Kannada Cinema Mourns – Murali Mohan Passes Away at 57
/ Aug 14, 2025, 08:13PM IST
The Kannada film industry is in deep shock after the sudden demise of celebrated filmmaker Murali Mohan at 57 in Bengaluru due to severe kidney ailments and multiple organ failure. A visionary director, he gave Kannada cinema some of its most memorable hits, including cult classics with Upendra like Om, Shhh, and Tarle Nan Maga, as well as blockbusters like Nagarahaavu, Santa, and Mallikarjuna. His storytelling genius and unmatched cinematic style earned him a permanent place in the hearts of fans. Tributes are pouring in from across the industry as Karnataka mourns the loss of one of its most influential directors.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
16 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Science and society through the lens of theatre
Only the most discerning of theatre-goers in Karnataka are aware of the Mysuru Science Theatre Festival (MSTF). The festival, organised by three cultural and theatre platforms, in association with Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement Mysuru, has been active for the past eight years. MSTF is an initiative of Shashidhara Dongre of Kala Suruchi, SR Ramesh of Parivartana, MC Manohar of Arivu Ranga and Kollegala Sharma of Kutoohali. This year, the Indian Institute of Astrophysics sponsored the festival. This unique experiment of teaching science through art, especially through theatre, began in 2017 when three amateur theatre troupes came together to stage plays focussing on science and scientists. Initially, they staged translated English plays; today they produce original Kannada plays on these topics. The plays staged during the last seven years have reached institutions such as the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Central Food Technological Institute (CFTRI), the Indian Institute of Science, the Institute for Human Genetics and several engineering colleges. Curious connect While it may seem unusual to club the sciences with theatre, it is not without precedent. Prof. Sudarshana Patil Kulkarni of Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering (SJCE) mentioned a similar science theatre festival in Orlando, United States. 'Mad Cow Theatre in Orlando used to host an annual science festival that included staged readings of plays exploring the intersection of art and science. The festival featured works that delved into scientific themes, discovery and the relationship between science and society. A previous edition of the festival included a reading of Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy of the People. However, the festival is now defunct,' says Sudarshana. Shashidhara Dongre of Kala Surichi, a cultural platform in Mysuru and an accomplished professional in the technology sector, said, 'MSTF began with an intention to explore human, social, cultural, and political conflicts behind scientific endeavours and achievements, while also bringing to the audience complex scientific concepts in a more accessible dramatised form.' During the past seven editions, various theatre troupes have presented over 25 plays for Mysuru audiences including Proof, Copenhagen, Mussanjeya Swgatagalu, Arivina Angaladalli, QED (on Richard Feynman), Leelavathi (on mathematician Bhaskara), Einstein, Galileo's Daughter, Prabhasa (on Mary Curie), AC versus DC and others. In a nutshell The eighth edition featured four plays — The Trial of Abdus Salam written and directed by Nilanjan Choudhary, Hasivu written by Santosh Tamraparni and directed by Praveen Belli, Raman: Belaku, Shabda, Sidilu written by Shashidhar Dongre and directed by Prof HS Umesh and Moorane Kivi written by Ravindra Bhatt, directed by Prof SR Ramesh. Trial of Abdus Salam is based on the life of Pakistan's Nobel Award-winning nuclear scientist-Abdus Salam and the play begins with his appeal to the Government of Pakistan seeking a burial space for himself next to his parents. What follows is a depiction of his conflicts in a conservative society through a mock trial as a theatrical tool. The play was enhanced by an innovative use of multimedia depicting important incidents in the political history of Pakistan that had an impact on Salam's life. Hasivu is about the life of Russian botanist Nikolai Vavilov, his travails and tragic death due to hunger — an irony as he dreamt of making food accessible to every individual, travelling around the world collecting seeds for a seed bank. The upheavals of his life were well staged, though a few scenes involving complex dialogue, could have been better presented. Raman: Belaku Sidilu Shabda brought to stage the personal and professional life of physicist CV Raman. Beginning with a gentle conversation between Raman and his wife Lokasundari, it gives audiences a glimpse not only of his intelligence, but also his love for Carnatic and Western music, his egotism and self-righteous attitude. Moorane Kiwi chronicles the struggles of a family whose son was born deaf; the play intelligently weaves the science of hearing and the process of correction, including the relearning and dedication required from parents. At times, it felt the play dragged and could have done with tighter editing. On the whole, MSTF should be lauded for their effort to bring the lives of scientists to audiences, helping them understand the importance of science on society. Ramagovinda Ranga Mandira, the venue for MSTF, attracts both science and art lovers with its exhibition of mathematical toys, books and posters on Indian women scientists, to say nothing of the telescope on the premises through which one can view of sunspots. Ramagovinda Ranga Mandira is Nrupatunga Kannada School, Nirvikalpa Road, Mysuru. Updates on the Mysore Science Theatre Festival available on social media
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Bengaluru's Beku brings together books, bakes and beverages
