For the first time after five decades, a film dubbed from another language into Kannada was released in a theatre on K.G. Road in Bengaluru — the focal point of Kannada cinema — on Friday amid protests. Commando — a dubbed version of Tamil film Vivegam (2017) starring Ajit Kumar — hit over 80 screens across the State. Though a few feeble attempts were made earlier to release films dubbed from other languages, they had been aborted following protests by Kannada activists.
Kannada Okkuta — an umbrella platform of pro-Kannada organisations led by Vatal Nagaraj — staged a protest on K.G. Road and demanded immediate stopping of the screening. "We have warned of a massive protest if the exhibitor fails to stop the screening across the State," said Mr. Nagaraj.
At the same time, some people celebrated the release in front of the theatre.
The issue of dubbing other language films into Kannada and releasing the same is as old as the Kannada cinema industry. The genesis of the issue can be traced back to 1957, and the opposition gained momentum in 1960 with Kannada icon Rajkumar taking the lead in the protests.
However, the ban has never been legally binding; it works on an oral understanding between producers, distributors and exhibitors deciding against releasing the Kannada version of films in other languages.
According to sources in the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), "for the first time after 60 years, a dubbed Kannada film is releasing in over 85 screens across Karnataka".
M. Kiran, one of the three distributors of the film, said, "There was a little disturbance over putting up of plastic flex of the film. We have replaced the same with cotton one."
Commando , according to him, is an action thriller and is likely to appeal to the Kannada audience ‘in their native language’.
Attempts had also been made to release Kannada versions of Yennai Arindhaal ( Satyadev IPS in Kannada) and Aarambham ( Dheera ) starring Ajit Kumar. But, the two attempts failed because of massive protests by Kannada activists.
