Chitra Varga

  “ The greatest rules of dramatic writing…,” it has been said, “… are conflict, conflict, conflict.” Copy that! When the conflict is infused with the suspense and mystery of murder, the drama is high and intense. “ ಒಲವು ಗೆಲುವು ” (‘ Olavu Geluvu ’, which means: ‘ Fondness Victory ’) is a 1977 Kannada film which has conflict in romance wrapped in a murder mystery. Audiences gave the movie the seal of approval, in large measure due its mesmerizing music. The popular film was a money-spinner. Mohan (Dr. Rajkumar) is a strict English professor in a college. One of his students, Rohini (Lakshmi) develops a crush on him. Typical tomfoolery follows. Soon the attraction leads to seduction, which turns into mutual affection and courtship. Rohini’s father, Ramaswamy (Upasane Seetharam), an industrialist, gives his consent for the betrothal too. The romance though is short lived, for Mohan’s familial problems scuttle the relationship. The story of his tryst with love turns into an endea...

The American President Franklin D. Roosevelt said prudently…and profoundly too: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Easier said than done, for often fear is the fallout of the unknown.   “ ಅನ್ವೇಷಣೆ ” ( ‘Anveshane’, which means: ’Quest ’ ) is a 1983 Kannada movie, which takes a peek at fear-induced behavior. The plot of the neo-noir art film is about how folks cope with uncertainty. Critically acclaimed, the flick won a few awards too. Shyam (Anant Nag), a travel agent, is in blissful wedlock with Revathi (Smita Patil), a school teacher. They are blessed with two little, adorable girls in their tweens. The typical middle-class family lives in a housing complex with several other tenants. Some of the neighbors are prying nosy-parkers. Few men in the colony are goofy busybodies; others are perverts having roving eyes. The womenfolk are loud and garrulous; and, annoyingly inquisitive. Both Shyam and Revathi toil hard to make both ends meet. The two follow ...

It is tritely said: ‘ Justice delayed is justice denied .’ On the flip side, ‘ Justice hurried is justice buried ’ expresses the contra view. Regardless of the speed, there is miscarriage of justice many times.      “ ಸಾವಿರ ಮೆಟ್ಟಿಲು ” (‘ Saavira Mettilu ’, that is, ‘ Thousand Steps ’) is a 2006 Kannada film that took 38 years to see the light of the day. The hybrid drama, which has elements of suspense, mystery and courtroom in the narrative, was critically appreciated. Based on PV Nanjaraja Urs’ story, the movie has the fine line between justice and injustice for a theme. The female protagonist, Shanti (Jayanthi) is a peppy, young college student from an impoverished family. A romantic relationship blossoms between her and Shekhar (Kalyan Kumar), a lawyer, whom she saves from a vehicle accident. Their love blossoms into a wedding betrothal. A rich brat, Ramu (Mallikarjun) is infatuated by Shanti and hankers after her. But, Shanti spurns his advances. Yet, blinded b...

The Irish poet and playwright, Oscar Wilde said: ‘ Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious ’. Au contraire! Many surely will argue it is a virtue of the virtuous. “ ಆರ್ಯಭಟ ” (‘ Aryabhata ’) is a 1999 Kannada film that has the duty cast on the patriotic for its theme. The suspense thriller, a murder mystery, is based on renowned Tamil writer, Sujatha Rangarajan’s novel. In the opening sequence of the film, the murder of Anand (Ramesh Aravind), a reputed scientist and a moonshot inventor, is shown. The police are intrigued by the clues, which include a cryptic message written in blood next to the deceased. The investigation reveals Anand’s murky past and lamentable poverty-stricken struggles. The prime suspects in the murder case include Anand’s boss, Somashekar (Avinash); and, his wife, Bharati (Soundarya), besides the maid, a neighbor and a colleague. The lack of a strong motive and the existence of alibis for the suspects confound the woefully lost police. That is when CBI Off...

“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...

The unknown and the uncertain in a story creates suspense. Sudden twists and unexpected turns in the narrative adds tension...and, that is the standard formula for a thriller on the big screen. " ಆಗಂತುಕ " (' Aagantuka ', which means: ' Newcomer ') is a 1987 Kannada suspense thriller made with that template. The film based on A Balakrishna's story was well-received by critics and the masses alike. The film starts with a woman's paramour brutally murdering her; the killer is on the loose and the cops are clueless. The film cuts to Dr. Anand (Suresh Heblikar), who is affectionate towards a speech-impaired young girl in the neighborhood, Suma (Vanita Vasu). He hopes to get Suma's impairment cured. Suma too is very attached to Anand; in fact, romance seems to be blossoming between the two. The doctor's classmate, Chandru (Devaraj) walks in. The three spend some quality time together. But, that is when the psychopath surfaces again and wrecks ...

“ Suspense is like a woman. The more left to the imagination, the more the excitement .” Not my words; but, that of the English director, Alfred Hitchcock– the master of mystery movies. " ಕವಲುದಾರಿ " (' Kavaludaari ', which translates to: 'Crossroads') is a 2019  Kannada neo noir   thriller, which lives up to the hype and hubris technically. The murder mystery is being remade in Tamil (as Kabadadaari ), Telugu (as Kapatadhaari ), Malayalam and Hindi. The flick starts with the portrayal of a murder with sporadic, checkered visuals. A time jump moves the viewer in the present to KS Shyam (Rishi), a zealous traffic cop, who fervently aspires to be a detective in the crime department. The discovery of human bones at a construction site sets Shyam on a criminal investigation without official sanction. During the underwraps probe, Shyam crosses paths with Muthanna (Anant Nag), a retired, alcoholic police inspector. The trail though trends into a tangled mes...