The fallen star

Sampath Kumar son of H.L. Narayana Rao and Kamakshamma is born on 1950 in Mysore.When he was going to college,director Puttanna Kanagal saw him in National College Bangalore and invited him to attend the screen test for his new movie.No wonder he got selected and Puttanna renamed him as Vishnuvardhana.

The name of the movie was Nagarahaavu(Cobra)which told the story of Ramachari,a rebel Brahmin boy.When the movie released it went for a huge hit and a star was born.Vishnu's hairstyle in the movie became a craze among the youths of 70's.After that he rocked the industry with numerous hits and great performances.Though his debut movie is Vamshavriksha,he came to limelight with Nagarahaavu movie.

Vishnu married actress Bharathi,who is elder and a bigger star than him at the moment.Things were going well until he acted in a movie called Gandhadagudi with Dr.Rajkumar.Misinterpretation of statements by the media created lot of controversies which led Vishnu to lot of harassments.His family was threatened and when his father died,the funeral procession was interepted by pelting the stones.Inspite of all these he emerged as a winner in life.Vishnu started to wear the "Kadha" in his left hand from 1980.He first wore it in the movie Simhajodi which remained with him till his death.

One of his most memorable movies is Muthina Haara in which enacted Major Achappa's role.It showed the horrors of the war.It is considered as a cult classic in Kannada filmdom.While shooting for the movie, Vishnu performed a dangerous parachute dive without a double and missed death by a whisker.And his movie Bandhana,made him popular with women audience and went on to be a huge blockbuster.It still remains one of the all time hits in Kannada film industry.In the movie Laali,he played the role of single parent.Suprabhata is also another memorable movie.Some of his memorable movies are Nagara Haavu, Muthina Haara, Hombisilu, Sahasa Simha, Bandhana, Naagara Hole, Nishkarsha, Yajamana, Bhootayyana Maga Ayyu and Apthamitra.Though he had an action hero image in the beginning of his career,he later turned towards love stories and family dramas.He also acted in few Bollywood movies and also in an episode of TV serial 'Malgudi Days' Episode 18 -'Forty-Five a Month', directed by Shankar Nag.His paired opposite Suhasini in many movies and the pair considered as one of the best in Kannada films.

Besides this he was also a singer and rendered his voice for some of his movies.He also sang for devotional albums.Some of his albums are 'Jyothiroopa Ayappa', 'Thayi Bhanashankari' and 'Vishwapremi Ayappa'.His song Thuthu Anna Thinnoke from the movie Jimmi Gallu, and Kannadave Nammamma from Mojugara Sogusugara are very popular.

He was honoured with many awards for his performance in movies. His awards include 6 south Indian Filmfare, 7 State Awards for his acting, a Filmfare for lifetime achievement and Dr. Rajkumar Award 2009. He had got Honorary Doctorate from Bangalore University.He was also nominated for National Award in the Best Actor category twice.One for Muthina Haara and another for Veerappa Nayaka.After all these so called awards are biased(remeber Saif Ali Khan got this award for Hum Tum).I think he really desrved it in Muthina Haara movie itself.His fans call him as Sahasasimha.True to the name he remained as a Lion forever.

During his last part of life, he was growing more interested in spirituality.He was a disciple of Bannanje Govindacharya,a spiritual leader.And he was also a follower of Shirdi Sai Baba and used to wear white cloth on his head.

As per his teachers he was the most handsome boy in the college and what the young Sampath wished for was to be recognised by girls as he walked around Gandhi Bazaar.He was a left-hander and polygot.He could speak almost 6 languages.He was also a great cricket follower and a good player himself.He had his own cricket team called ‘Sneha Loka,’ which consisted of his personal friends.

His untimely death in Vikram Hospital Mysore on 29th December 2009 due to heart attack at the age of 59 is shocking.

Story of a Pearl

In olden days,the only method of collecting pearls was by manually diving to the sea and gathering large numbers of pearl oysters from the ocean floor.And for generations sea divers withstood all the obstacles and collected pearls from deep sea.History says that around 550 B.C there was a large amount of pearl divers in India.

