Kannada cinema: The toast of 2022

Kantara Poster. Credit: Special Arrangement

Rakshit Shetty and Charlie are terrific in the film. Credit: Special Arrangement

Guru Shishyaru. Credit: Special Arrangement

Sakutumba Sametha. Credit: Special Arrangement

Shivamma. Credit: Special Arrangement

It would be interesting to know, perhaps from a survey, how many non-Kannadigas were curious about the Kannada film industry this year. The attention Kannada films got in Bengaluru in 2022 is a reflection of the industry’s terrific performance.

Karnataka’s capital is easily one of the most diverse cities in India. The demand for a wide range of films is high in Bengaluru and that leads to Kannada films jostling for space and attention on their home turf.

Unless they are made to feel curious, people are quite comfortable consuming content produced from their land and in their language. But partly, Kannada cinema’s subdued presence in popular culture is also its own doing. In the last decade or so, films from Sandalwood have struggled for consistency. The films struggled to cross borders and shine across the country, and naturally, they failed to make an impact in the OTT space.

In this context, what successful Kannada films of 2022 have done is change people’s perception of the industry. The rise of the industry means that it will be taken more seriously than ever before, opening exciting pan-India opportunities for its gifted artistes.

Films that fuelled Sandalwood’s great run were KGF: Chapter 2, Kantara, 777 Charlie, Gandhada Gudi and Vikrant Rona. Theatres owners were thrilled as almost every month witnessed a film that pulled in crowds, as the likes of Love Mocktail 2, Gaalipata 2, and Lucky Man (to some extent) did encouraging business.

The year was unprecedented for the Kannada film industry because its films were celebrated and critically discussed while blockbusters from other industries, like Vikram, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and Ponniyin Selvan — with due credits to them — were just lauded for their box-office numbers. Fans and journalists demanded actor-director Rishab Shetty a confirmation on a sequel to ‘Kantara’ while there was no end to the curiosity around Yash’s next plan after the gargantuan success of the ‘KGF’ franchise.

Hombale Films, who bankrolled KGF: Chapter 2 and Kantara, have grown into one of the sought-after production houses in the country. Their strategic planning, which involves a solid understanding of the market, theatrical business, and promotion, has helped them strike gold.

KGF: Chapter 2 was the perfect culmination of two mavericks in director Prashant Neel and Yash. They rode on inexplicable belief and pushed their imaginations while creating a supremely entertaining period action drama. With Kantara, Rishab, a workhorse, tapped at an opportunity to take a giant leap and emerged trumps. He upped his game as a director and sold a universal story with the right amount of entertainment in the film to become a nationwide sensation.

The heart-warming pet drama, 777 Charlie, was a welcome ‘return to form’ for Rakshit Shetty, who was almost down in the dumps after the under-performing ‘Avane Srimannarayana’.

The actor-filmmaker, a darling of the multiplex crowd, did a film that impressed people across all sections. The film also marks the debut of Kiranraj K, a filmmaker who seems to be destined for greater things.

Vikrant Rona, for all its hype, wasn’t entirely perfect. Mainly because the film’s story was far from extraordinary. But it was technically supreme with its 3D technology appearing solid. Kiccha Sudeepa played an all-out classy role, a much-needed change in his career. Fans, who were thrilled to see their star collaborate with a new-generation filmmaker, hope that the Anup Bhandari-Sudeepa combination will give a more well-rounded product in Billa Ranga Baashaa.

‘Sakutumba Sametha’ from debutant Rahul PK, who co-wrote the script with Pooja Sudhir, is a gem not to be missed. Thanks to its brilliant writing, the relationship drama on marriage was consistently engaging, helped further by relatable characters.

Kannadigas had an emotional reunion with Puneeth Rajkumar. ‘James’ opened to never-before-seen celebrations and raced to the Rs 100-crore club but it was ‘Gandhada Gudi’ from Amoghavarsha that offered the best tribute to the star.

Disappointments

Gaalipata 2 just rode on the reputation of the first part. The silly story wasted an ensemble cast. Suni’s writing has seen no improvement as the supernatural drama ‘Avatara Purusha’ was a boring affair. Prem, who launched his brother-in-law in the romantic drama Ek Love Ya, continues to be stuck with jaded ideas.

Looking forward

The year brought together diverse films, which, if not for the pandemic, would have released in different years. The industry must aim to grow higher and not squander the momentum. Prominence to writers, not following any trend blindly, and understanding the audience will help Kannada cinema continue to script magic.

Where are the women?

Milana Nagaraj dazzled in her reprisal of the crowd-favourite character Nidhi in Love Mocktail 2 while Siri Ravikumar delivered a natural performance as a girl uncertain about her marriage in Sakutumba Sametha. Apart from these two films, women hardly had meaty roles to explore in Kannada films and this continues to be a concern. Ramya’s return to films as an actor-producer is expected to bring about a change in the portrayal of women in films.

Survival of the fittest?

Small-scale films like Dharani Mandala Madhyadolage, Guru Shishyaru, Gilky and Kamblihula struggled to grab the attention of the audience amid a barrage of big-budget films. Cinegoers must turn their attention to worthy attempts, irrespective of their scale. At the same time, these films must not take people’s faith for granted.

International acclaim

Natesh Hegde’s Pedro, Pruthvi Konanur’s Hadinelentu, Jaishankar Aryar’s Shivamma and Abhilash Shetty’s Koli Taal, took Kannada parallel cinema to places.