakes of Kannada cinema post-2000 which are considered as the All Time Classics And Blockbusters:
Apthamitra 'Apthamitra' is a Kannada remake of 'Manichithrathazhu' featuring Vishnuvardhan, Ramesh Aravind and Soundarya, and became a blockbuster hit.
Bulbul 'Bulbul' is another remake of 'Darling' that showcased Darshan's romantic and comedic side, appealing to both fans and families.
Cheluvina Chittara 'Cheluvina Chittara' is a Kannada version of 'Kadhal', a love story between a mechanic and a schoolgirl with a tragic ending that became a classic and a blockbuster.
Raktha Kanneeru 'Raktha Kanneeru', a remake of 'Ratha Kanneer', starred Upendra as an arrogant millionaire atheist and became a box office hit with memorable dialogues.
Yajamana Vishnuvardhan's 'Yajamana' is a Kannada remake of 'Vanathaipol', a family drama that broke records at the box office and had a successful audio release.
Memorials to cineastes
2015-2022
Roads and memorials dedicated to Kannada actors/ etimes.in | Feb 8, 2023
Streets and memorials named after the late Kannada stars
In recent months, Kannada cinema is continuously witnessing stalwarts of Kannada film industry being honored by the state government. The authorities are paying tributes to the personalities by naming streets and opening memorials after their names. Fans miss their favorite actors who have made millions of Kannada audiences happy with their films and performances, therfore the happily support these kind of moves. Let's have a look at the late actors who have got this kind of respect from the state government and public adulation:
Rajkumar
The legendary Dr. Rajkumar legacy he has created in Kannada cinema and the love, respect and following he has gained from Kannada people across the globe is immeasurable and has been kept on a high pedestal by the people. He doesn't have fans but only devotees. Such is the respect people give to Rajkumar because he is seen as the demigod of Karnataka forever. As a mark of respect to Rajkumar, there are numerous roads in Karnataka named after Rajkumar and so many statues are placed in his respect.
Shankar Nag
Shankar Nag is one of the different actors Kannada cinema ever saw and Shankar Nag was also a director who worked for the betterment of Kannada cinema in the 80s by experimenting and creating new trends. He is always adored for his great work as an actor and director. Shankar Nag was always brimming with new ideas and had a lot of futuristic plans for the Kannada cinema. Unfortunately, Shankar Nag succumbed to a fatal accident one night and passed away at a very young age. His place has always been left void as no one could fill his vacuum. To date, auto drivers in Karnataka adore Shankar Nag so much just because he played an auto-driver role in the superhit 'Auto Shankar'. In 2015, the Karnataka government named the Bommanahalli road near Housr road in the name of Shankar Nag.
Vishnuvardhan
Another great actor passed away unexpectedly in 2009. Vishnuvardhan who was awaiting his 200th film 'Apthakaraksha' release passed away due to a heart attack. Later Vishnuvardhan's family and fans appealed to the state government to build a memorial for Vishnuvardhan. After a long struggle of 13 years, the memorial was opened [in 2022] in Mysore. The Banashankari road to Kengeri has been named after Vishnuvardhan.
Ambareesh
Ambareesh was one more actor who was the mass's favorite in the 80s for his rebel roles and action roles. Also, Ambareesh gotta serve as a politician as an MLA and MP. Ambareesh passed away in 2018 leaving his fans devastated. Last year, the Kannada industry kept forward a request to name the Race Course Road after Ambareesh. The Karnataka government too has agreed to the proposal and has named the road after Ambareesh as a fond memory.
Puneeth Rajkumar
Puneeth's death was the biggest shocker any Kannada person would have imagined that the Power Star would leave his crores of fans in shell shock. Puneeth's death is one of the undigestible truth ever and keeps on haunting Karnataka and Kannada cinema forever. In honor of Puneeth, so many statues and roads across Karnataka have been named after him.
Period films
2021-22
Recent period films in Kannada cinema/ etimes.in | Feb 10, 2023
KGF Franchise
The 'KGF' franchise recently changed the face of Kannada cinema and has taken Kannada cinema to unprecedented levels. This Yash starrer was a story set in the period between 1951-2018 showing the rise of gangster Rocky Bhai and how he goes to become a messiah in a place called 'KGF' and what happens next. This historical gangster action drama was a phenomenal blockbuster taking the audience into the world of 'KGF' from the 1950s to the 1980s.
Vikrant Rona
Sudeep's 'Vikrant Rona' directed by Anup Bhandari was another story set in a time period not revealing the exact phase but was praised for its technical finesee and was a big attraction for the children. The making of the film and Sudeep single-handedly carried the film. The mystery adventure and dark fantasy were a hit with the genre fans.
