Kannada film PUTTAKKANA HIGHWAY story

• DIRECTOR B Suresha
• ACTORS Shruti, Prakash Rai, Achyuth Kumar, Neenasam Ashwath, Srinivas Prabhu, Mandya Ramesh

Undoubtedly, it is one of the biggest challenges facing the country: the conflict between development and the subsequent displacement of people in hordes. B Suresha’s National awardwinning kannada film, based on an old story by Nagatihalli Chandrashekhar, is a take (though it does not specify) on the NICE corridor being built between Bangalore and Mysore.

Though there are characters which are happy to cruise on the new highway at 200 kmph, the kannada film is mostly about Puttakka and her struggle to save her piece of land through which the highway is proposed.

Puttakka is not alone in her struggle. The rest of the villagers also feel it is better to retain the land than pick up the compensation offered.

But one by one, they fall to the pressure and sell out. But Puttakka does not succumb to the doles, but it is a mismatch from the very beginning.

You know she will not win. So, the film becomes only a chronicle of her struggle and the effect a big project --like a highway -- has on village life. The struggle becomes a 'universal phenomenon' rather than a focused look at a problem as the filmmaker plays safe by not even mentioning the name of Bangalore.

In a bid to show that migration is universal, B Suresha makes the villagers speak in various Kannada accents. It is not as convincing as showing a Telugu-speaking labourer on the highway and Tamil-speaking vendor on a city (understood to be Bangalore) street.

The kannada film is ‘rich’ by art-house standards. Surely, it does not look like a cheap attempt aimed at minimising costs. Brilliant cinematography by Ramachandra makes it visually stunning as well.

Each character is well defined, giving space for the actors to excel. Kannada music director Hamsalekha's music and Yograj Bhat's lyrics are the highlights of the film. Though the kannada film tells every fact about the negative effects of big development projects, it does not bother to challenge the usual perceptions. It is rather a textbook effort at presenting serious questions ad answers. You know the answer and the fact that it is not the solution. A god ride, but it lacks a soul.

NOORU JANMAKU - Kannada Movie Review

DIRECTOR: Nagathihalli Chandrashekar

ACTORS: Santosh, Aindrita Ray, Sharan, Adarsha Balakrishna, Bhavya

Kannada director Nagathihalli Chandrashekar is bound by personal beliefs not to make a film without adding a pet intellectual theme of his own. So, a love story gets mixed up with global recession (quite late in the day). The superficial smattering of job loss and financial crisis in a posh setting does not help the film anyway.

The protagonist is an architect, who reluctantly hires a female ‘right-hand.’ She turns out to be the backbone of his business as it prospers. The ‘work, work and more work’ philosophy means that at the end of the three-year-contract, our hero does not even know where she lives or her birthday. Perhaps her job application and contract letters were blank. When it is time for her to leave, he falls in love with her. She promptly introduces him to her fiancee and leaves.

Because of the recession and her absence, and more importantly due to the necessity of the story, his business begins to sink. He goes to Macau and finds himself competing against her in a contest that will make or break his career. As required in such a situation, the fiancee of the girl begins to show negative shades.

This kannada film is full of unwanted scenes. One prime example is where the two architects present a construction model to Karibasavaiah. Santosh’s character is made to act rhetorically in some scenes. The few good scenes present are not enough to make this a must-watch kanada film.

Santosh in the first lead role of his career would normally be considered the weakest link. But he manages to give a good performance and comes out as the best bet. On the music front, only the title song borrowed from Nagathihalli’s America America shows sings of becoming a hit. The background score tries to force the audience to laugh and fails. The camera work stands in good stead. Free download kannada film songs here.

Nooru Janmaku kannada movie

Stuck between adversaries kannada director Nagathihalli Chandrashekar and hot kannada actress Aindrita Ray, lead actor Santosh is in a tight spot with the promotions of Nooru Janmaku.

Director Nagathihalli Chandrashekar and kanada actress Aindrita Ray are busy with the publicity drive for Nooru Janmaku. But Nagathihalli does not want the actress to share the stage with him. So, she is not seen in any press conference the director attends. Aindrita is, however, seen in television promotions of the film and other promotions like road shows where Nagathihalli is conspicuous by his absence.

