Chitra Varga

Someone said: “ A strong woman stands up for herself; a stronger woman stands up for everybody else. ” True! Strong women stand up for gender equality and justice too.   “ ಕಾನೂರು ಹೆಗ್ಗಡತಿ ” (‘ Kanooru Heggadithi ’ , which translates to: ‘ Headwoman of Kanooru’ ) is a 1999 Kannada movie that narrates the story of women in a feudal family and patriarchal society during the pre-independence era. Based on a novel penned by renowned Jnanpith-awardee, Dr. Kuvempu, the flick recreates the customs, couture and culture of the period faithfully. A visual treat, the film found critical appeal and approval; it won a host of awards too. The movie takes you back to early 20 th Century when British imperialism was waning, even as patriotic and nationalistic fervor was waxing. Inspired by Indian leaders; influenced by the call to freedom; and, with idealism for impetus, the educated youth had begun to rise against feudalism and patriarchy in society. Hoovayya (Suchendra Prasad) is a libera...

The American novelist and Nobel laureate, Ernest Hemingway wrote that ‘(it’s) better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.’   Needless to say, it is implied in the quote that it is ‘ best to have loved and won ’! “ ಅರಸು ” (‘ Arasu ’ or ‘ King ’ in Kannada) is a 2007 regional movie that has the ‘ loss and gain of love’s labour ’ for a theme. The romantic drama had the all-too-familiar trope of ‘cementing the rich-poor class divide’; the narration used that theme with novelty though― so, the film came as a whiff of fresh air. It was a commercial success and won some awards for its cast and crew too. Shivaraj Aras (Puneet Raj Kumar) is a daring, dashing and dapper NRI. The son of a business magnate, he is content living off the inherited wealth that his father had diligently amassed. Thus, born with a silver spoon, Shivaraj leads a life of comfort and luxury…the odd barroom brawl excepted. Circumstances though force Aras to head back to India. Upon return, the...

It has been said that history and folklore link the people of any land. Sure enough! However, while history is mostly fact, folklore is all fun and fiction, some of which is perhaps rooted in fact. “ ನಾಗಮಂಡಲ ” (‘ Nagamandala ’, which is the name of a ‘ ritualistic festival for propitiating the Snake God ’ celebrated in the coastal regions of Karnataka) is a 1997 Kannada film that captivated critics; it won numerous awards too. The drama is an adaptation of a Girish Karnad play based on a popular folktale of North Karnataka― its plotline though is similar to that of Rajasthani writer, Vijaydan Detha’s short story, Duvidha . Appanna (Prakash Raj; credited as Prakash Rai) is a grumpy, callous and insensitive newly-wed. Filled to the brim with toxic, suffocative masculinity, he routinely neglects his demure, bashful young bride, Rani (Vijayalakshmi). Yet, the obdurate fellow unfaithfully continues an illicit, extra-marital relationship with Cheluvi (Vanita Vasu), his concubine. Depri...

Many believe there is an afterlife….up in the heavens; or, in hell. Departed souls are supposed to rise up to their celestial abodes. But how cool would it be if heavenly beings showed up on earth instead! Well, that is exactly the basic plot of “ ನಾರದ ವಿಜಯ ” (‘ Narada Vijaya ’, which means ‘ Triumph of Narada ’), a 1980 Kannada film. The movie was a musical masterpiece― each track is a classic. The film yielded a whopper of a return to the producers. Sage Narada (Anant Nag) descends to earth and interacts with ordinary humans. But then, folks mistake him for his look-alike, Vijay (Anant Nag), a police officer. The ‘carbon copies’, that is, Vijay and Sage Narada befool the former’s romantic interest, Radha (Padmapriya). A wacky policeman in plainclothes, Gurupada (MP Shankar) is beguiled too. In the meantime, Lakshmipathi (KS Ashwath), a brilliant scientist gets kidnapped and his invention― an unreal camera that can instantly freeze people in front of it― is used for bank heists....

“ The aim of education is the knowledge…, ” observed William Inge, the Pulitzer-Prize-winning, American novelist and playwright, “ …not of facts, but of values. ” Many more have extolled how vital it is to impart the right values and virtues in children at a young age. “ ಸ್ಕೂಲ್ ಮಾಸ್ಟರ್ ” (‘ School Master ’) is a 1958 Kannada film that is a landmark in the annals of movie-making in Karnataka…umm, India! Equipped with a plot based on the English film, ‘ Make Way for Tomorrow ’, the domestic drama blurred the line between the offbeat and the mainstream. The movie was remade in Hindi ( School Master ); Telugu ( Badi Panthulu ); Tamil ( Engal Kudumbam Perisu ); and, Malayalam ( School Master ). Interestingly, the virtuoso Puttanna Kanagal directed the Malayalam version. A musical blockbuster, the flick was a ‘ super-duper hit ’ in multiple languages. Ranganna (BR Panthulu), an honest, humble teacher, but a strict disciplinarian, takes over as head master of a school in a small town. The sch...