Chitra Varga

The Chinese despot, Mao Zedong said: “Politics is war without bloodshed; while war is politics with bloodshed.” Often enough politics too entails some bloodshed. “ ಕಂಬಾಲಹಳ್ಳಿ ” (‘ Kambalahalli ’) is a 2002 Kannada film that portrays the shady, sordid side of politics. Based on a story penned by well-known politician, Munirathna, it draws inspiration from real-world incidents in Karnataka politics. The political drama features power-hungry conduct of people’s representatives; it received a mixed bag of reactions from critics. Doddegowda (Doddanna) and Ramakrishna Adiga ( GK Govinda Rao) are local political honchos of Kambalahalli. The two tyrannical leaders are at loggerheads with each other. Brahmayya (Mukhyamantri Chandru), a rice mill owner and ally of both the bigwigs, opportunistically exploits the local populace for personal gain. Come election time though, Brahmayya brokers peace between the powerful rivals. Mallanna (Devaraj), a resident of the village, who is forced int...

Norman Vincent Peale, the American author wrote: “ Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that. ” Success though demands more. Flying high calls for drive ‘n determination; passion ‘n persistence; and, effort, energy ‘n enthusiasm. Privilege surely eases the endeavor. “ ಕೇರ್ ಓಫ್ ಫುಟ್ಪಾತ್ ” (‘ Care of Footpath’ ), is a 2006 Kannada film that explores the challenges of the under-privileged. It was dubbed into Hindi, Odia, Malayalam ,  Telugu , Tamil  and English. The social drama won scores of film awards, including the national award for ‘Best Children’s Film’; it was critically applauded too. An orphaned slum boy, affectionately called as Slummu (Master Kishan), is adopted by an old lady who finds him abandoned on the pavement. The boy becomes a rag-picker. One day, a bunch of school children ridicule him. Being called an uneducated brute in derision offends and perturbs Slummu, who now vows to get educated. An uphill battle, no doub...