Prarthana Prasad says that her founding of Beku, a café, bakery, and bookstore, which just opened its doors to the public, came from a very 'selfish place of creating the kind of space that I would have loved to go to.' The Bengaluru-based queer influencer says there are not many experiential places in the city, especially in South Bengaluru, where Beku is located. 'It is a common complaint that people make about Bengaluru: that there is nothing to do, only restaurants and pubs to go to,' says Prarthana. Beku, which is all set to host a day-long launch event on August 17, hopes to change this, 'taking the best of both worlds, an independent bookshop and a café, and bringing it together,' says Prarthana, who was inspired by independent bookshops in Delhi as well as Champaca, back home. 'I just love the feeling of walking into these spaces, and wanted to have something like that closer to me.' Beku, which means want in Kannada, is both a pun on the word bake ('because the bakery is a large part of what we are doing at Beku') as well as a nod to Kannada, which is close to her heart. A true-blue Bengalurean, Prarthana, whose mother is a Kannada author, conjured up this name at a traffic signal in the city. 'Most of us Bengalureans get our best ideas when we are stuck in traffic,' she quips. 'I thought Beku would be a really fun name because it is the kind of space that people want, that I definitely want as well.' The cottage-core-themed café , which is housed in a 40-year-old bungalow 'that used to be a veterinary hospital', is located on one of the main roads in JP Nagar. 'We have been sprucing it up for the eight months or so, using very exciting Bengaluru-based elements to do so.' For instance, much of the space's furniture and decorative elements have come second-hand from small shops in Shivajinagar, such as 'a lot of old chairs from government offices with a little desk on the side and original rattan patchwork at the back,' she says. 'They look like they have come from a different age.' Other highlights: brick accents, moss-green wooden windows and wood panelling, created out of upcycled sal wood and other 'quirky, cute elements like that,' she says. Three of the front rooms of the bungalow have been converted into the bookstore, the main hall downstairs has been turned into a café, the garage into a bakery, the kitchen has been upgraded to create food for the café, and the upstairs space will be used for events, explains Prarthana. 'The most beautiful part is the massive tree right up in front, my favourite part of this property,' she says. 'It is something featured in our logo as well.' Prarthana envisions Beku as a place where a visitor can spend some time, buying a book or attending an event, as well as enjoying coffee, a snack or even a full meal. 'We will be taking the F&B element to another level as we are going to have pizzas, pastas, rice bowls etc and serve specialty coffees,' she says. Also, having a space like this, where one can bond over books or a shared love of art, is a great way to connect with people, something many adults struggle with once they finish college, she adds. 'I just want it to be a space that explores the concept of connecting socially with people more than a regular café would,' says Prarthana, who also wants Beku to be a space that nurtures different communities, including the queer community. 'I identify as queer myself, and I found that it is really limited ― the kind of places we can go to feel welcome, feel normal walking in, just exist.' She says that she has tried to make Beku feel warm and welcoming to all sorts of guests as well as to offer a workplace environment that is encouraging to people from different backgrounds. Her inclusive philosophy is also reflected the hiring process. 'It would be considered maybe unconventional in the hospitality industry — a lot of women, young people, folks from the queer community,' she says, pointing out that it is not by design but simply by removing the bias that many people might have. 'It was a deep desire of mine to see a workspace in this industry that feels like you could just exist, do your job and leave, and you would not be judged for who you are or how you look. That has been a large part of what I have done with my hiring and the kind of people who are working at Beku right now.'
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
"Music is a powerful medium to showcase emotions; it connects straight to the heart," says Chandana Ananthakrishna on her Independence day tribute
Kannada actress Chandana Ananthakrishna has released an emotional musical album, In His Name, which has been receiving an overwhelming response from audiences. The song, created with Mayur Ambekallu and Thejas Kiran, is a heartfelt homage to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. The narrative of the song revolves around a newly married couple on their honeymoon in Pahalgam, who become victims of the attack. The tragedy claimed at least 26 lives, including Navy officer Vinay Narwal, who was killed during his honeymoon, a story that deeply moved Chandana. The music video, filmed in Bengaluru and Ooty, features Nidarshan as Vinay and Chandana as his wife Himanshi. She explained that the song came before the video.'It was first the song that was recorded, and then the thought of shooting it came to mind. It was the director's call and his story. Since the story had the essence of patriotism, we wanted to release it on Independence Day,' she said. Interestingly, Chandana also turned producer for the project, a decision she hadn't planned. 'Oh! Producing just happened, I had no plans to produce the song. Since I am also newly married, it synced perfectly to bring in the emotions. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Indonesia: New Container Houses (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search ads Search Now Undo The transition was an emotional one to shoot. We shot in Ooty to bring the nativity of Pahalgam, very symbolic.' The actress admits she had goosebumps when she first heard the story.'Bringing out such a deep story in just 5 minutes, in the era of web series and films, is a huge challenge. This story is worth being a web series or a movie. We worked hard on the chemistry and emotions. We even had a week-long workshop before going on the floor.' For Chandana, music is the soul of the project. 'Music is indeed a powerful medium to showcase emotions and stories that words alone cannot express. Music plays an important role in everything; it connects straight to the heart.' As the song continues to win hearts online, Chandana is overwhelmed by the reception. 'The response has been amazing. People are reaching out to say they were moved to tears. That's the biggest reward for all of us who worked on this.'
