The Hindu : National : Karnataka biggies give the festival a miss

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Karnataka biggies give the festival a miss

Ziya Us Salam

PANAJI: Even as the ongoing International Film Festival of India celebrates the platinum jubilee of Kannada cinema, all major film personalities from Karnataka except actresses Jayamala and Tara and director Girish Kasaravalli have given the event a miss. Even doyen Girish Karnad, whose ‘Dweep’ and ‘Ondanondu Kaladalli’ are part of the Indian Panorama, has not attended the screenings.

T.S. Nagabharna, eight of whose films have won national awards, did not attend the screening of his ‘Nagamandala.’ He is said to be busy with his next project. Old-timer Jayamala has represented mainstream cinema while Kasaravalli, who came briefly to introduce his film ‘Gulabi Talkies’, has willy-nilly ended up as the spokesman of serious cinema.

The festival is screening five Kannada films — ‘Babruvahana,’ ‘Bhoothayyanamagga Aiyyu,’ ‘Dweepa,’ ‘Nagamandala’ and ‘Ondanondu Kaladalli.’ In the Indian Panorama section are ‘Gulabi Talkies’ and ‘Banda Neralu,’ whose director Umshankar Swamy did attend the festival.

Speaking to The Hindu, Kasaravalli said: “It is just a token celebration of Kannada cinema’s 75 years. You cannot represent 75 years with five films but it is a beginning.”

The four-time winner of the President Golden Lotus said, “IFFI comes at the end of the year when it is the peak business time for commercial cinema everywhere. And over the past couple of years some commercial films by newcomers have done well. Their priority is that at the moment. Serious filmmakers too are busy trying to finish their films before the year-end. You cannot change the dates of IFFI but there is need for more films to truly represent the State.”

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