Entertainment, in deed!!

 Dear Reader

ever wondered why 'entertainment' is such a colossal buzzword of this century? From the way our primordial ancestors thought and expressed it, just look at how the idea of entertainment has evolved over these centuries!!! From cave paintings to cinemas, from folktales to novels, from listening to the songs of the birds to singing our own songs, from being amazed while watching the dance of the peacock to creating our own dance forms, we have indeed travelled a long-distance 🎆🎆. Inferentially, the 'purpose' of entertainment has also changed phenomenally; and one of the significant changes is that 'entertainment' has emerged as a humongous commercial venture--be it written works of literature or films. Of course, this does not wipe out the 'artistic' side of entertainment. But the post-covid-19 scenario has seen a surge in OTT; newer themes, and genres have emerged viz anime, though not entirely new, the themes explored through this genre are contemporary and bold. 

    On this note, I am certain that you have observed that genre, narration and story also have a 'shelf life' so to speak. For example, the '90s was a time for mushy romance stories and the adventures of James Bond (😅) and with a few thriller/horror films. Then, it was the era of sci-fi, fantasy and adventure (remember The Burning Train (Hindi), Jurassic Park (English), and Minchina Ota (Kannada). Today, the 'movie fashion' is thrillers and crime fiction. (Just look at the number of crime/suspense/thrillers/horror shows) Obviously, the narrative in this genre focuses either on suspense (who-done-it types) or sometimes, capitalising on current stereotypes, the narrative deconstructs the stereotype; at times, the narrative critiques societal discrimination or the growing greed of the individual or psychological issues or depicts how the 'cold world of business' incites acts of crime. This is the discernible pattern in the best of films/series, intending to make the audience re-think or at least question the stereotype. 

    No, I am NOT against this genre or what the narrative intends to do (unless, when it is crass). I have binge-read Sherlock Holmes, watched Bond movies all over again, my fav superhero is Spider-Man😍 and love those logic-defying fight scenes of the actor Rajnikant😁 

       But, recently, two questions have bothered me about the depiction of violence in visual media. Firstly, 'whither are these crime thrillers coming from /going to?' I get the point that crime thrillers are an important method to hold the mirror to plagues that haunt a society; and, any deconstruction or rethinking of violence has to be negotiated by depicting it or showing the aftermath of violent acts. Yet, even in the best of cinematic narratives, there seems to be an exoticising, a kind of indulgence with violence that incites fear rather than comprehend it. The second question that continues to disturb me is 'In an attempt to depict the dangers of the complex -socio-economic and psychological aspects of an individual in the contemporary globalised situation, are we not forgetting the larger cultural notions of violence?' 

         Jump cut to Kantara A Legend 😃 I had heard it said that Kantara A Legend was a good film. When my family decided to watch this in the theatre, none of us was prepared for the visual feast we were about to watch. This is a sensitively made, wonderfully narrated, dignified tribute to oral cultural history and such a happy film! It is difficult to imagine that such a package deal in a film is possible! Sitting amidst an anonymous community of movie-buffs and watching this film about a community that is unabashedly human in all aspects of life and with such beautiful humour, was an additional bonus😍 And, the film and this bonus have put both my questions to rest😎💗 So, I want to share my joy of this beautiful film with you, dear reader! 

       

       Here is a brief narrative line of the film. The story presents the theme of conflict between good and evil, material wealth and Bliss. The story, narrative technique and cultural vision have, in unison, creating an intense cinematic experience of the notion of violence and aggression. The narrative presents the succession of greed and desire for power by encasing it within the cultural and religious context of Punjurli, the kind, forgiving god and Guliga, the aggressive, punishing god. The film opens with the 19^th c king's search for Peace and Bliss. He finds it in the presence of the two gods. He requests them to accompany him to his kingdom to bless his people with Peace and Bliss. Punjurli agrees to go with him on the condition that when he shouts, the land till his voice is heard will be owned by the villagers and any truant behaviour incurs the wrath of Guliga the punishing god. From then, until now, the people of this village are blessed with peace and bliss.   

      Cut to the Present, the narrative depicts the growth of greed and hypocrisy through the portraiture of the landlord Devendra Sutturu. He is the son of the King's successor in the present day.  He makes a coveted attempt to establish his serfdom. Kaadubettu Shiva, the champion Kambala athlete belongs to a family who dons as the demigods in the rituals of the village. His forefather, as the Punjurli, had brought plenty to the land and then, disappeared. The two conflict when Sattur kills Guruva, Shiva's cousin brother, when he refuses to use Guliga whose role he dons in village rituals. The role of Murali, the Forest Officer, who conflicts with Shiva over land acquisition orders of the Government and, of course, the personal ego issues that root the cinematic narrative in the contemporary context. The killing of Guruva is because he refuses to misuse his role as the demigod in this community. Sattur is a direct threat to the people of the village and a challenge to the community's belief in the demigods as their protectors. Little wonder that when Shiva is killed in this battle, the demigod of wrath rises in the form of Shiva to kill Sattur. Guliga's final merry dance blesses the union of the villagers with Muralidhara, a forest officer. 

    The metaphoric dimension is woven into the narrative as Varaha, (the third incarnation of Lord Vishnu )with the jingling sound of the traditional jewels that adorn the boar appears to Shiva at key moments of narration. The colourful apparel of the demigods, the music, the ritualistic cry of the demigods, and the offerings to the demigods by the villagers to calm the demigods as well as a mark of respect-- together, it creates an enriching visual narrative and adds to the cinematic experience; it brings alive an entire community energised in its entirety. The emotions of love, anger, aggression, humour, disgust and ferocity resonate in the reality of the situation and the people involved. This is one of the reasons why the film is hugely successful. 

    The trajectory of change in people's pursuit for happiness from Bliss to Material fulfilment and hypocrisy mirrors the twin realities of the 21st century. Encased in the cultural context, the ending depicts a happy life for the villagers. Never once does it feel false or fictional or even fantastic. In its vision, the film is no less than an epic as its poetic-dramatic, and in its sheer, lustrous presentation of scenes, there is a grandeur that one cannot miss. Entertainment has become a deliberate venture indeed!!

Dear Reader, this is not exactly a review because I dislike disturbing your viewing of the film. . . I really hope you will watch it when you can. If you have watched a film that you would like to share,  please do share👇 and if you are happy to read this blog, do hit the follow button 👉

You could share your comments directly with me to rekhadatta02@gmail.com or message me @rekhadatta1 on Instagram. I shall send the links to you personally. Thanks for your patience.