A Feather Like No Other
Nostalgia for schooldays or adolescence, while seeming obvious or omnipresent, is a privilege reserved for a few. For many, school is a space of ostracisation; a place that has aggravated their biggest insecurities, and caused irreparable damage to their selfhoods. Manohara K's debut film
Mikka Bannada Hakki
(
Bird of a Different Feather
), adapted from Sonia S' autobiography of the same title, is a film that explores precisely that. The film, set to be screened at Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival in May, has already received global recognition with five nominations at the Shanghai International Film Festival, the Best Kannada Film award at Bengaluru International Film Festival and the Spotlight award at the Alternativa Film Awards, Indonesia. With its protagonist, Sonia, being a young girl with albinism, Manohara explores how familial complexities and social stigma collude to target deviation, physical or psychological, at a very young age.
Manohara is no stranger to the film industry, despite this being his debut directorial outing. Previously, he received the prestigious National Film Award for Best Child Artist for his starring role in
Railway Children
by Prithvi Konanur, who continues to be his mentor. When one watches Manohara's film, its sheer depth often clouds his precocity, making it easy to forget that the depth came from someone who's just 22. Commenting on his journey so far, he says, 'Prithvi [Konanur] sir is an inspiration to me. He suggested the story to me around 2019,' he says.
An integral element of
Mikka Bannada Hakki
is its non-professional cast. Finding the correct candidate for the lead was an arduous task, as Manohara recalls, 'I found one girl but she wasn't allowed by her parents to be in the film. By God's grace, when I was scrolling through Instagram reels one day, I saw Jayashree who ended up playing the role; she was perfect,' he confesses.
Manohara, who co-wrote the film with Sonia, explains that it turned out to be beyond the latter's autobiography, including elements of his own experience as well. Born to a farming household with skin that is, unlike Sonia's, dark, Manohara's childhood and schooling was riddled with bullying on socioeconomic and racial grounds. A buoyant Manohara, who believes that 'the work' offers more satisfaction than recognition itself, bares his heart, reflecting his values and work ethic. 'I didn't get many opportunities as an actor following the national award. I realised I had to stop chasing opportunities and start creating them,' he says. While
Mikka Bannada Hakki
does not have a public release yet, the team is hard at work to make that happen. 'We are planning. Schoolchildren and parents should watch this film. The government should also support this film and screen it all over Karnataka,' he says.
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New Indian Express
4 days ago
- New Indian Express
Sonia Aggarwal Interview: Films are now deliberately made to create controversies
However, these films have also sparked discussions of whether they have aged well over the years. 'If given a chance, I wouldn't change anything about my characters in these films. If we do so, neither the audience nor I will be able to accept it. Don't you think people today deliberately make controversial films?' she probes. 'At least what we did was raw and real. Maybe it hit hard for certain people. We didn't intend to make it controversial. Today, most people are deliberately making it controversial to gain publicity. It is almost like nobody is interested in a project unless they can create some kind of controversy out of it. Do the makers think that is the only way our audience will look forward to a film?' she elaborates. Sonia points out that the differences in the industry's machinations were more starkly visible when she returned from a five-year sabbatical with Vaanam (2011). When questioned whether the break changed how filmmakers saw her, and the kind of roles that came her way, Sonia says, 'It did change. I would like to be very honest about it. I feel that is how the industry works. If a female actor is getting married and takes a break for a year or two, people should still consider her for leading roles as long as she looks fit. As long as she's performing well, looks good, and is fit, why should her personal life matter? Earlier, marriage often meant the end of lead roles for female actors, and I did face those consequences. But I think things are finally changing.' This also meant Sonia was frequently offered mother roles and had to face ageism in the industry. 'I wanted people to stop asking me to play a mother of a 25-year-old when I was like 30 or 35. However, people continue to call me for these roles. My manager shows them my recent photos and we ask them, 'Do I look old enough to play such a mom?' Let me become that old first!' she exclaims. While Sonia highlights that she is open to working in all genres, her recent films have been horror-thrillers, and she understands that it is important to ride the trends in cinema. 'Once a genre clicks, everyone rushes to make more of the same. As an artist, you don't always have much choice there. There was a time when horror and thrillers were in demand, and naturally, I started getting more scripts in those genres. As long as I am happy with the script and role, I take it up,' she says. Does she sometimes miss playing light-hearted characters? 'I've done all kinds of roles,' says Sonia. 'From playing a physically active character to a naive, innocent girl like Anitha, to bold ones like Selvi. Then came roles like Grandma, horror films like 7/G, and raw and gritty films like Dandupalayam. My only agenda has always been to do something different every time,' she states, underlining that the kind of role and script matter more than working with a well-established production house or a star.
