#MovieReviews #KantaraHindi #KANTARA #divineblockbuster #ಕಾಂತಾರ #कांतारा
My reflections on the #KantaraMovie
This is not a Review. This is just a summarised enumeration of some of the finest things in the movie & its importance.
Anything said is an understatement.
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My reflections on the #KantaraMovie
This is not a Review. This is just a summarised enumeration of some of the finest things in the movie & its importance.
Anything said is an understatement.
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1. As somebody else said on Twitter, our dEvatAs are back. We have regained the dEvatAs/the Sacred with a critical space in the Cinema.
Make no mistake, we have had Devotee-characters in our cinema. But we now have dEvatAs as an integral part of the plot, narration & essence.
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Make no mistake, we have had Devotee-characters in our cinema. But we now have dEvatAs as an integral part of the plot, narration & essence.
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2. We have regained independence from ‘Realism’ as the primary form of telling a story.
Nagin/Magadheera, Fantasy movies stories were shy attempts.
Kantara is an unabashed foregrounding of the Indian form. The Myth merges with the Real to create a universal form.
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Nagin/Magadheera, Fantasy movies stories were shy attempts.
Kantara is an unabashed foregrounding of the Indian form. The Myth merges with the Real to create a universal form.
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3. Kantara is a triumph of the Deseeya form. What Bahubali is for the Margeeya - the Classical, Kantara is for the Deseeya - the Folk.
But, the Deseeya touches the Margeeya at its core & peak. Guliga, Panjurli Devata, Varahaswamy, Folk Dance & Classical Music are together.
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But, the Deseeya touches the Margeeya at its core & peak. Guliga, Panjurli Devata, Varahaswamy, Folk Dance & Classical Music are together.
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4. Kantara presents a grand Civilizational/Cultural conflict going through a very simple story.
The perspective of the forest communities, Modernity, the State, Progress/Development clash.
Greed (Artha, Kama) clashes with the Divinity (Dharma/Moksha) - within the culture.
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The perspective of the forest communities, Modernity, the State, Progress/Development clash.
Greed (Artha, Kama) clashes with the Divinity (Dharma/Moksha) - within the culture.
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5. Kantara is a simple Folk Story but an extraordinarily rich detail that will shame a modern anthropologist.
Its amazing that so much detail can be packed into a single movie while using every detail to present a dimension of the story.
A Literary & Visual achievement.
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Its amazing that so much detail can be packed into a single movie while using every detail to present a dimension of the story.
A Literary & Visual achievement.
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6. The whole movie is shot within a few square kilometres. All innovation/investment is towards set making for every scene. No foreign travel, no unnecessary cost.
No VFX too in spite of the movie ticking all boxes of a fantasy.
Such an emancipation for future makers.
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No VFX too in spite of the movie ticking all boxes of a fantasy.
Such an emancipation for future makers.
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7. From the making stand-point, Kantara shines in every department of the craft - Acting, Cinematography, Editing, Music, Script, Lyrics, Dance - literally everything.
But its the making Confidence, Vision, Direction which makes a difference.
Its #RishabhShetty all the way.
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But its the making Confidence, Vision, Direction which makes a difference.
Its #RishabhShetty all the way.
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8. Every single character contributes.
-Nobody is more/less important except the protagonist himself
-The lead actress is not a property
-Silent Characters make a difference through their Silence
-Prominent/Minor roles are all well etched.
Triumph of Characterisation.
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-Nobody is more/less important except the protagonist himself
-The lead actress is not a property
-Silent Characters make a difference through their Silence
-Prominent/Minor roles are all well etched.
Triumph of Characterisation.
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9. Acting is just absolutely brilliant.
-RishabhShetty has essayed the role of his life
-SaptamiGowda fits her character to the T
-Protagonist’s brother depicts the Kola performer’s sense of sacred in every appearance
-AchyutKumar deserves all the hate - such a Villain.
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-RishabhShetty has essayed the role of his life
-SaptamiGowda fits her character to the T
-Protagonist’s brother depicts the Kola performer’s sense of sacred in every appearance
-AchyutKumar deserves all the hate - such a Villain.
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10. Once again Ajaneesh Lokanath impresses in the Music - both in songs and in the background.
- Apt understated music for every scene
- Two brilliant songs
- Brilliant orchestration of Kola, Folks Songs
- Is very much another character in the movie
- Folk, Classical together
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- Apt understated music for every scene
- Two brilliant songs
- Brilliant orchestration of Kola, Folks Songs
- Is very much another character in the movie
- Folk, Classical together
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11. Amazingly Edited movie - mindblowing.
