Ignited voices for 'Heart Lamp'
Banu, who talks about social justice, who talks for the people, who talks for the marginalised, getting recognised at this point in history is very important. She has been one of the finest writers and poets in Kannada, and I respect her deeply. One thing to keep in mind is that Banu is not a person who writes only about Muslim women; she writes about concerns. She should never be branded a 'writer about Muslim women'. Banu is a writer, lawyer, activist, and, as a kind human being, all of these come into her stories. She is an artiste who thinks differently. I was keeping my fingers crossed, but I had a sixth sense that she would win because in the historical and socio-political time that we are living in, a genuine award must come to Banu. She started writing so long ago, but has gotten the limelight only recently, and it is long due!
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Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
India's most profitable film earned 100x its budget with no stars, ran for a year in multiplexes, producer faced IT raid
To a layman, a successful film may look like a hit. The words superhit and blockbuster are also casually thrown around these days. But largely, the entertainment industry has parameters to define these terms. Any film making twice its landing cost at the box office can be termed a superhit. Anything more is blockbuster territory. Very few films ever go beyond 5x of a budget. Then what of this one film that earned over a hundred times its budget, and ran in theatres for over a year. This is the story of India's most profitable film. India's most profitable film was made for just ₹ 70 lakh. India's most profitable film In 2006, writer-director Yograj Bhatt made a romantic drama titled Mungaru Male. The low-budget Kannada film starred up-and-coming actors Ganesh and Pooja Gandhi, along with veteran thespian Anant Nag. The film was mounted on a budget of ₹70 lakh. Upon its release in December, Mungaru Male became a sleeper hit, celebrating golden jubilees in many places and becoming the highest-grossing Kannada film ever. It became the first film to complete one year in a multiplex as it ran in PVR Bangalore for 460 days, and also became the first Kannada film to cross ₹50 crore worldwide. By the end of its run, Mungaru Male was estimated to have earned ₹75 crore worldwide. A staggering ₹57 crore of it came from Karnataka, where the film was labelled an industry hit. Mungaru Male's impact and legacy Both Ganesh and Pooja Gandhi were relatively unknown when the film was released. But its success turned them into overnight stars. Both actors gave other hits in the years to come, becoming the most sought-after male and female stars in Kannada cinema over the next half a decade. However, the success was bittersweet for the film's producer, E. Krishna. The Income Tax department claimed that Mungaru Male had earned ₹67.50 crore net, and demanded that tax be paid on that. They even raided the producer for it. Mungaru Male's box office records stood for over a decade until many were broken by KGF Chapter 1. The film was remade in Telugu, Bengali, Odia, and Marathi and spawned a spiritual sequel, Mungaru Male 2, which was released in 2016. Mungaru Male has enjoyed a cult following among Kannada audiences, elevated by its repeated reruns on TV and recent OTT release.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Don't reduce grandfather to a Muslim-hating kasai, says Gopal Pattha's kin; sends notice to Agnihotri
1 2 Kolkata: Vivek Agnihotri 's 'The Bengal Files' has met with opposition from unexpected quarters. Santanu Mukherjee, the grandson of Gopal Mukherjee — the legendary 'Gopal Pattha' — who was a key defender of central Calcutta's Hindu neighbourhoods during the Direct Action Day communal clashes of Aug 1946, has sent a legal notice to Agnihotri, claiming the movie "belittles, dehumanises and demonises an important figure from the history of India's independence struggle. " On Saturday, the film's trailer was screened at ITC Royal Bengal, triggering a war of words between Agnihotri and Trinamool, with the former accusing Bengal administration of "anarchy and dictatorship". TMC said the film "was a political video made as part of a pre-election political assignment". You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata | Gold Rates Today in Kolkata | Silver Rates Today in Kolkata The Mukherjee family does not want to be a part of the politics but has firm ideas about its most famous forebear, Gopal Pattha. Santanu had filed an FIR against the movie on July 14, apprehending "denigration of not only his (Gopal's) words or deeds but his ideological conviction along with historic struggle". "Listening to interviews and reading previews of the film, I was apprehensive about how my grandfather would be portrayed. The trailer has confirmed those suspicions," Santanu told TOI, sitting at the family's 200-year-old ancestral home in central Kolkata's Malanga Lane near Wellington Square. The family's biggest issue with the film is its apparent portrayal of the Kolkata strongman as "a rabble-rousing Muslim-hating butcher". "Grandfather also protected Muslim families in our neighbourhood during the communal clashes of 1946," Santanu said. Pointing to the house opposite, his sister Niharika