Darshan in ‘Katera’, his last film before his arrest in connection with the murder. The film was a huge blockbuster. | Photo Credit: Anand Audio/YouTube
Two days after Kannada star Darshan was arrested in connection with the murder, four Kannada films were released in theatres, unaware of what to expect from viewers glued to television news channels reporting the crime scene. With the channels sensationalising the case, the crime story became irresistible to people who are already, say filmmakers, reluctant to watch films.
Of course, a high-profile murder case demands a sustained investigation from the media. But, it becomes a problem when an act by an individual with a personal motive affects the reputation of the entire industry. There was a lot of talk on social media that “Kannada cinema’s reputation has taken a hit” because of the murder case. Industry insiders say this is a loose and far-fetched narrative. Any opinion about an industry should emanate from the content it produces and its culture, and if there was one film that caught attention amid the crime sagas, it was Shivamma, Recently released Kannada movie,
Sharanamma Chetty in ‘Shivamma’. | Photo Credit: Rishab Shetty Films/YouTube
Directed by debutant Jaishankar Aryar and produced by Rishab Shetty, Shivamma has made the Kannada film industry proud by winning the top prize at the Busan International Film Festival in 2022 and has performed brilliantly at prestigious festivals across the world. A small section of families and cinephiles celebrated the film, Shivamma The film has been successful in bringing back normalcy in the industry, which was clearly affected by Darshan’s arrest. People are urging others to encourage quality films Shivamma This is a sign that the show must go on and no single star can be the face of the entire industry. CategoryThis film, which tells the story of the struggle of a middle-class man, is another important film this week, which is worth hitting the theatres.
avoid criticism
Speaking to reporters, actor ‘Kiccha’ Sudeep made a focused observation on the entire scenario. He said, “The victim’s family should get justice and that should be our only concern. It is not about taking sides. The most important thing is that the industry should be protected from the criticism it is receiving. An industry is not made of one person. Thousands of people work hard to run it and every time there is a problem, the entire industry gets dragged into it.” The actor’s comments put the onus on the investigation and the legal system to resolve the matter.
Actor Darshan Thoogudeepa being taken for a medical test after being arrested in a murder case in Bengaluru on June 11, 2024. | Photo Credit: Murali Kumar K
This controversy has exposed a major negative side of the film industry. The influence and influence in the industry is very deep, which is why many big names have decided to stay silent on the matter, barring a few exceptions. Actress Ramya/Divya Spandana criticised Darshan, saying that he “took the law into his own hands”, while actor and director Upendra demanded more transparency in the investigation processes. If such reputed names also express their opinion against other deeper problems, such as the lack of good writers and the need for a safer and more democratic environment for women, it will be in the interest of the industry, given the way the industry has reacted to #MeToo allegations by female actors.
Transitional Phase
Kannada film industry is going through a transitional phase. Due to the OTT boom and stiff competition from other industries, young filmmakers have dared to make different, original films (herbivorousBlink)An unexpected controversy, sparked by personal motives, should not put the industry in trouble and shake the confidence of these young filmmakers. Industry insiders say it is the responsibility of Kannada fans to recognise the efforts of these filmmakers and assure them that they belong here.
Artists, on their part, must earn the public’s trust and handle their fame responsibly. This incident is a sharp lesson for many rising stars that popularity doesn’t last forever, especially if you don’t take adequate steps to protect it.
Ironically, Katera, starring Darshan, is the biggest hit of the year so far. Released on the last Friday of 2023, this rural action drama celebrated a 100-day run in theatres. After six months of mediocre performance, the second half of 2024 looks exciting for Kannada cinema.
The need for balance
The industry is set to strike a fine balance between content-oriented films and big-budget, star-driven movies. However, given the flood of murder case-related content on social media platforms, promotion of films remains the biggest challenge for filmmakers.
On June 17, amid the tense atmosphere, actor-filmmaker Rakshit Shetty announced the premiere date of his first web series (Ekam) From their production house Paramvaah Studios. In the promotional video of the series, showrunner and filmmaker Sumanth Bhat says, “Good cinema can be born anywhere, and it can definitely be born in Kannada.” It is with this positive spirit that artists, fans and filmmakers should slowly move on from a reprehensible incident.
