Making movies based on the concept of sixth sense is nothing new to Indian cinema. Talaash starring Aamir Khan and Rani Mukherjee directed by Rima Kagti was said to be inspired by the Hollywood hit The Sixth Sense starring Bruce Willis.
For the first time, however, an attempt is being made on this concept in Kannada cinema. Bengaluru-based filmmaker Shreesha Belakawadi has written and directed Mojo, a murder mystery based on the sixth sense. The word Mojo has African-Sanskrit roots and means magic or miracle. “Pre-cognition is the ability to see the future,” explains Shreesha.
The trailer of Mojo, which was launched recently, has become a rage on social media and Upendra, who recently launched the Prajakarana political outfit, was all praise for the team.
Mojo, which was made over two years , premiered at the Silicon Valley FOG (Festival of Globe) held at California, USA on August 6. Mojo is the only entry from South India this year.
Though Mojo is Shreesha’s debut, he has been making short films for over a decade and excelled in the super 8 mm film making format.
His The King and The Pawn was screened in the Millennium International Film Festival, New York. Shreesh and his co-producer Satish Pathak, have made several short films under the 5th Dimension Films banner, which they founded a decade ago.
Talking about the themes of the film, Shreesha says, “The protagonist, Mohan, awakens the power of the sixth sense and is embroiled in a murder. Suspense, thrills, crime, love, psychology, psychiatry and the power of the subconscious mind follow.”
The cast comprises Manu, Anoosha and Sandeep Sridhar and supported by Nandan Jonty, Baby Aanya Shetty and Smitha Kulkarni. All the actors are from theatre and are making their debut on the big screen.
Mojo is produced by USA-based Gajanana Bhat under the banner of Poorvi Arts. It has three songs composed by talented SD Arvinda known for the ‘Doori’ song from the movie Last Bus . The audio launch took place recently and noted filmmaker Sunil Kumar Desari, who is credited with making suspense and thriller films, applauded the efforts of the team for penetrating a new space. The ‘Manasa Bichchi’ song has already become popular on social media and lyrics penned by first timer Pradeep Goutham have become a craze for language lovers.
Besides Upendra, noted filmmakers including Chaitanya K M, who raked in applause for his recent film Aake, and Suresh Heblikar, who is known for making films based on the mind, complemented Shreesha for his effort.
Shreesha’s technical crew are all at the top of their game.
They include award winning cinematographer Ananth Urs, singer Rajesh Krishnan, composer Ajaneesh Lokanath, sound designer Krishnan Unni NR and editor Rathan S Goruru. Director Yogaraj Bhat has lent his voice for the movie’s prologue, that is intended to introduce the audience to the power of the subconscious mind.
“Executive producer and associate director Suchin Asuri have worked hard to make Mojo on a tight budget without compromising on quality,” says Shreesha. “It is Suchin’s brilliant planning and execution that made the final product seamless. We are aggressively working with distributors to release as soon as possible.”