The Hindu
16-05-2025
- The Hindu
The big cost of watching a film on the large screen in Bengaluru
Harish Mallya, an ardent film buff from Bengaluru, concedes that his theatre visits have come down post the COVID-19 pandemic period. An engineer and a curator of world cinema for the Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes), Harish had the habit of watching a film every Friday without fail for decades. In the current situation, he highlights a development that reflects the falling demand for theatre viewing. 'Earlier, I would book my seat in advance, thanks to the mad rush for tickets for marquee movies in the opening weekend. However, in the last couple of years, I have been able to get tickets at the box office of multiplexes even for the highly anticipated films across languages,' he says. There is no denying that theatres are facing their biggest test today. Factors such as the advent of streaming platforms and high-priced tickets have changed the viewing habits of the average movie-goer. In 2024, PVR Inox Ltd. shut down 85 underperforming screens. The following year, the multiplex chain decided to close 70 more properties. Similarly, single screens continue to suffer, with the total count in Karnataka coming down to 500 active screens post pandemic from 650 earlier. Bollywood star Aamir Khan delved into the issue at the recently held World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai. Aamir, one of the canniest box-office minds, suffered a failure with his previous film Laal Singh Chaddha (2022). As he awaits his next, Sitaare Zameen Par, the actor sounded alarmed about the prospect of theatrical releases in the coming days. 'For the size of the country and the number of people living here, we have few theatres. I think we have 10,000 screens. Only 2% of the nation's population watches movies in theatres. In the U.S., which has one-third of India's population, there are 40,000 screens. China is ahead with 90,000 screens. There are districts and vast areas in India which don't have single-screen theatres. Whatever issues we have faced over the decades are about having more screens. According to me, this is what we should be investing in,' Aamir said at the event. Karnataka government proposes a cap Movie-watching, especially in multiplexes, is a costly experience. Bengaluru has remained infamous for the high-priced tickets. In this context, the State government's proposal to cap the film ticket price at ₹200 came as a ray of hope for film buffs. The March 7, 2025, announcement reminded people of a similar call from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in his previous term, in 2017. The Multiplex Association of India (MAI) appealed against the government's decision in court and brought a stay on the order at the time. The government seems to have kept the issue in 'suspended animation', says author and film critic S. Shyam Prasad. 'The Chief Minister has aligned with the public sentiment, but I don't think market forces will allow him to implement the price cap. He has just made a populist statement,' he says. Incidentally, just two months after proposing the price cap in 2017, Siddaramaiah spent ₹1,050 to watch Baahubali 2: The Conclusion at a multiplex. An executive from a popular multiplex chain, on condition of anonymity, reveals that tickets for big films range from ₹700-₹800 in the opening weekend. The price may go up to ₹1,500 in premium screens such as Gold Class or Insignia. Bengaluru multiplexes had grabbed the eyeballs for exorbitant rates for big-star films such as KGF: Chapter 2 (maximum rate of ₹2,500), RRR (₹2,000), and Ponniyin Selvan (₹1,200). Dynamic ticket pricing The makers of such magnum opuses vouch for the special pricing of tickets as seen in the case of Pushpa 2: The December 2024, actorAllu Arjun thanked the Andhra Pradesh government for approving the ticket price hike and called it a 'progressive decision'. The Andhra Pradesh government permitted theatre owners to revise ticket rates for the first 10 days for other films, such as S.S. Rajamouli's RRR (2022) and the Ram Charan-S. Shankar film Game Changer (2025). 'Producers want to recover the money in four days or so. The opening figures matter a lot to them. They want to earn ₹100 crore to ₹150 crore on the first day. Nobody is interested in running a movie for the long term,' Gautam Dutta, CEO, revenue and Operations, PVR INOX, had said during the release of Pushpa 2: The Rule. While Tamil Nadu and Kerala have fixed ticket rates not exceeding ₹200, the Andhra Pradesh government has catered to the requests of makers of big-budget films to alter the ticket prices in the first week. This move could be problematic, as not all big films elicit positive reactions. The interest in a movie might fizzle out due to poor buzz, as family audiences might hesitate to come to cinemas unless the movie is worth experiencing on the big screen. In such cases, producers and distributors suffer losses, says M.R. Rajaram, vice-president, Karnataka Film Exhibitors Federation. 'Multiplexes, which deal in the percentage sharing system with the makers, are the biggest gainers from the price hike of tickets. They play a strong role in altering the costs,' he says, adding that single screens do not raise the ticket fare by more than ₹100 for A-lister films. Kannada filmmaker Karthik Gowda, founder of the production house KRG Studios, has been pushing for dynamic ticket pricing for the last two years. 'A film will open with a specific price, and if it gets a good response, the ticket price will increase. We at KRG Studios are discussing this with the exhibitors,' Karthik had proposed in 2023. Yogi G. Raj, co-founder of KRG Studios, says it is the way forward. 