With every New Year, comes a promise of new beginnings. And a new beginning is what Sandalwood promises film buffs this year.
A multitude of films set to release are touted to take the industry to dizzying new heights. They include Nam Anna Don, Kataari Veera Sura Sundaraangi, Shikhari, Anna Bond, Sangoli Rayanna and Dandupalya.
Innovative promotions seem to be the mantra as producers are sparing no expense in making sure that the film is adequately marketed. Take the case of Nam Anna Don, which was kickstarted with a flash mob in a popular mall in the city.
Ask Ramesh Aravind about what the industry can look forward to in 2012, and he says, “The last couple of years witnessed a slew of producers who were just flirting with the medium of cinema. However, they have been filtered out and things should look brighter this year,” he observes.
Also in the offing is director Abhaya Simha’s Shikari, starring Malayalam industry’s leading man Mammootty and Poonam Bajwa in lead roles. Interestingly, the film marks the debut of actor Mammooty in the Kannada film industry.
“I had scripted the film almost two years ago and we’d approached Mammooty,” says director Abhaya Simha. “It was sheer luck that the actor was looking out for a good script in Kannada, an industry where he has never worked before,” he adds.
It was only a matter of time before 3D films hit the local market as well and Kataari Veera Sura Sundaraangi, staring Upendra and Ramya in lead roles, is said to be Sandalwood’s first 3D release.
“I think 3D is generally a format that is used for horror films. But for the first time in the industry a popular, commercial film with a huge star cast is releasing in this format,” says director of the film Suresh Krissna.
“I think, in the past Sandalwood has always faced stiff competition from other industries down south as well as Bollywood, so it is great to be a part of a sea change that is hitting the industry. Sandalwood is now looking at bigger films in budget and star cast,” he adds.
As film budgets expand to include a multitude of production costs, it was only a matter of time before actors were paid on par with their contemporaries in other industries. One thing that stars can look forward to this year are better salaries.
Director Kavitha Lankesh, however maintains that, “Rates are something that are hiked for no rhyme or reason, whenever they want. Yes, rising production costs and bigger budgets can be a contributing factor, but then there isn’t any logical reason to why the fees are high,” she says. With big budgets, bigger star casts and the boundaries between industries blurring, the year ahead seems to be one that everyone is looking forward to.
* Here’s our pick of six of the biggest Kannada films to be released this year...
ANNA BOND
Star Cast: Puneeth Rajkumar, Priyamani and Nidhi Subbaiah.
Plot: The story will be a surprise for the audience and all that has been revealed is that the film will be an action-entertainer.
Locations: Jungle Lodge (Bhimeshwari fishing camp), Coorg, Bengaluru and a schedule in Spain in March.
Production cost: The exact figures of production cost are not revealed, but the grapevine is that the distribution rights have been sold at Rs 15 crore.
USP: The team unanimously agrees that the Puneeth-Suri combo is the biggest USP for the film. “Their first film Jackie was a huge hit,” says Nidhi Subbaiah adding, “I think the audience is looking forward to seeing that combination again.”
Release Date: April or May 2012
SANGOLI RAYANNA
Star Cast: Darshan, Nikita Thukral and Jayaprada.
Plot: The plot of the film revolves around Sangoli Rayanna, a well-known freedom fighter from Karnataka who fought the British till his death.
Location: Belgaum and Thula (Rajasthan).
Production cost: Rs 30 crore
USP: With plenty of controversy surrounding the lead pair Darshan and Nikita, the film sure has garnered enough interest already.
Release date: Not confirmed.
NAM ANNA DON
Star Cast: Ramesh Aravind, Mona Parvaresh and Sana Thani.
Plot: A ribtickler set against the backdrop of a hospital. The film also carries a message of how the profession of medicine is a noble one and how it should not be monetised.
Location: Most of the film was shot in a real hospital in real-time scenarios in Bengaluru.
Production cost: Rs 2.5 crore
USP: The film promises to be an original, something that the audience has never seen before. “The plot is striking and will provide valuable insights into the healthcare industry,” says Ramesh.
Release date: February 17, 2012
SHIKHARI
Star Cast: Mammootty and Poonam Bajwa
Plot: Mammootty plays a double role in this film, which spans across the pre-Independent and post-Independent colonial era. He plays the role of a freedom fighter in the past and that of a software engineer in the present. How their lives are interconnected forms the crux of the story.
Location: Scenic locations in Kochi, Bengaluru and Thirthahalli.
Production cost: Around Rs 4- 4.5 crores
USP: “The content of the film is its USP,” claims director Abhaya Simha. “Also, the film is a bilingual one and will be released both in Kannada and Malayalam. However, our biggest USP is Mammooty, for this is his Sandalwood debut.”
Release date: Tentatively, last week of February or first week of March, 2012.
AINDRITA AND DIGANTH
They are rumoured to be Sandalwood’s “it” couple, thanks to their sizzling chemistry in the romantic entertainer Manasaare, which seems to have left the audience wanting to see more of the couple. This year, Aindrita and Diganth will grace the big screen in two big releases, Paarijaatha and Tumba Ishta Swalpa Kashta.
KATAARI VEERA SURA SUNDARAANGI
Star Cast: Upendra, Ramya and Ambreesh
Plot: A fantasy film that promises to be an entertainer, this film tracks the journey of one man from Bhooloka to Yamaloka and Indraloka
Location: Huge sets had to be constructed in Ramoji film city. Apart from that the film was shot in and around Bengaluru and Mysore.
Production cost: Rs 15-20 crore.
USP: “The fact that it is a 3D film is in itself a crowd puller,” says director Suresh Krissna. “We will be releasing the film in 2D too. Apart from that, the film’s script is sure to be a winner.”
Release date: May 2012
