The controversy over the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) muting important dialogues in Kiragurina Gayyaligalu , directed by Suman Kittur, has created a demand for the short story collection by Purnachandra Tejaswi of the same title.
This 126-page collection was first published in 1990 by Pustaka Prakashana, Mysore. It has four stories; Kiragurina Gayyaligalu , Krishnegowdana Aane , Mayamruga and Rahasya Vishwa .
According to B. N. Sriram of Pustaka Prakashana, Kiragurina Gayyaligalu has seen 29 editions so far. The 30{+t}{+h}will be out shortly. Demand for the book from the book stores went up after the protests began.
The 139-minute film is about a group of cantankerous women, who take on the men in their village. The strength of this film, which captures the indomitable feminine strength, depended on the subtle and wry humour, expressed through dialogues. Mr. Sriram attributed muting of dialogues to the increase in demand for the book. “A curious audience is buying the collection,” he said.
Normally, a publisher will print a minimum of 1,000 copies in one edition. Keeping this in mind, it would be safe to assume that up to 29,000 copies of Kiragurina Gayyaligalu have been sold so far, he explained.
On muting the dialogues, Mr. Sriram, a professor in English literature, said that, Tejaswi portrays life in rural parts of southern Karnataka in his own inimitable style. Muting rustic rural vituperations, which are a part of life in villages, as obscene shows that members of the CBFC have no idea of rural Karnataka, he observed.
