Kannada film ‘Kantara’ documents the land issue for farmers and tribal people with cultural elements.
A king living in the year 1847 has a lot of land, money, respect, everything is in excess. Wandering restlessly in spite of his wife and people, he leaves home and travels to different places in search of solace. Entering such a forest, he finds people worshiping Sami together. On seeing that, he requests the Sami to help him get relief. The tribal people, who refuse at first, receive lands from the king and give up their gods, with certain conditions.
Cut to that, the story takes place in the 1970s and a descendant of the king insists on giving the land to the tribal people. Nayak also faced the same land issue in the 1990s. On the one hand a farmer wants to take away the land where the tribals live; On the other hand, there is a complaint from the government that the villagers are encroaching on the forest area. Was the land finally recovered for the tribal people? Isn’t it? – The compelling Kannada film ‘Gandhara’ tells this with their culture.
The face of Kannada cinema is changing in recent times. Kannada cinema, which was once a platform for remake films, gained global attention after the arrival of ‘KGF’. Kannadigas are proving themselves through various films including ‘Diya’, ‘Karuda Kamana Vrishapa Vahanam’, ‘777 Charlie’. The great strength of the film directed by Rishabh Shetty is its engagement. The director has managed to engage the audience as much as possible. He has succeeded in it. The way the screenplay has been written by combining land politics in the triangle of government administration, land owners and tribal people is very interesting.
In the first half, the film attracts the audience as a visual treat with a buffalo competition called ‘Kampala’, followed by mud fights. On the other hand, closer to reality habitats, cultural culture of tribal people, hunting industry etc. are getting attention. The love song that comes in between, the second half of which continues as an extension of the love song Aayashi. The way in which the final scene is recorded depends on the geography of the people and makes it enjoyable. The online comedies that come here and there in the film are not exaggerated, but the way it is written is linked to the story and does not fail to make people laugh.
Rishabh Shetty’s acting brings the film to life and enhances the scenes. He reaches the pinnacle of his acting by beating up his enemies in a fit of rage, trying to protect his loved ones, and breaking down and crying at their loss. Especially his performance in the final scene and the accompanying performance is the epitome of a masterful artist. Kishore as a grumpy forest officer. Sevvane has done his own character as a kind of character in the first half, standing with the hero and becoming arrogant when his work is interrupted, and a complete change in the second half.
Saptami Gowda as the heroine. Used for love and romance scenes. Not changed in any way from the norm. As the farmer, Achyut Kumar proves to be an accomplished actor. But the character for him does not give much interest as it becomes predictable. Other actors score their own performances.
Another major strength of the film is its technical team. The graphics, music, artwork, combat, and sound design all contribute to a great visual experience. Arvind Kashyam’s cinematography adds to the beauty of the pre-intermission skits, the kampala match and the splash of color on the screen in the finale. Ajaneesh Loknath Pinnani’s music aims to give the audience the experience of a journey into the jungle.
Hyper-heroism, logical fallacies, forced romance and uncharacteristic conflict with the hero weaken the film. The film is not without twists and turns as the film occasionally deviates from the plot and takes a detour. Apart from these very few flaws, ‘Ganthara’ will definitely give you a different movie experience. This is a contemporary creation that is sure to be enjoyed in theatres.