Small films, bright sparks: The experimental streak continues
Like 2023, in which smaller films like Daredevil Musthafa and Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare rocked the box-office, this year too, some encouraging films like Case of Kondana, KTM, Kerebete, Hadinelentu, Matsyagandha created curiosity among cinema-goers. But there was no significant change in critical acclaim. Box office successWhile Upadhyaya and Ondu Sarala Prema Kathe fared better at the box office, films like Chef Chidambara and Happy Birthday to Me added to the list of dark comedies, a genre rarely considered in the Kannada film industry.
Kannada filmmakers also put Experimental cinema The movement is going on with films like Rangasamudra, Juni, Saramsha, Blink, Photo, Shakhahari, Somu Sound Engineer, Lineman, O2, Grey Games, Muren Krishnappa and Chilli Chicken. Though they did not get success, most of these films received critical acclaim and some of them are doing well on OTT platforms.
The riddle of the missing stars
Cinema pundits have blamed the Kannada film industry’s lack of star-studded crowd-pullers for the poor performance so far. Big films like Shivarajkumar, Prabhudheva and Yogaraj Bhat’s Karataka Damanaka, Rakshith Shetty’s Bachelor Party, Guruprasad and Jaggesh’s Ranganayaka, Sharan and Suni’s Avatar Purusha 2, Rishi’s Ramana Avatar, Ravichandran’s The Judgement, Dhananjay’s Koti, Yuva Rajkumar’s launch vehicle Yuva were some of the films that were expected to do well at the box office.
“The year 2023 was a big lesson for our actors, especially stars, who tried to cash in on the pan-India trend. The move backfired completely,” said an aspiring female filmmaker, who did not wish to be named. “Only when we can woo the middle class, who are our real audience, can we think of taking our films to the next level. Home turf should be our first priority,” she said.
KFI is tainted by controversies
Two divorces, a murder case and a call to shut down the film industry for a month – June has been the most controversial month so far. The month began with the news of rapper Chandan Shetty and actor Niveditha Gowda’s divorce, followed soon after by what shocked Doddamane fans – the divorce proceedings of Yuva Rajkumar and Sridevi Byrappa and the subsequent notoriety in the public. But what really shook KFI was Darshan’s involvement in the Renuka Swamy murder case, the news drew national attention to KFI for the wrong reasons. In May, concerned by the huge losses the Kannada film industry has suffered, especially in the last two years, a section of producers, distributors and exhibitors had called for a temporary suspension of film industry-related activities to discuss the issue.
Hopes are pinned on the second half of 2024
The lineup for the second half of 2024 has given some hope to cinephiles, who are expecting big releases. Films starring stars like Sudeep, Upendra, Vijay, Srimurali, Shivarajkumar, Dhruva Sarja and Dhananjay, who have huge fan followings, are set to release during the second half of 2024. The momentum is set to start with Vijay’s Bheema, slated to release in August, and is likely to carry forward with Sudeep’s Max, Shivarajkumar’s Bhairathi Raanagal, followed by Upendra’s UI and Dhruva Sarja’s Martin and KD, and Srimurali’s Bagheera. It also includes films like Gowri, Krishnam Pranaya Sakhi and Karavali, as well as some more experimental films like Powder, Edagiye Apaghatakke Karna, Agnatavaasi, Ibbani Tabeeda Ilayali, Pepe, family drama, Maryade Prashna, Firefly and Murphy, which promise to do well this year.
People are now comfortably spending 2-3 hours watching content on their phones. To make them step out of their comfort zone and come to the theatre, the film needs to have something that surprises the audience. This is what producers are striving for these days. The story of lack of audience is the same across all industries
– Supreeth, Head, Business & Operations & Distributor, KVN Productions
