Mangalore: Ram Shetty’s 'Bangarda Kural' Ready to Bloom
Florine Roche
Pics: Brijesh Garodi
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Mar 12: That the Tulu film industry is on a roll is once again proved right, much to the delight of Tulu speaking people of the coastal region. Bollywood stunt master Ram Shetty, who had produced and directed memorable Tulu Cinemas of yesteryears like 'Badkere Budle' and 'Dareda Seere' in the early 80’s having created a record of sort as the films had successful shows for more than 100 days, is back once again with a bang after a sabbatical of almost 3 decades from Tulu Cinema.
His third Tulu movie 'Bangarda Kural' produced under his own banner Anand Films and directed by him is getting ready for release on May 4, 2012. The audio release of the movie is scheduled to be held at Town Hall, Mangalore, on March 24, 2012. Akash Audio has taken the rights of the film’s audio. The unprecedented success of last year’s Tulu film 'Oriyardori Asal' has opened up new vistas of opportunities for Tulu film makers proving the cynics wrong that Tulu film’s audience is limited.
'Bangarda Kural' comes from the house of ‘Anand films’ promoted by Bollywood’s stunt master Ram Shetty, well known as a special-effect and sound effect whiz kid, having the experience of working in more than 450 Bollywood and other language movies as stunt master and even as director. His name has certainly raised expectations of people of this region for whom Tulu is the link language and they expect another blockbuster Tulu film from him. The film as a package looks good and interesting and with his vast contacts among people who matter most like distributors and exhibitors in Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Mangaluru and even in gulf countries, Ram Shetty is sure to make a gargantuan impact with this film.
Mother Tongue Calling
'Bangarda Kural' (golden bloom) is essentially a family drama and it may be the first Tulu film in almost 40 years having this theme juxtaposed with strong spiritual intonations. The movie revolves around the theme 'believe in good and all good happens to you' with all the ingredients of a typical Hindi commercial masala flick. The movie has versatile actor Shivadhwaj essaying the lead role. Paki Hegde, who hails from Padubidri- Inna and who is also the number one actress in Bhojpuri films successively for the last four years having about 40 films to her credit, has been cast in the female lead for the first time in a Tulu film.
Ram Shetty, who is Bollywood’s senior stunt director having an experience of over 45 years in the Bollywood speaking to daijiworld.com says 'it is the love of my mother tongue which has brought me back to Tulu films after a gap of almost 3 decades. Though I had the blazing desire to contribute to my mother tongue in the form of Tulu films I could not inch away from the busy schedule Bollywood and other local film industries including Kannada cinema. But this time I thought three decades is too much of a gap and that is why I thought it is the right time for me to make a comeback'. Ram Shetty has given up 3 Hindi, 2 Kannada and 2 Bhojpuri films to concentrate on this Tulu movie but has no compunction for missing out these movies. 'It is not so easy to work in more than one industry at a time as the quality takes a beating. For 30 years I have kept on postponing making a Tulu film even though I had the story ready with me. This time I had to take a firm decision because I knew that if I don’t do it now I will never be able to do it next time'.
Local Talent
What makes 'Bangarda Kural' unique is the fact that apart from the movie being a baby of the son of the soil Ram Shetty who is the producer-director, the entire crew of the film including artistes associated with the film belongs to our own Kudla, having their roots in this part of the land. The music score of the movie is by V Manohar, who hails from Vitla in Dakshina Kannada district. Dialogues is by Machendranath Pandeshwar, art direction by Tamma Lakshmana, choreography is by choreographer couple Madan-Harini , who hail from Puttur. The movie has 7 songs and 4 fight sequences. Songs are rendered by Ramesh Chandra, Ajay Warrior, Anuradha Bhat, Sangeetha Balachandra and Suma Shastri.
Apart from the lead pair another actress Namratha Hegde plays the second lead heroine in the film. Supporting artists like Machendranath Pandeshwar, Anand Shetty, Kishori Ballal, Shobha Rai, Namrata Hegde, Suresh, Harish, Aravind Bolar, Dinesh Attavar, Vasu Shetty Mumbai, Tonse Vijay Kumar Shetty, Pradeep Chandra, Bhagya Rai, Jyothi Rai, Ashwini etc., all belong to undivided Dakshina Kannada district and almost all of them have strong Tulu stage background. Besides Ram Shetty’s son Anand Ram Shetty is introduced as villain for the first time in this movie. The film has been shot in Bajpe, Moodbidri, Someshwar Beach and Mumbai. Shooting was also done at former minister Amarnath Shetty’s house and at Abbas Saw Mills.
Talking about his movie Ram Shetty says 'this kind of movie with family drama with spiritual theme is not being made in the last 40 years at least in Tulu film'. Another USP of the movie is that it is the first digital graded Tulu cinema with special graphic effects which is sure to add to the technical superiority of the film. 'It is erroneous to say that only comedy works in Tulu films. A well-packaged movie will certainly find takers and I am sure my family drama will find its place in the hearts and minds of the people' he opines.
One Tulu Film Every Year
This time, however, Ram Shetty has decided to stay put here dividing his time between Mumbai and Mangalore and produce and direct at least one Tulu film a year henceforth as part of his contribution to his mother tongue. It means that he plans shifting to Mangaluru in a big way or at least planning to divide his time equally between Mangaluru and Mumbai and other destinations. It is not money that brings him back to his roots but the passion of making films in his mother tongue that drives him to gamble with a big budget Tulu film.
Ram Shetty also pointed out that plans are on the anvil to set up a full-fledged studio in Mulki, which he feels would go a long way in giving a fillip to film production in this part of the coastal region. 'If the studio is set up here producers don’t have to go elsewhere along with the artistes for dubbing and other purposes. It would save lot of production cost and time and energy', Shetty stated. Manohar Shetty of Q Lab who has studios in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore has expressed his willingness to set up the studio in Mulki, which will provide a big boost to Tulu and other local cinema industry. There is also the possibility of the studio producing movies if and when their hands are not full with sufficient work.
Multi-lingual star Shivadhavaj, the hero of the movie is thrilled and pins high hopes on this big budget movie. He says 'we are expecting Tulu film to grow like the Bhojpuri film industry. Tulu films should get rights to screen films across satellite channels. Even though the Tulu theatre is vibrant with comedy playing a pivotal role in their success, one cannot deny that every play conveyed a message either slyly or directly. I am sure any Tulu cinema which is packaged well and with a strong message is going to hit the bull’s eye'.
Ram Shetty along with his high-voltage team is working hard to market this film in a distinctive way with the main intent of creating more awareness about the movie and lure people to theatres when the movie gets released. His experience in Bollywood would certainly come in handy for Shetty in this venture in a big way. He has directed fight sequences for such bollywood blockbusters like 'Qurbani', 'Jaanbaaz', 'Sadak', 'Mohra', 'Vastav' and Kannada film AK 47, 'Aptha Rakshaka', 'Yajamana' to name a few also had a successful stint as director with movies like 'Katharnak', 'Jagruthi', 'Army', 'Gaddhar'. Ram Shetty is sure to use his wide experience and exposure of 45 years to come out with flying colours with another winner in 'Bangarda Kural' and give the people of this coastal region a blockbuster Tulu movie that can set new benchmarks and create new records with its success. There are straws in the wind suggesting he has a winner on his hands.
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