Most of the people might not have seen a movie about deep sea divers in India.Ya, there is one movie which was made in 80's in South of India which was directed by a master film maker called Shankar Nag starring Dr.Rajkumar as the protagonist.The name of the movie is "Ondu Muthina Kahte" which literally means "Story of a Pearl".The movie is loosely based on John Steinbeck's English novel "The Pearl". The movie tells a story of small community in Karnataka,South India which depends on pearls for their livelihood.Most of the men and women are uneducated but well versed in sea diving.As they are uneducated,they are easily cheated by the traders. One day he finds a big,shiny pearl in the sea.Suddenly many of his friends turns in to enemies and tries to have it but it somehow reaches back to him.Finally he gets disappointed by the human greed and throws it back to sea.


Highlight of the movie is underwater sequence which was shot without oxygen in Maldives island with a German cameraman.(I heard Shankar Nag saying it in his last interview).The camera was brought from Canada and in one scene there is fight between lead actor and an Octopus which is brilliantly shot(May be animotronics...its my wild guess..it has to be because there was no computer graphics in 80's).It is really a masterpiece but forgotten and of course master performance by Dr.Rajkumar who was around 60 years of age at that time (amazingly he looks fit..thanks to his Yoga habits).In entire movie he wore nothing but small skimpy dress.(I dont think any Indian "superstars" will do that nowadays except few). Music is composed by L.Vaidyanathan who worked with Shankar Nag in classic Malgudi Days which is beautifully rendered by Dr.Rajkumar and S.Janaki. We cinema lovers really miss Shankar Nag."Please come back and enlighten the present generation of fim makers".

Stumble

Recentley i happened to see an Indian English movie called Stumble directed by Prakash Belawadi.I heard the movie's name long back but i couldnt watch it.Somehow i watched the movie recently and completeley dumb struck.Its a off beat movie you will remeber for long time because of the theme which suits the present situation better.I think the movie was slightly ahead of its time.It stars versatile Ananth Nag and evergreen Suhasini Manirathnam,undoubtedly the most intellect and accomplished actors of their generation.The movie shows the plight of Indian middle class family suffered by the software bust and financial scams.

The story revolves around Ananth's character Anand Rao who has taken voluntary retirement from his job and invested all his money in a mutual fund which goes for a financial crisis and closes down.His wife Nandini (Suhasini),a typical Indian housewife who keeps on encouraging her talented daughter and soothes her frustrated husband.His only son looses his job in USA and comes back to India and company his daughter works for folds up.

The film also casts popular Kannada screen villain and character actor Mukhyamantri Chandru as a crooked politician and head of a cooperative bank, comic actor Sihikahi Chandru as his side kick, and several other theatre actors from Bangalore. Kannada serial starlet and talented singer,who earlier acted in Belawadi's acclaimed Garva serial,M D Pallavi acts as the daughter with Ajit Hande as the son.

The cinematography of the movie is by American Clay Kelton who also acted as a Mauritius-based businessman and Russel Burns acts as British buisnessman

It also has some comical relief like a routine Indian commercial cinema,a guy who is working in an IT firms is the son of the president of ALL SOUTH INDIA RAMBHA FANS ASSOCIATION wants to quit the job and make movies with Rambha.(a famous cinema actress when the movie released).But the comedy scenes doesnt look like it has been added forcibly, just to make it commercial,like many Indian commercial cinemas.It just comes in the script and the character is very much part of the movie.

And performances of every actors are very good.What can i say about Ananth Nag and Suhasini.Everybody knows what kind of actors they are.And the journalist turned filmmaker Prakash Belawadi who was journalist of English dailies like Indian Express,The Asian Age and Bangalore Bias,did a neat job.Efforts of singer,actress M.D.Pallavi is worth mentioning.Kannada movie actor Mukhyamantri Chandru also acted well.His typical dialouge delivery and mannerism,which is familiar with the Kannada audience is continued here too.His English dialouge with Kannada accent suits his character very well.It is siad, the dotcom bust influenced Belawadi's script.

The movie was screned in Prakash Belawadi's debut film Stumble opened at the fifth International Film Festival of Mumbai (IFFM).And also won National Award for best English movie in 2003.

The Souls of Brown Folk

Most of you might have heard about Achilles or Hercules.Most probably because of the "Troy" movie or may be because most of the Indians are interested in western stories than Indian.

