It is not just beaches, ports, and sea that attract moviemakers to Mangaluru region. In recent times, heritage, traditional buildings, interior locations, and folk performances as well are attracting them.
The three heritage buildings of University College at Hampankatta in the heart of the city have now become the sought-after shooting locations, especially for new-age moviemakers. After this year’s releases Ondu Motteya Kathe in Kannada and Arjun Reddy in Telugu captured these heritage buildings more cinema makers are thronging to its campus.
If Raj B. Shetty’s Ondu Motteya Kathe set a trend of sorts in Kannada cinema, Arjun Reddy moved between Mangaluru and Hyderabad unravelling chapters from the protagonist’s life.
Built with laterite stone and wooden trusses and having pitched roofs with Mangalore tile cladding, the buildings have now become the cynosure of directors.
After Ondu Motteya Kathe showcased well the walls of the college plastered with red colour, Rishab Shetty, director of another trend-setting Kannada cinema Kirik Party, chose the college to shoot his another film. The college, having Gothic style walls in the front portion of corridors, was one of the locations to shoot his new Anant Nag starring film titled Sarakari Hiriya Prathamika Shale, Kasaragod: Kodgue Ramanna Rai . “A few days ago, some men in shorts, were seen wandering in the college observing the buildings without permission. Later, they told us that they are from a Malayalam movie team searching for a location. The college told them to follow the due procedures,” Udaya Kumar Irvathur, principal of the college, said.
Anup Bhandary chose a traditional house in Puttur and interior locations in Ira village on the outskirts of Mangaluru for some scenes of his Rangi Taranga — which also showed a glimpse of Bhootaradhane . Kannada cinema Ulidavaru Kandante captured well the huli vesha kunita popular in the coastal belt. Tamma Lakshmana, an art director, said though the coastal belt has been the destination of moviemakers, the recent spurt in Tulu cinemas and exposure of locations have made directors and producers from other languages to focus more on Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts.