Caught between the two is lead kannada actor Santosh, who has managed to become a lead actor after a difficult struggle. Santosh is on good terms with both of them and it is his close friend Vinay Lad who is the producer of the film. His plans of a publicity blitz has now been reduced to the regular advertisement drives. Nagathihalli and Aindrita’s televised spat about a slapping incident in Macau, China during shooting has ruined Santosh’s plans.

Santosh had managed to tie up with numerous business houses for the publicity of the film. “But I am unable to use most of them. We have made savings of at least Rs 40 lakh during shooting, thanks to these sponsors. but we are unable to utilise them to their full potential for our promotions,” he said. A popular beer brand is giving out tickets for the film at their outlets. Santosh sports a publicity t-shirt given by another sponsor and is touring the state to promote the film.

Nagathihalli, on the other hand, says that he is not handling the marketing of the film. The film will have a very limited release. So limited that it will release in only 12 theatres across Karnataka, the least for a Nagathihalli film so far.

Mewest kannada on-screen pair, Aindrita Ray and Santosh, to tell us what it was like working with each other on Nooru Janmaku

AINDRITA RAY

SANTOSH AS HERO... As a debutant, he did pretty well. He put in a lot of hard work throughout the film.

HIS WOW FACTOR... He is passionate about everything connected to the film, Nooru Janmaku.

ON THE SETS... He’s really hard-working. I always saw him multitasking. He took care of the overall production, too. He’s passionate about his work in every way and this film, in particular. This was something that I learnt from him.

CHEMISTRY... That’s for the audience to decide. I’m yet to watch the film and I can’t comment on our on-screen romance now.

SONG AND DANCE... He didn’t have to shake a leg much onscreen. Our characters were very dignified, but from what I know, he’s a good dancer. I heard people are loging to download kannada film nooru janmaku songs and they are interested in the lyrics of the film.

NAGATHIHALLI... I’d rather not comment.

SANTOSH

ANDY AS HEROINE... She’s a lovely co-star with amazing energy. Working alongside her brought an extra edge to my work.

HER WOW FACTOR... She’s extremely photogenic and looks fab on screen, no matter what she’s doing.

ON THE SETS... It did take some time for us to get comfortable with each other, but once we started working together, the rapport just grew. But even the first time, she didn’t have any airs about her even though she came fresh from the success of Manasaare.

CHEMISTRY... The on-screen chemistry is fairly subtle because the setting is restrained rather than flamboyant. There’s no blatant expression of love; it’s all implied, much of it communicated through the eyes.

SONG AND DANCE... I love dancing, but I don’t have much opportunity to show off my skills in this film. I do, though, love the moves in Nooru Janmaku. And I’d love to do a film that would let me dance.

NAGATHIHALLI... I call him Mestru and working with him is like being in his school. He’s brought out the best in me, coaxing me to raise the bar for myself. I was in awe of his ability to make changes to the script, depending even on the light when we shot. He wrote in the changes, and wrote them in a poetic way.

Kannada Director Nagathihalli Chandrashekar accused of slapping Actress Aindrita Ray

Kannada Actress Aindrita Ray on Thursday alleged that award-winning director Nagathihalli Chandrashekar slapped her on the sets in Hong Kong, resulting in ear damage.

Aindrita, who is shooting for Kannada movie "Nooru Janmaku Nooraaru Janmaku" directed by Nagathihalli, in a complaint to the film chamber and producers’ association, has said: “On December 6, Nagathihalli attacked me without provocation. He slapped me on the face and I am not able to hear properly from my left ear. During the shots, he behaved indecently. Before attacking me on the sets, he used to call me at nights and harass me during the shoot.”

Aindrita, who was accompanied by her mother at Hong Kong, has also said that Nagathihalli’s manager had asked her to come alone for the shoot.

Nagathihalli said the allegation is baseless. “I did not ask her not to be accompanied by her mother. She used to go for betting and would reach late on the sets. When she once came three hours late, I objected and she pushed me... I am ready for any kind of inquiry,” he said.

MEETING TODAY  (11th Dec)

KFCC president Jaimala said she will hold a meeting with Aindrita and Nagathihalli on Friday to hear their versions.