Chitra Varga

Samuel Johnson, the English writer extraordinaire wrote, “A man used to vicissitudes is not easily dejected.” The underlying tenet of the pithy saying is that you need to take in your stride whatever life throws at you. “ ದಿಯಾ ” (‘ Dia ’) is a 2020 Kannada film, which received scads of critical applause. The romantic drama was a commercial success too . The film takes a peep into the frailty and fragility of the human mind; it also explores the role hope plays in life.   The female protagonist, Dia Swaroop (Khushi Ravi), an introverted biotechnology student, has a secret crush on her senior, Rohit (Dheekshith Shetty). Dia though fails to express her feelings and Rohit moves on in life. The two meet again; and, romance fills the air. The blossoming love leads to a happily married life ever after, right? Wrong! A road accident turns Dia’s life upside down. Severely depressed, she decides to commit suicide. That is when Adi ( Pruthvi Ambaar ), oozing charm and cheer, enter...

“Every story needs an element of suspense– or, it’s lousy” , said Sydney Pollack, the American film director. Add a good measure of thrill; top it with a mysterious murder; and, you have the recipe for a terrific story on the silver screen. “ ತರ್ಕ ” (‘ Tarka' , which translates to ‘ Logic’ ) is a 1989 critically-hailed Kannada f lick . Based on Agatha Christie’s novel, ‘The Unexpected Guest’, the commercial blockbuster won a few awards too. Remade into Tamil ( Puriyaadha Pudhir ) and Hindi ( Chupp ) and, the suspense thriller is indubitably a milestone in Kannada films. The plot revolves around Akshay (Shankar Nag), a prisoner, who has escaped from custody and is on the run. The fugitive accidentally runs into his classmate, Sudha (Vanitha Vasu). Sudha confesses to murdering her sadistic, schizophrenic husband, Ritwik Kumar (Devaraj), who is monomaniacal in his suspicion of her fidelity. Akshay assists Sudha in disposing of the corpse; but, the two are soon targeted for blackma...

“Neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both” , wrote C. Wright Mills , a reputed American sociologist. “ ನಾಗರಹಾವು ”– ‘ Naagarahaavu ’ or, ‘ Cobra ’, in English– is a 1972 Kannada film, an evergreen classic that delves into the tangled world of relationships within the macrocosm of society. It explores how human relations shape lives, events and personalities. The movie melds together three stories– Sarpa Mathsara , Ondu Gandu Eradu Hennu and Nagarahavu– of novelist, TR Subba Rao, popularly known as TaRaSu . The social drama won a plethora of awards; it was profusely successful at the box-office and was critically acclaimed as well. This film was remade in Hindi ( Zehreela Insaan ) , Tamil ( Raja Nagam )  and Telugu ( Kode Nagu ). The film revolves around the relationship of the male protagonist, Ramachari (Vishnuvardhan) with his childless school-teacher, Chamayya Meshtru ( KS Ashwath ). Chamayya, and his wife...