The hit song ‘Varaha roopam’ song ‘Kantara’ is fighting plagiarism charges from the Kerala-based band Thaikkudam Bridge. Composed by Ajaneesh Lokanath, the song has been replaced with a fresh version in time for the film’s OTT release this week. Thaikkudam Bridge had gone to court saying ‘Varaha roopam’ was a copy of their hit song ‘Navarasam’, released five years ago. DH spoke to the warring parties to bring you their perspectives. Can you explain the plagiarism charge? It’s mainly the stru

Not so long ago, Kannada films were known to bypass the festive seasons. Competition from neighbouring industries and Bollywood has plagued Sandalwood for decades. Last week, Rishab Shetty’s ‘Kantara’ broke the norm in stunning fashion. It took on the best in business and made a mark for itself, with many calling the ecological thriller the best theatrical experience among the big Dasara releases. It hit the screens against legendary filmmaker Mani Ratnam’s magnum opus ‘Ponniyin Selvan: I’, th

Ramya, the ‘Sandalwood Queen’ of Kannada industry, quit acting for politics in 2014. On Wednesday, she announced her return to cinema. She will not only be back facing the camera but also be producing two films under her banner AppleBox Studios. The actor, who rose up the ranks with several blockbusters ('Abhi', 'Excuse Me', 'Jothe Jotheyali'), became a sough after heroine in Kannada. So much so that filmmaker began writing unique roles for her ('Amruthadhare', 'Sidlingu' and 'Sanju Weds Geetha

The scene in a BMTC bus couple of years ago in Bengaluru tells the story of piracy plaguing the Kannada film industry. A college boy was enjoying a high definition (HD) version of Sudeep’s magnum opus ‘Pailwaan’ on his mobile phone. It didn’t matter to him that the film was still running in theatres. Through a Transfer app, it took him just 20 minutes to give the film to his friend. The film’s producer, Swapna Krishna, reacted to this, saying she felt betrayed by the Kannada audiences. A decad

For the longest time, Tamil cinema fans referred only to one actor as ‘superstar,’ and that was Rajinikanth. Silambarasan gave up the titles of ‘little superstar’ and ‘young superstar’ when they failed to create any buzz. The last decade, however, has produced a remarkable change, and women actors are being recognised as superstars. Essaying a variety of roles, Nayanthara shattered the glass ceiling to be called the ‘lady superstar’. Today, she is said to be the highest-paid female south Indian

Anticipation around a big film is normal, but this is different. For Kannada film lovers, the nervous energy is at a never-before high. If the process of making films was a war field, then Sandalwood is set to unleash its biggest weapon on December 21. Traditionally, ‘Khan films’ have an unwritten right on the Christmas season. One of Bollywood’s three superstars hogs the limelight when a year winds down. Whether the film deserves it or not, there is enough buzz around it. Its entry into the Rs

During the making of Mungaru Male, none in the crew had any clue about the film’s significance. The tale of love and sacrifice went on to become one of the biggest hits of Kannada cinema ever. Mungaru Male breathed life into the Kannada film industry. Film buffs who had given up, flocked to the theatres, again and again, to watch Ganesh and Pooja Gandhi in a film remarkable for its fresh storytelling. Many from the 2006-starrer still carry the prefix ‘Mungaru Male fame.’ Ahead of the release o

Over the last week, a section of Kannada cinema fans have expressed outrage at something petty. We are half way through 2019 and there have not been more than three quality films from Sandalwood. But the fans aren't bothered about that. Neither are they upset with their favourite stars' repeated blunders in choosing scripts. Instead, they are out to evict an actress from the industry for reasons that appear silly. Rashmika Mandanna has suffered a great fall from being 'Karnataka's crush' to S

Which South Indian industry is the best? The unanimous opinion to this Twitter question wasn’t surprising. The Malayalam film industry, which richly deserves the invincible tag, bagged the top spot while Kannada predictably settled for fourth. Even for a staunch Kannada industry loyalist like me, this isn’t the time for outrage against the choice. Our defensive arguments have become stale. Films like ‘Jogi’ (2005), ‘Mungaru Male’ (2006) and ‘Duniya’ (2007) triggered hopes of a golden run. The f

In a scene from the Telugu blockbuster ‘Eega’ by SS Rajamouli, a fly (the film’s hero!) is at his annoying best when the antagonist (played by Sudeep) is in the middle of a steam bath. With his hands locked inside the cabinet and no one to release him, Sudeep goes through hell as the tiny creature hovers over every part of his face. You laugh and feel pity in equal measure thanks to Sudeep’s brilliant acting. The Kannada star reacts convincingly to an imaginary fly (nicely created by computer g