The Kannada version of the horror-comedy Kanchana 3 hit the screens recently, and more dubbed films seem to be in the pipeline. There is pressure to release the Salman Khan-starrer Bharat in Kannada with the online campaign (#BharatInKannada) picking up steam. This is a clear indication that dubbing, once frowned upon in Karnataka, is seeing very little resistance these days.
“If the Kannada version of Bharat is released, it would be the first Hindi film of a superstar to be dubbed and released in Kannada,” said Raveendranath, secretary of the Karnataka Film Artistes’, Workers, and Technicians Federation (KFAWTF).
Emboldened by the support of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), which has fined film bodies for opposing the release of dubbed films, producers are now busy dubbing other language films into Kannada and these films are being screened across the State.
Exhibitors and distributors say that dubbed films compensate for absence of “quality” films and have come as a blessing, particularly for single screens. “The Kannada version of Kanchana 3 has been released in over 70 screens across the State and the response is overwhelming,” claims distributor Jack Manju.
Workers unhappy
This development, however, has left thousands of workers of the film industry unhappy, since they fear the trend would hit independent productions in Kannada. They also feel that they have no one to speak up about their problems.
“In the absence of the late Dr. Rajkumar, there is nobody to protect the interests of workers. Actor M.H. Ambareesh, whom the industry looked up to in the time of a crisis, is no more. There is a leadership crisis in the film industry,” said Mr. Raveendranath, who said the federation lacks the wherewithal to legally fight dubbing.
Interestingly, actor Rajinikanth refused to dub his Petta into Kannada, respecting the sentiments of the people of Karnataka, despite pressure from various quarters of the film industry.
Mr. Raveendranath also complained that film producers are increasingly drafting the services of artists and technicians from outside the State rather than local talent, particularly for multi-lingual productions.
“There is a considerable increase in production of Kannada films, but producers are looking outside for their crew,” he said.
