Chitra Varga

Many say that a bad system will foil a good person’s plans every time . So too, a crooked politician in power will spoil a good system every time. That is telling like it is…without mincing words! “ ಕಳ್ಳರ ಸಂತೆ ” (‘ Kallara Santhe ’, which means: ‘ Thieves’ Fair ’) is a 2009 Kannada film, which revolves around systemic degeneracy. Based on a story that Agni Sridhar has penned, the drama has for its theme the disenchantment of citizenry with corruption and the political class. It found favour with movie buffs, who poured piles of positive reviews on it…so too, its appreciative audiences. Somu (Yash) is a young unemployed man, who holds a MA degree in Kannada literature having passed with flying colours. He has difficulty landing attractive job offers because of his average abilities with English and inability to give bribes. So he tries his hand at several odd jobs, before finally ending up as a burglar. Somu saves Roopa (Haripriya), a lady who’s rejected numerous matrimonial pr...

Crime, as someone said, is as much a condition as an intention. Indeed it is the culmination of the intentions of the criminal; and, a reflection of the conditions within the community. “ ಸ್ಲಂ ಬಾಲ ” (‘ Slum Bala’ ) is a 2008 Kannada film about the police-politician nexus and crime-corruption locus within society. Based on Agni Sridhar’s novel, ‘ Daadaagiriya Dinagalu ’, t he critically-acclaimed flick narrates the story of gangster Vinayaka Bala, a hired gun on the payroll of powerful politicos . Balakrishna (Vijay), or, Bala, for short, is a ‘rowdy-sheeter’ in the crosshairs of the police authorities. Origins from an urban ghetto earn the nickname ‘Slum Bala’ for the notorious gangster. Police Inspector Shantaram (Shashikumar) banishes the brawny, bit-of-a-bonehead Bala from Bengaluru as a precautionary measure for ensuring violence-free elections. So, Slum Bala sets out to Mumbai and gets hired as a dance-bar bouncer. He even gets romantically involved with Mallige (Shubha Poonja...

What Ayn Rand, the Russian-American author, wrote in her best-selling novel, ‘ The Fountainhead ’, is often paraphrased into a clarion call for women’s liberation as: “ The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who’s going to stop me .” The moot point of the debate on gender justice though is that often women hesitate to raise their voices against the patronizing male. “ ಕಿರಗೂರಿನ ಗಯ್ಯಾಳಿಗಳು ” (‘ Kiragoorina Gayyaligalu ’, which translates to: ‘ Vixens of Kiragooru ’) is a 2016 Kannada film  based on a  novel  of the same name penned by  Poornachandra Tejaswi. The social drama was critically applauded for its refreshingly distinct portrayal of women as not just strong, but also fierce about standing up for each other. The plot is set in the hamlet of Kiragooru, wherein its agrarian community lives in harmony, the odd brawl or bicker among the residents notwithstanding. The village has some feisty, bellicose ladies too. Then, there is shrewd, selfish Heggade (Sh...

The work of assassins is in the seedy, dark underworld; its impact is felt in the open, bright world of the mainstream though. That’s an undeniable fact. But, what effect does the assassin’s work in the macrocosm of fugitive dons, criminal gangs and villainous mobsters have on his own microcosm of personal life and love? “ ಎದೆಗಾರಿಕೆ ” (‘ Edegarike ’ or ‘Guts’) is a 2012 Kannada film that takes a realistic look into the misty-murky world of sharpshooters. The crime drama won widespread critical appreciation and was a huge success at the box-office too. Agni Shridhar’s literary work of the same name provides the plot, which is evidently inspired by true incidents and real gangsters from the 1990's. The flick has the male protagonist, Sona ( Aditya ), a  hitman , who works in tandem with Tukaram Shetty (Achyuth Kumar), a planner of contract killings. Having taken scores of lives, Sona has oodles of blood on his hands. But, he wants to relinquish crime; return to a humdrum routine and...