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Indie cinema is having its moment in the fi lm in- assures that the future is brighter thanks to the OTT space. dustry. Helping it along is the rise of the empathetic pro- “There’s also the possibility of these triggering an attitudi- ducer, the kind who backs big-budget extravaganzas but nal change when it comes to movie-watching,” he says. also supports smaller, indie projects. One of these is Push- Thanks to the rise of these platforms and the advent of kara Mallikarjunaiah, who has produced Godhi Banna Sad- younger directors, the industry is attaining an increased vis- harana Mykattu (2016), Kirik Party (2016), Humble Politi- ibility. Films such as U-Turn (2018), Kirik Party, Thithi cian Nograj (2018), Katheyondu Shuruvagide (2018), (2015), Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu, Ondu Motteya Jeerjimbe (2016), a fi lm about a girl child’s right to educa- Kathe (2017), Katheyondu Shuruvagide, 2018’s Nathichar- tion, the soon-to-be released Avane Srimannarayana and ami (which bagged fi ve National Film Awards), and, of 777 Charlie, among others. His philosophy is simple: “I ac- course, KGF (which won two National Film Awards) have Itively look at the commercial been drawing in viewers be- space. A hit there allows me yond the state, too. Barring to back 10 indie projects. KGF, which is an ode to the When I fi x a reasonable good ol’ commercial style of budget, I am able to encour- fi lmmaking, the rest have age a young director and a fl irted with genres and put young technical team to BIG LITTLE STARS their hopes on fi lmgoers make their mark.” What yearning to see something Mallikarjunaiah has also is witnessing a new different on screen. effectively done is put in The year ahead seems place a marketing system wave of big-ticket producers dabbling in promising. The second part that helps a fi lm thrive. smaller indie cinema, fi nds Subha J Rao of Yash-starrer KGF is under However, the health of the production, and both - indie-like wave rests com- starrer Pailwaan and pletely on the success of com- Rakshit-starrer Avane Sri- mercial cinema. The Kanna- mannarayana are to release da industry suffers from a problem of plenty when it comes in fi ve languages (Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, and to the number of yearly releases. In 2018, 243 fi lms released, Hindi), while 777 Charlie adds three more languages to the of which just six or seven broke even. Prashant Neel’s KGF: list—it will be the fi rst Kannada fi lm to be dubbed in Chapter 1 (2018) was the only fi lm to breach the 100-crore English, Russian and Chinese. So, here’s hoping we see

club. The rest fell by the wayside. But Mallikarjunaiah Kannada cinema breaking through. ■ SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

208 VOGUE OCTOBER  www.vogue.in