Now check out these two legendary twin brothers called Koti and Chennayya who revolted against social injustice and cast system roughly 500 years back.Koti,Chennayya,the twin heroes characterized in the Tulu epic are worshiped and remembered as protectors.

Koti Chennayya born to Deye Baidethi of Billava(I think billava is derived from Kannada word "Billu" which means Bow. The word Billava probably means Archers who were a warrior caste among the Dravidians who ruled most of India during ancient times) family.They both died while fighting against the enemy near Emmur in Sullia near Mangaluru where there is a memorial called Garadi which is also considered as temple for Billavas.Garadi which is derived from the Kannada or Sankrit(i am not sure about it) word "Garodi" which means gymnasium,as they both were body builders.Once in a year festivals called "Nema" is celebrated in the Garadi.There are still more than 66 garadies across Dakshina Kannada district.

Deyi Baidati who saved the life of King Permal dies during the child birth and the king takes responsibility of the children and Sayana Baida the maternal uncle takes the custody of the kids and gives them all the education under the supervision of the King.But everyone keeps them away mainly because they are from low caste and also they thinks they are threat to the King.The legend says in a battle between Panda Kingdom and Iayyanoor, Permal Ballal trickily kills Koti and Chennayya ends his life as he could not withstand the grief of Koti's death.It is believed that Koti-Chennaya were born in 1594 and died (During the Emmur War) in 1629 A.D. They were born in Padumale of Puttur taluk and died in Emmur of Sullia, where their old Gardi exists.Still you can see their Samadhi in Emmur.Their sister Kinni Daaru also being worshipped along with the brothers.

There are many "Yakshaganas"(dance drama popular in the coastal region of Karnataka),peoms,folk stories on them.A movie based on their life called 'Koti Chennaya' Bagged National Award.

Garland of Pearls....a movie

Muthina Haara which literally means Garland of Flowers is a Kannada movie directed by Rajendra Singh babu based on a Kannada novel.The movie is considered as a cult classic and also won an National Award.The movie is still remembered for its brilliant performance by leading man Vishnuvardhan and Suhasini Manirathnam. It was released in 1990.The movie is set in 40's,50's and 60's.

The movie is a story of Achappa ,a soldier from Kodagu,Karnataka.Movie starts with World War 2 and ends with India China war of 60's.

The injured Achappa meets a lady from Kodagu who is a army nurse and falls in love with her. They both get married and after the war Achappa becomes Army Major.In between they lose their only child in Rajasthan border.And one day India China war breaks out,Major Achappa along with other soldiers gets captured by Chinese and tortured.Somehow they escape from China and comes to India only to get shot near the border.

Major portion of the movie is shot in Kashmir.It effectively showed the horrors of war.Vishnuvardhan won critical acclaim for his brilliant performance as a young lover,middle aged husband and 45 years old Major.It was made in the line Guns of Navrone.Really a great movie to watch .(lot better than Hindi movie Border).I think it is one of the few well written Indian war movies which deserves to get recognised.Lead role is very exciting and challenging for any actor.

The fall

A lesser known movie directed by Tarsem Singh.I personally liked the movie for its splendid camera work and also for the the way it is shot in most exotic locations of the world(.It is shot in 18 countires).I think the director got full creative freedom for the movie and he definitely lived up to the faith of the producer.Tarem,the director usually directs music videos and commercials,so far directed 2 movies.First one is The Cell starring Jennifer Lopez,a thriller.

The Fall is a story of a injured Hollywood stunt man and a small kid,Alexandria, whom he meets in the hospital.He tells her a story of 5 heroes,an Indian ,an ex-slave,an Italian explosive expert,a masked bandit,and a biologist who seeks revenge.They all want to kill the evil Governor and they will be accompanied by a mysterious man who emerges from a tree.As he tells the story to Alexandria,she imagines the story.

The child actress Catinca Untaru has done a wonderful job.Though the other actors are excellent,its Catinca who steals the show.Her child like dialouges are the best part of the movie.

So all the movie crazy peoples out there,watch this movies.Dont download the movie,buy it or rent it.A great movie to watch,treat for your eyes.