Mangalore: Tulu Fim 'Gaggara' among Three State Films Honoured with National Award
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SB)
Mangalore, Jan 24: It is a moment of pride for the people of Dakshina Kannada with Tulu film Gaggara by Shivadhwaj winning the Rajat Kamal for the Best Tulu film in the best feature film in each of the languages other than those specified in Schedule VIII of the Constitution category for its attempt to preserve traditional folk forms. The 56th National Award was announced on Saturday January 23.
Shivadhwaj Shetty’s Gaggara brings out the conflict between the tradition and modernity in the backdrop of bhootaradhane, a form of spirit worship popular in coastal region. Suchendra Prasad and Jayasheela play the lead roles in the movie. Shivadhwaj said the award was recognition for his efforts to represent the dying tradition and belongs to all those who were behind the making of this movie.
Gubbachigalu, Vimukti, Gaggara
Vimukti, Gubbachigalu, Gaggara
The film showcased the life of the person donning the role of bhoota in the traditional bhootaradhane, who has decent work for five months of the year, the period in which he is also respected and revered as well as his trials and tribulations in the rest of the period to make his ends meet. “This is a small contribution from my side in saving the rich culture of Tulunadu,” adds Shivadwaj.
Honour for Karnataka with Three National Awards
Apart from Tulu film Gaggara, ‘Gubbachigalu,’ directed by Abhaya Simha has won the best children’s film award with the film bagging Swarna Kamal for the Best Children’s Film and movie maker P Sheshadri bagged the best Kannada movie award for his film ‘Vimukti.’
Shiv Shetty, Abhaya Simha
While, Simha’s film has been chosen for the honour for its imaginative portrayal of a magic world that exists in the minds of children, Vimukti by P Sheshadri won the Rajat Kamal for the Best Film in Kannada for exploring different dimensions of family ties.
Abhaya Simha, the director of Kannada film "Gubbachchigalu" says that it is a big recognition for his debut venture. I am really happy that the journey started as a simple idea about missing sparrows in our cities, grew into a script and eventually a film! I should thank everyone who helped us and travelled along in this memorable journey," said Simha.
Simha, a graduate of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) not perturbed that the film had not been considered for the state government award, is only excited that his debut film got the best children's film national award. However, the film had got its child artist, Prakruti, the best child artist award from the state government. Gubbachchigalu was produced by B Suresha and Shylaja Nag under the Media House banner.
Suresha is elated with the award for afilm that had a wonderful script and dealt with a contemporary theme, of city bred children missing out many important things in life because of their lifestyle. "I would give full credit to young director Abhay Simha, who wrote a wonderful script based on a story written by journalist Ismail.
"I took help of two of my good friends, Vikram Srivastava and Anmol Bhave, who were also my classmates at FTII. Both of them worked as cinematographer and music director for my film. "I am happy that my project was backed by B Suresha who has already won many prestigious national and state government awards for his films.
Simha is working on a new project, Shikari that is expected to have Malayalam superstar Mammotty in the lead. The film will be produced by big time Kannada film producer K Manju.
P Sheshadri, whose "Vimukti" has bagged the National Award for best regional film, is the only Kannada film director to have won five awards for all the five films he has directed so far.
Voicing happiness at bagging the award yet again, Sheshadri says that it has only increased his responsibility. It is difficult to get producers to back film scripts dwelling on contemporary social issues, he says.
Unable to get the right producers, Sheshadri organises the finance for his own films. "The only exception is actor Jayamala who produced a film like Thuththoori', which won the best film on environmental issues national award," he said.
He has released all his films in theatres. "I know I cannot market my films with the limited resources, but still I want to release all my films in theatres and want people interested in such ventures to get an opportunity to see the films in theatres," says Sheshadri.
His first film "Munnudi" (2000) had won the best film on social issues national award. His other films Athithi, Thuththoori, Beru and Vimukti have won him national awards.
State Recognition for Winners
Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Saturday said the state would soon hold a function to felicitate V K Murthy, the first cinematographer to be chosen for the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and winners of the 56th National Film Awards from the state.