'We distributed Daredevil Musthafa,a content-oriented Kannada film from newcomers. We charged just ₹1 for the premiere. Those who came to the show loved the film and spread the word. You should treat each film differently and increase the price based on people's response,' he says. To please a price-sensitive audience, the Multiplex Association of India organises National Cinema Day frequently. On that day, tickets are priced at ₹99 for all shows. PVR INOX has also introduced a movie pass called PVR Passport, with which you can watch four films a month for ₹349. The OTT challenge Despite these changes, many people continue to watch their favourite films in the comfort of their homes as they find OTT subscriptions affordable. Amazon Prime Video offers an annual subscription at ₹1,499, while Netflix provides a monthly subscription at ₹649 with an option to share the account with four people. JioHotstar offers an ad-free annual subscription at ₹1,499. The amount is much lower for mobile subscriptions across platforms. Expensive refreshments Apart from the ticket rates, the steep prices of popcorn and other food and beverages at multiplexes have often angered the public. 'Multiplexes are selling social status instead of promoting cinema,' says Rajaram of the Karnataka Film Exhibitors Federation. A regular-sized popcorn tub costs ₹350 to ₹400, while the maximum price is around ₹600 at a multiplex. PVR Inox Ltd. continues to face the heat from audiences over the pricing of refreshments. Journalist Tridip K. Mandal posted on X (formerly Twitter) explaining why people prefer OTT platforms over theatres. '₹460 for 55 gm of cheese popcorn, ₹360 for 600 ml of Pepsi. Total ₹820 at PVR Cinemas, Noida. The expenditure is equal to the annual subscription of OTT platforms. No wonder people don't go to the cinemas anymore. Movie watching with family has just become unaffordable,' he wrote. His post went viral on social media in 2023, forcing PVR Inox to introduce the 'Bestsellar@99' offer, through which people can buy refreshments at ₹99 from Monday to Thursday for shows till 6 p.m. However, the offer comes with restrictions that vary from city to city. On the opening weekend of a big film, a family of four might spend ₹3,000 to ₹4,000 at a multiplex, including for snacks. In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled that 'multiplexes are private properties, and the owners can set the terms and conditions for entry', leading to a ban on people carrying food to theatres. 'Consumers are a small fish against big sharks like the multiplexes. The MAI makes crores annually. It's impossible to go against it in court,' notes Shyam. 'Many from the State government and MLAs are stakeholders in multiplex properties. If the revenue from multiplexes comes down, it will affect them. So, I doubt the ticket price-capping proposal will get official in Karnataka,' says Rajaram. Recently, Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar reopened the debate by speaking about people staying away from theatres. 'Since a movie outing costs as much as ₹10,000, families do not spend that much on films, reducing their trips to the theatre,' he said at an interaction. In a public statement, MAI president Kamal Gianchandani countered Karan's observations. 'In 2023, the average ticket price (ATP) across all cinemas in India was ₹130. The country's largest cinema chain, PVR INOX, reported an ATP of ₹258 for the fiscal year 2023-24. Additionally, the average spend per head on F&B at PVR INOX during this period stood at ₹132. So, the total average expenditure for a family of four adds up to ₹1,560, significantly different from the ₹10,000 figure carried in the media reports.' He added that a film's fate depends on 'content and appeal' rather than pricing. 'Any evaluation of pricing in the cinema industry must account for the broader economics of the movie business, which involves multiple stakeholders, including producers, distributors, and exhibitors. Each of these players contributes to the final cost to consumers, with prices ultimately shaped by the market forces of demand and supply. If lowering prices could optimise revenue for everyone involved, cinema operators would naturally make those adjustments without needing to be told,' his statement read. The exorbitant rates do not matter to people who watch films occasionally, says Rajaram. 'For them, it's just an outing, and they will be willing to spend. The regular cinegoer feels he is getting ripped off by the theatres. It's a daylight robbery of film buffs,' he says. (Edited by Giridhar Narayan)
Indian Express
10-05-2025
- Indian Express
Video of 2-year-old batting goes viral, the Internet calls him ‘next Vaibhav Suryavanshi'
A heartwarming video of a 2-year-old boy playing cricket has gone viral, winning over millions online. Shared on Instagram, the clip shows the toddler gripping a tiny bat as he stands before wickets taller than him, with an excited crowd cheering him on. As the bowler delivers the ball, the child swings the bat with confidence, prompting loud applause. Then, two men guide him by the hand to help complete a run between the wickets, and the scene has melted hearts on the Internet. The video, captioned 'INDIA' with blue heart emojis, has garnered over two million views, 115,000 likes, and more than 500 comments. A post shared by माझे नाव राया (@raya_31122022) Responding to the video, one user wrote, 'And suddenly I'm into cricket,' while another commented, 'Omg. Those little legs… cute cool pants running between the wickets… so cute.' A third user wrote, 'First time a batter had two runners.' Another user commented, 'Not a fan of cricket but where can I watch this match cutie batsman?' One user commented, 'What a joy!' Another user commented, 'Is it my Future Son?' This is not the first time a child playing cricket has captured hearts and made headlines. Recently, Sonia, 6, went viral for a stunning pull shot that drew comparisons to Indian captain Rohit Sharma. Her natural technique and poise wowed fans, reinforcing how cricket is capturing young hearts. The clip was posted by English cricket umpire Richard Kettleborough on X, where he admired Sonia's skill and noted her remarkable timing and technique. While the bowler releases the ball, Sonia moves into position confidently and makes contact with the shot with striking accuracy, a remarkable achievement for a player her age. The clip went viral on social media platforms in no time, with fans, former cricketers, and cricket commentators all hailing it.
