What is your review of Bollywood/Kannada actress Suman Ranganath?

 Suman Ranganathan is a small time Indian actress who acted in some south Indian and Bollywood movies. She was active since late 1980’s known for supporting roles nowadays and glamourous roles in her prime.

What are some mind blowing facts about the Kannada film industry?

 I read about this English movie called Boyhood which was 12 years in making.

But there is a Kannada movie which was 38 years in making. Surprised!?

Yes!This is about the movie Saavira Mettilu - Thousand steps .

The film was started in 1968. It was released around 2006.

This film was supposed to be one of Puttanna Kanagal's early movies.The original starcast included Jayanthi,Kalyan Kumar, Ashwath,Pandari Bai,Vajramuni etc.

But due to reasons unknown,the film got stalled.This movie was supposed to be the debut of the much celebrated villian Vajramuni.But since this movie was stopped, Vajramuni's debut was Mallammana Pavaada which was again directed by Puttanna.

Vajramuni's debut in Savira Mettilu

This unfinished movie was taken up by the producer D B Basave Gowda. He was very keen to revive this movie.He collaborated with Ravi(K S L Swami) who was also a pupil of Puttanna to finish this film.

But time had passed.Some of the actors had aged while some others had passed away.Yet the producer and the director did not loose the zeal. As many as 17 actors or more - Anu Prabhakar, Ambareesh , Shivaram ,B V Radha , Padma Vasanti,Master Hirannayya,Ramakrishna, Sunderraj,Lakshmidevi, Hema Chaudhary, Jaya, Girija Lokesh, Ashalatha, Mukyamantri Chandru, Doddanna, Govinda Rao were added as part of the new cast.All of them agreed to work without payment as a tribute to the master Puttanna.

A guest appearance by Ambareesh

One very very rare thing about this movie is that the heroine has lived her age on screen.We have observed in many movies ,the actors grey their hair or put on make up to appear old.But in this movie, actress Jayanthi has appeared as both 20 year old lass as well as a 60 year old woman in real.

Young Jayanthi

Older Jayanthi

Not just Jayanthi, Ashwath who played her father in the movie too reprised his role after so many years.

The middle aged Ashwath

The old Ashwath

The film is no way a great movie by it's storyline . It has its share of flaws and faults. But the idea to pay homage to such a great director is indeed appreciable.

What would have happened to the Kannada film industry without Rajkumar? Would it still be as heavily Madras-based as before?

 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.

Who's the most talented Indian male actor? (Not necessarily from Bollywood)

 Navarasa Nayaka Jaggesh is the most talented actor India has produced till now ( from 1990 till now).

You never get bore to see his talent in the movies he starred.

Navarasa Nayaka means Master of 09 emotions. The title is not given to him on purpose, he did hard work to earn this title. He can give multiple expressions with his face.

He can play any kind of role and is very multi-talented with genres like Comedy, tragedy, raw rustic action with supporting roles, protagonist and antagonist roles.

He is an actor+writer+director+sister. A bundle of talent and skills. A rare valuable gem in Indian cinema.

What was so special about the kannada movie OM?

 It was indeed a special movie, for it was directed by one of the best film makers in the world, Upendra. It was a gangster movie, one of its kind, that wasn't explored in Kannada industry that well till then.

For the sake of the movie, the story that was about underworld mystery, Upendra brought in realistic factor by asking the real-life underworld dons to act in it. Bekkinakannu Rajendra, Korangu Krishna, Tanveer Ahmed, and Jedarahalli Krishna were some of the gangsters who acted in the movie.

• The movie was re-released for a whopping 632 times, which is an All-time record in the history of Indian cinema.
• For 75 times out of the 632 re-releases, the movie ran for more than 100 days.
• In 2015, the TV rights of the movie wa ssold out for a whopping ₹10cr, highest for a Kannada movie (then) even after 20 years of its release.
• The movie collected ₹25cr at the box office, which was the highest for a Kannada movie back then.

The songs of the movie were legendary and the story was quite unique as well. Thanks to the execution, it turned out to be a perfect gangster movie back then.

It's a cult classic movie in Kannada film industry.

Image courtesy - Metrosaga.

Which are the best Kannada horror movies?

 Shhh! (1993) is regarded as the best horror+ mystery thriller in Kannada Film land. It created a trend in horror+mystery thriller movies

For supernatural spirit oriented movie with revenge story plot.

Durga Shakti (1999) - Supernatural+ horror+revenge. The climax will give goosebumps with beautiful Durga statue. The painting of actress Durga shree looks scary and beautiful at the same time.

This was the first recognised kannada horror movies to use CGI and graphics.

Ade Raga Ade Haadu (1989) - supernatural+revenge

Yaahoo(2004) - a group of students/researchers venture into dense forest and get into trouble.

6–5=2(2013) - loosely inspired by Blair Witch project(1999) and trekking disasters that happened near Gundya Forest area and Aramane Gudda ( Bermuda triangle of Western Ghats).

Apthamithra(2004) is the highest grossing horror movie in Kannada Film land . It is remake of Manachitrathazu(1993).

