A MOVING TALE ON THE MAGIC OF MUSIC

It has been observed that ‘music carries a message, and that musicians are the messengers’. Interesting take; but, the path to success for musicians, the messengers of music, is oft strewn with obstacles and filled with detractors.

“ಉಪಾಸನೆ” (‘Upasane’, or, ‘Worship’ in English) is a 1974 Kannada film, based on Devaki Murthy’s novel of the same name, which has music as its thematic fulcrum. It was a runaway musical mega blockbuster. The musical drama and its artists practically went on an award-winning spree; it was critically hailed too.

Sharada (Aarathi) is a child prodigy in music. Recognizing her talent and passion, Veene Anantha Shastry (Upasane Seetharam), an orthodox musician, accepts her as a disciple. She aspires to pursue a career in classical music, but faces several impediments, both within the family and without.

After marriage, Sharada’s in-laws are initially supportive of her pursuits. Later, they become antagonistic and take umbrage against Sharada spending too much time on her music, at the expense of her connubial duties. The factum that she is unable to beget a child too is held against her. Her husband, Madhava (Dr. Govinda Mannur) gets embroiled in a romantic relationship with his sister-in-law, Lakshmi (GV Sharada); and, marries the latter too.

Eventually, Sharada is accused of an illicit sexual relationship with Shastry, her mentor and tutor. In short, Sharada has to fight male chauvinism and patriarchal order within the family, and society at large, in her passionate quest.

Do Sharada’s ambitions fructify? With drive, discipline and dedication, does she break the glass ceiling in the pursuit of her dream…and, reach the top as a proficient, renowned classical instrumentalist?

Doyen Puttanna Kanagal has directed an evergreen masterpiece, which submerges the viewer in a haze of emotions– from melancholic lows to ecstatic highs. As always, he has stuck to the bare essentials in the screenplay to infuse a greater sense of drama in the film…yet another one of his woman-oriented flicks.

The greatness of Puttanna was that he could take an offbeat theme and mainstream it for the masses…without going overboard with crass, mass-market content. Realism and naturalism with a dash of commercialism was his secret mantra.

Vijay Bhaskar, another genius, hit the jackpot with his musical compositions. The euphonic tracks take you to euphoric heights. Technical elements are modest, but adequate in material aspects.  

Aarathi, the female protagonist, has made a splash with her rendition. Upasane Seetharam too has put in a touching performance. The rest of the cast, comprising of veterans such as, Leelavathi, KS Ashwath, Vajramuni, Advani Lakshmi Devi, Musuri Krishnamurthy, GV Sharada, Dr. Govinda Mannur, MN Lakshmi Devi, Shivaram, H Ramachandra Shastry, and others have done well too.

This musical extravaganza is really an ode too to the rich, resonant Veene…the Carnatic classical music instrument that the patron goddess of music, knowledge, learning, wisdom and aesthetics, Goddess Saraswati, is always depicted as holding in every iconic, graphic or sculptural representation.

I rate this domestic, musical drama: 8.5 on 10!