Kantara
'Kantara' created history in Indian cinema for its powerful content. The story was set in three time periods- the 1840s, 1970s, and 1990s. Rishab Shetty's detailing of the story of Daiva Boota's history was very intense, arresting the audience. The real stories set in rural Karnataka and their cultural history caught the attention of audiences across the world reminding them of their cultural background and ancestors' stories in their native places.
Head Bush
Dhananjaya's 'Head Bush' had a lot of hype and curiosity before its release as the story was set in the 1970s showing the real phase of the underworld in Bangalore. The audience had heavy expectations of this gangster flick to see the underworld and their life set in the 70s. Unfortunately, the film failed to satisfy the audience as the writing of the film was weak despite every actor giving their best performance portraying all the real gangsters from Bangalore's underworld.
Vedha
Shivarajkumar's 'Vedha' directed by A Harsha set the box office on fire making Shivarajkumar's 125th film to be a memorable film. The film story is set in two time periods- the 1960s and 1980s. The storyline is a revenge saga but for a change, Shivarajkumar gives space to the female characters in the film which did justice to the story. Every female role was written with a substance that made all the characters get very good appreciation.
Professionals in Kannada cinema
Techies and doctors invade silver screen in Karnataka
GS Kumar, TNN | Aug 25, 2013
Sakshi Agarwal
When Sakshi Agarwal, an engineer with an MBA in marketing, joined Infosys in Bangalore as a consultant in 2010, being a movie star was nowhere on the horizon.
An unexpected call from Tejaswi, director of the Kannada movie 'Heddari' (Highway) offering her the lead role in his film took Sakshi — a gold medallist in B-tech in information technology from the Anna University — completely by surprise.
Sakshi, who models, was bowled over by the script. "I liked the story and accepted the offer, though the language was new to me. The role was that of a bubbly girl. I took it as a challenge and have completed the shooting except for a song sequence. I quit the Infosys job in January this year to take up acting and modelling as a fulltime job," she says.
A trend
Sakshi is among the rising list of engineers and doctors who are throwing up safe, 9-5 jobs to don the grease paint and face the arc lights. The Kannada movie industry - known as Sandalwood - is witnessing a rush of hot, young professionals like Nisha Yogeshwar, Kavya Shetty, Akhila Kishore, Prajwal Poovaiah, Dr Bharathi and Dr Nandini who trading programming and white robes for the lustre of silver screen.
Nisha Yogeshwar, daughter of a prominent local politician, who has bagged the lead role in 'Ambareesha,' has statistics & business degree from the University of Illinois. "I was getting offers for the last one year. Though I had the option of picking any field, I chose films as it's creative and helps in image-building. I know there will be ups and downs in every field. I liked the role in Ambareesha, that of the girl next-door. I am serious about my acting career."
Akhila Kishore, a BE in Computer Science from the Global Academy of Technology, Bangalore, wanted to act from a young age. Her first Kannada movie 'Pade Pade,' brought her good reviews. "Now I am acting in two Kannada movies; Kalabhairava and Boys. I know Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music. I also model as I am tall (5' 8"). I am sure about wanting to make it my profession."
Another computer engineer, Kavya Shetty, who is a model and walks the ramp, was selected as a heroine by director Preetham Gubbi for his Kannada movie Nam Duniya Nam Style. Before that she had worked with a software company in Chennai for a couple of months.
"I had camera sense as I had done a lot of commercials as a model. I am acting in a Tamil-Telugu bilingual movie Shivani and another Telugu project which is yet to be named. It is not easy to make a name in the film field. I have taken acting as a full time profession. Hope I will shine in this field," says the young girl.
Praju Poovaiah, a third-year engineering student from Mysore has landed the lead role in the Kannada movie Adarsha. She was selected by producer Anaji Nagaraj after seeing her portolfio . "I am a model for print media. I am not a ramp model . Besides Adarsha, I have two more movies: Love Story and Patharagithi, on hand
Dr V. Bharathi, heroine of Jayammana Maga isn't yet fully committed to the movie career. Says she, "I don't know how it happened (becoming an actress). I am not really inclined towards the glamor path. The film industry is not my destiny. For me time is important. I am studying for IAS examinations also. I will act only during my free time."
See also
Kannada cinema: 2010 onwards
Private lives of famous Indians
Private lives of stars from Bengali cinema
Private lives of Indian (Mumbai) stars
The private lives of Indian politicians
Private lives of Kannada stars
The private lives of Pakistani filmstars
