Need more women directors to change narratives in Kannada films: Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy

In the little gem of a Kannada film, Aachar & Co, first-time director Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy dunks the viewers headlong into a huge vat of nostalgia. And while they are immersed in it, she nonchalantly deconstructs patriarchy and sets in motion new narratives.

When it comes to female gaze though, Murthy acknowledges Kannada film industry still has a long way to go.

“I'm one of the very few women directors here. To change narratives, we need more of us,” Murthy told PTI in an interview here.

But Aachar & Co asserts its female gaze without breaking a sweat, as it slowly unpacks the life of its lead character, Suma, played by Murthy. The film revolves around Suma, a woman shaped by society and her ultimate goal is to marry someone settled abroad.

“Feminism itself is so misconstrued. Why does it always have to be men against women in feminist debates? It can be a woman against herself because she is so conditioned. And this is what we figure out in the film,” Murthy said.

The director-actor shows feminism through unlikely characters – Suma’s brothers, who rise above the deeply patriarchal household even though they grew up in one and push her to get a job. When she claims her agency, they stand with her.

Murthy said setting her story in the 1960s and 1970s became the obvious choice as women in that era broke so many taboos silently.

'In fact, I would love to be born in the ’60s. People were breaking stereotypes then, both genders actually, but more so women. That’s the reason why I'm here, sitting here in front of you today, giving an interview. Because they've made that space for me. It was a lot easier for me to come here than it was for them,” said the 32-year-old filmmaker.

Also, setting the film in the ’60s Bangalore, when the tech hub was a sleepy little town that was gaining currency among retirees, gave her a chance to spring the nostalgia card.

In one scene, there is a milkman walking with his cow door-to-door, delivering 'fresh milk', in what is today one of Bengaluru's commercial hubs, Jayanagar.

Perhaps because of its focus on Bengaluru’s 360-degree spin, the film has caught the imagination of even Gen Z.

“That was the biggest surprise…” says Sindhu, recounting how on the first day of the release, she was worried when the booking status remained grey, indicating seats are still available.

“But by the next evening something had changed. The film picked up through word of mouth. That weekend we were completely sold out,” she added.

Buoyed by the reception, Murthy said she went to many theatres in the first week to find out what people really thought of the film.

“So many came up to me and said 'This is my story'. It really touched them,” she recalled.

Being fascinated is one thing, but recreating another era is a different ball game, the director said.

“Obviously, we could not shoot in Bengaluru because there are so many new buildings and new vehicles all around.' Murthy found her safe haven in the relatively “preserved” Mysore. The hunt for a house authentic enough there -- because most of the story was happening in it -- led the research team to the unoccupied staff quarters at the University of Mysore.

“We took over the place and gave it a complete makeover. We wanted to ensure that we got even the colours right. There is something very distinct about the 1960s (Bangalore). It's this very grey-blue colour on the doors and the windows."

When finally put together, paying attention to even the wire mesh on the windows and switch boxes, the world they created was so much fun to be in that the crew had a blast shooting the film, Murthy said.

“Every day, when we would get into the costume and go to the set, we would feel like we were in another world completely,” she added.

What also worked for Aachar & Co is its jaunty music by indie musician Bindumalini – a genre of its own where A capella meets Carnatic music.

“I had heard Bindumalini’s score for Aruvi (2017 Tamil film) and I had loved it. One of the first things I asked her was a rendition of the Suprabatha (with lyrics about life in Bangalore) because ’60s Bangalore woke up to it. It worked in our favour – the song went viral on release,” she said.

Murthy believes the fact that producers are open to a film like Aachar & Co is an indicator to how things are shaping up for Kannada cinema.

“So many films are coming up these days that are outside of commercial plot lines. It gives us a lot of hope that we can experiment with storytelling. Back in the day, we had some of the best films that were coming out. But we kind of lost our way somewhere and I feel like we are getting back on track now,” she added.