The kind of complexity it has - at once a story, a visual, a documentary, a musical, action, fantasy. So much detail, so many forms, so many elements drawn from a rich life.
All scenes well knit into a brilliant overall movie.
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The kind of complexity it has - at once a story, a visual, a documentary, a musical, action, fantasy. So much detail, so many forms, so many elements drawn from a rich life.
All scenes well knit into a brilliant overall movie.
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12. The language used in the Script, Dialogues, Lyrics - beautiful Kannada/Tulu from the Coastal Karnataka with a Kundapura flavour I guess.
Aesthetically brilliant Script literature.
When an English word comes it plays a role to depict an aspect of the character/community.
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Aesthetically brilliant Script literature.
When an English word comes it plays a role to depict an aspect of the character/community.
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13. I single Cinematography for special appreciation.
For this movie with all its traditional, folk, Forest, local detail, diverse elements, Divine experiences, the kind of action it has, innovative Cinematography was needed.
It wins because it offers a Divine experience.
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For this movie with all its traditional, folk, Forest, local detail, diverse elements, Divine experiences, the kind of action it has, innovative Cinematography was needed.
It wins because it offers a Divine experience.
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14. But, finally, it is Rishabh Shetty all the way. Its his Vision, Direction, Script and Acting.
A performance of his life - with Shraddha & Sanskriti. Of Authenticity, Devotion, Sense of Purpose.
And Excellence throughout.
Fulfillment of Pitr Rna, Daiva Rna, Samaja Rna.
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A performance of his life - with Shraddha & Sanskriti. Of Authenticity, Devotion, Sense of Purpose.
And Excellence throughout.
Fulfillment of Pitr Rna, Daiva Rna, Samaja Rna.
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15. Two reasons why the movie stands-out - Excellence & Authenticity.
These are the lived experiences of Rishabh & his team. It has made a difference to their lives. They have made this movie first for themselves & then for the audience.
Business subservient to Culture.
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These are the lived experiences of Rishabh & his team. It has made a difference to their lives. They have made this movie first for themselves & then for the audience.
Business subservient to Culture.
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16. Why is this so important for us - Bharateeya?
- Brings back a confidence in the Local
- Demonstrates that the Local in India touches the Universal
“Unity in Diversity” & “Diversity in Unity”.
Across India people are watching it in Kannada with subtitles & appreciating.
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- Brings back a confidence in the Local
- Demonstrates that the Local in India touches the Universal
“Unity in Diversity” & “Diversity in Unity”.
Across India people are watching it in Kannada with subtitles & appreciating.
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17. The Story has elements from Fantasy, Puranas, Realism, Musical, Exaggeration, Visual, Folk & Classical.
Its a phenomenal artistic achievement weave into a form to tell a Contemporary Story with a sense of Past, Present and Future.
An amazing Continuity - Saatatya.
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Its a phenomenal artistic achievement weave into a form to tell a Contemporary Story with a sense of Past, Present and Future.
An amazing Continuity - Saatatya.
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18. It has shown that
- Be Local in your substance. You can still be universal in relevance
- Make a movie about a small corner of the universe without inferiority, atrocity but present its cultural essence, beauty & perspective
- Kashi will love a story from Kundapura
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- Be Local in your substance. You can still be universal in relevance
- Make a movie about a small corner of the universe without inferiority, atrocity but present its cultural essence, beauty & perspective
- Kashi will love a story from Kundapura
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19. It shown that
- Divinity is an integral part of our lives.
- Keeping Divinity away from our art forms we have impoverished our artistic products as well as our lives
Greatest example of Decolonization without using that word.
A nudge for us to use our own Lenses.
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- Divinity is an integral part of our lives.
- Keeping Divinity away from our art forms we have impoverished our artistic products as well as our lives
Greatest example of Decolonization without using that word.
A nudge for us to use our own Lenses.
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20. Finally coming to what Rishabh offers us in the last 20 minutes. There is no parallel.
Its Divinity & Transcendence without exaggeration. Performs Cathartic Civilizational correction in your mind.
Just that one thing that I have longed forever in a Movie.
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Its Divinity & Transcendence without exaggeration. Performs Cathartic Civilizational correction in your mind.
Just that one thing that I have longed forever in a Movie.
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Special appreciation to @hombalefilms .
For having that confidence
- to support Rishabh, make/distribute this movie.
- in our Civilization, our culture, in ourselves.
You have served your ancestors very well.
dhanyavAda, ಧನ್ಯವಾದ, धन्यवाद !
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For having that confidence
- to support Rishabh, make/distribute this movie.
- in our Civilization, our culture, in ourselves.
You have served your ancestors very well.
dhanyavAda, ಧನ್ಯವಾದ, धन्यवाद !
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