It is the first Kannada movie to gross 25 crores in Karnataka alone. It is only Kannada movie to cross 2 crore in a single theatre.

Which famous Kannada movie actors have acted in Malayalam movies and vice versa?

 Shruti

This kannadiga actress has acted in few couple of movies in Malayalam like oral matram, swantham Malavika, CI Mahadevan 5 Adi 4 inch etc. However she was known for her portrayal as Dr. Ambili in Kottaram veetile apputten opposite Jayaram.

Sudha Rani

This Karnataka state award winning actress has acted only in one movie opposite Jayaram in Adythekanmani. This movie was a big blockbuster and remade into Hindi as beti number 1. The actress was loved by Malayalee audiences for her natural beauty and good acting skills. But we Malayalees were not lucky to have her back in Malayalam movies.

Sumalatha

There is no introduction needed for sumalatha in Mollywood. She has acted in multiple Malayalam movies and wooed the audiences with her acting and natural beauty. Her most popular character was Clara from thoovanthumbikal. Her pairing with superstars Mohanlal & Mammooty was always appreciated by the audience.

Madhoo Shah

Madhoo or Madhubala is technically not a kannadiga as she is from a Tamil family but ever since her comeback she has been part of sandalwood industry with good characters. Madhoo has acted in movies like Yoddha, Nilgiri, Ottayalpattalam, Ennod Ishtam koodamo. All these movies were blockbusters of the time. Her pairing with Mukesh is one of my personal favourite onscreen couples of Mollywood.

Nikki Galrani

Nikki has played multiple movies in Malayalam. Her most popular movie was Vellimoonga. She is quite perfect for playing Christian characters in Malayalam movies. Nikki herself accepted that she is loved a lot by Malayalee audiences.

Soundarya

Soundarya has acted in two Malayalam movies. Had she been alive she would have been doing many Malayalam movies as she was quite perfect to play a natural Malayalee women onscreen.

Sanjana Galrani

Sister of Nikki Galrani has acted in movies like The king & commissioner, Casanova etc. However unlike her sister Sanjana was unnoticed by the audience as the movies she has acted was not a big commercial hits.

Vedika Kumar

Vedika has acted in movies like Sringaravelan, Cousins, James and Alice, Welcome to Central Jail etc. her most popular roles was that Alice from James and Alice.

Madhavi

Madhavi though born in a Telugu family has made a name of her own in both Kannada and Malayalam movie industry. Her most famous role is from Akashadhoothu where she played a single parent who is a blood cancer patient who wanted to keep her children safe before her death.

Parul Yadav

Parul though is a North Indian, she is a popular actress in sandalwood industry now; she started her film career from Malayalam. Her debut movie was Krithyam opposite Prithviraj. She also acted in a crime thriller Black Dalia. She didn’t became a popular actress in Malayalam as the movies she acted were flops.

Shraddha Srinath

This Kannada Filmfare winning actress started her film career from Malayalam. Her debut was a Malayalam movie named Kohinoor. She played a parallel lead in this movie. This movie was a flop.

Vinaya Prasad

Vinaya has acted in multiple Malayalam movies in her career. She is popularly known as Sridevi from Manichitrathazhu. She also played lead roles in Malayalam TV industry. She still acts in Malayalam movies as supporting actress.

Meghna Raj

Meghna raj has acted in multiple Malayalam movies of which most popular characters of her are from the movies Beautiful & Memories.

Veteran actresses like Bharati, Jayanti etc has acted in multiple Malayalam movies.

Now actresses who have acted in sandalwood industry from Malayalam:

Sitara

Sitara has acted only in Kannada movies continually for 7 years and has been part of good movies.

Bhavana

Bhavana is another malayee actress who had made her own name in sandalwood industry.

Nitya Menon

Nitya though her parents are malayees she has been born and bought up in Bangalore. She has done few good movies in Kannada.

Actresses like Parvathy Thiruvottu, Prayaga Martin, Chippy, Navya Nair, Gopika, Divya Unni, Nayantara, Meera Jasmine, Mamta Mohandas, Vani Vishwanath, Vijaya Lakshmi has acted in Kannada movies.

Kannada actors like Ananth Nag, Vishnuvardhanan, Ambareesh has acted in Malayalam movies which is mentioned by others so I am not repeating here. Mohanlal & Mammooty too acted in Kannada movies.

Which Kannada movie created a mass change in the industry itself?

 Amoung Kannada gangster genre it was Kariya released in 2003 that created mass change in the industry because of realistic screenplay. It was re-released several times due to demand of the fans. It's songs are wonderful.

Amoung Kannada love story genre it was “ A “ released in 1998 that created mass change in the film land because it was very unique from other world movies.

Amoung Kannada horror and mystery thriller genre it was “ Shhh! “ released in 1993 that created a mass change in the industry because it was very unique from other horror movies in the world.

Amoung sad or tragic genre it was Kasturi Nivasa released in 1971 that created a mass change in the film land.

Amoung comedy movies it was Navarasa Nayaka Jaggesh movies like Eddelu Manjunatha (2008), Mr Bakra(2006) and Matha (2004) that created a mass change in the film industry.