Kannada Film industry would have died long back in 1960’s.
Tamil Kongas, Telugu golties and Mallus wanted to ensure that Kannada film industry should not grow and thrive.Marathigas were also not close with Kannadigas that time period.
Gokak movement was significant in ensuring that kannada language and Kannada cinema should be given prominence and first preference inside Karnataka. Rajkumar was the key man behind it.
However after death of Rajkumar in 2006, now whole film industry has collapsed.
Now at present Kannada film industry is in ICU only few artists like Legend Navarasa Nayaka Jaggesh, Upendra Rao(although he has lost his interest) and few senior Kannada actors are giving some life support to Kannada film industry now.
Since a decade 90 percent of Kannadigas are not interested in Kannada language movies anymore.