TRUE DEVOTION TRANSCENDS RELIGIOUS RITES AND RITUALS
Akira Kurosawa, the legendary Japanese director and screenwriter, once said that films must depict the common problems of humans properly . Depiction is perhaps not enough, if no attempt is made to suggest solutions. The medium of motion pictures vests power that can be wielded to tackle social ills and usher change. The avant-garde film-makers of mid-twentieth century took this “ cinematic social responsibility (CSR) ” seriously. So, they invariably embedded profound messages in the narrative of their films. " ಬೇಡರ ಕಣ್ಣಪ್ಪ " ( Bedara Kannappa ) is a 1954 award-winning Kannada film, which tries to convey the ideal of “ no room for discrimination in devotion ” in its theme. The landmark movie perhaps mainstreamed the genre of “Devotional Drama” in Karnataka. A blockbuster hit, the flick was dubbed in Tamil as Vedan Kannappa (1955) . It was remade not only in Hindi as Shiv Bhakta (1955) , but also in Telugu as Kalahasti Mahatyam (19...