BIOPIC OF A GIANT OF SOCIAL REFORM... BY GIANTS OF KANNADA FILMDOM
“ Pop culture is a reflection of social change, not its cause”, said John Podhoretz, an American writer. He was only partially correct, for pop culture can produce' social change. Or rather, it has the 'potential to spread' social change, not just 'reflect' it! " ಜಗಜ್ಯೋತಿ ಬಸವೇಶ್ವರ " ( Jagajyothi Basveshwara, which translates to “Lamp-of-the-world Basaveshwara”) is a 1959 Indian Kannada biopic based on the life of Sri Basava, a twelfth century CE philosopher and social reformer from Karnataka, who tried to unite people under one God, one religion. Thespian Honnappa Bhagavatar's portrayal of the great reformer is sublime . A giant of the silver screen, Honnappa Bhagavatar pioneered and dominated the arts and culture scene in the 1940's and 1950's as a theater artist, film actor, film producer, musician and singer. The other Goliath of Kannada films, Dr. Rajkumar too is outstanding as King Bijjala. The supporting cast has excelled equa...