added: "He sheltered members of that Muslim family on our terrace. Grandfather also protected the family of a rickshaw-puller... we called him Rafique Chacha. Even today, families who own the Islamia medicine shop or Mullickbazar's Haji meat shop respect our family. " This Aug 16 marked 80 years of the communal clashes that unfolded on Malanga Lane. Ahead of the 1946 riots, Muslim League volunteers had started gathering in different parts of Kolkata, Santanu said. On Aug 16, at a public meeting at Shaheed Minar, a call went out that before India's Independence, the League must be given Pakistan. After that, looting started at the arms shops around Esplanade. Killings and plunder followed. The "action" then spread to Narkeldanga and Colootola. The film, Santanu fears, will negate Gopal Pattha's message to his followers: "Don't kill the innocent. Protect children and women, whether Hindus or Muslims." He said: "To resist the riots, my grandfather organised his followers and took up arms. He had declared, 'if League rioters kill one, you must kill 10. But no harm must come to any innocent Muslim'." "The trailer crystallises my grandfather's persona in a single phrase — 'Ek tha kasai'. We think Gopal Pattha was much more than a mere butcher. He was a freedom fighter and social worker," Santanu added. The "Pattha" term, too, leaves a lot of scope for misinterpretation, feels Santanu. "Local Biharis started calling my grandfather 'Gopal Pattha' because of his bravery... from the Bengali phrase 'buker paata'. 'Pattha' never referred to 'pnatha' or goat. The film, I apprehend, is ill-researched and do my grandfather's reputation more harm than good," he said, adding that Gopal Pattha was "a known follower of both Mahatma Gandhi and Netaji". Highlighting a part of the trailer where actor Sourav Das (who plays the character of Gopal Pattha) is seen saying, "Bharat Hinduon ka rashtra hai... is yudh me Hindu haar rahe hain... Jeet kaun raha hain? Jinnah... Hum sab nashe mein chur hain aur is nashe ka naam hain Gandhi ki ahimsa", Santanu said: "My grandfather had started as a follower of Gandhi. Then, like Netaji, he felt there had to be an armed struggle. To reduce him to a hater of Muslims and Gandhi is just not on. The trailer shows Gopal Pattha running with a sword with saffron flags in background. That's absolutely wrong." Gopal Mukherjee opened his meat shop on Premchand Boral Street in 1935, with the family's primary earner — Gopal's uncle freedom-fighter Anukul — in jail, said Santanu's elder sister Neeta. The shop closed in 2015. The family, however, has another meat shop in Jadubabur Baazaar. "My grandfather used to buy goats from Muslim traders — before and after Direct Action day," said Santanu. Gopal died in 2005 at 92. Santanu wrote in the police complaint and legal notice: "These nefarious activities of Vivek Agnihotri are willfully, wantonly and maliciously besmirching the reputation of grandfather, stereotyping him as a communal thug and is aimed at flaring up communal tensions based on baseless depictions of my late grandfather's historic actions." Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
The rise of Kannada OTT: Originals, micro-series, and a hungry audience
For years, despite its rich storytelling tradition, the Kannada film industry remained overlooked on OTT platforms. Kannada content was largely seen as an afterthought, a spillover from television or cinema, and mostly limited to dubbed versions of other languages. But 2025 marks a turning point. With multiple original Kannada web series launching and regional platforms investing in homegrown stories, Kannada cinema is no longer just entering the OTT arena, it is carving a new identity. Additionally, micro-dramas and experimental formats are adding to this momentum. Here's a look: 'It's a long-overdue recognition for Kannada that's not restricted to urban audiences' 'OTT in Kannada was once seen as a spillover, but it's now building an identity of its own,' says Deepak Sriramulu, business head of a leading OTT platform. The shift, he explains, is driven by viewers' hunger for stories that are rooted in their lives, culture, and language. The younger generation in both urban and semi-urban areas, in particular, has resonated with fresh, local narratives. The breakout success of Ayyana Mane proves the point. With over an overall rating of 8.6, the show demonstrated that Kannada audiences want content told in their own voice. Its popularity even led to dubbed versions in other languages, highlighting the cross-language appeal of authentic regional storytelling. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Use an AI Writing Tool That Actually Understands Your Voice Grammarly Install Now Undo Sriramulu notes that while earlier post-theatrical and direct-to-digital releases did well on OTT, original series are now setting the tone. 'Originals meet emotional expectations and drive loyalty, compelling platforms to back Kannada stories more strongly,' he adds. 'OTT is now a profitable alternate platform' Filmmakers Yogi G Raj and Karthik Gowda, producers of Shodha, the next Kannada original after Ayyana Mane, see this as the start of something bigger. 'The warm reception to Ayyana Mane shows audiences are ready. People want rooted stories or fresh concepts — a classic example is Kantara. Shodha, set in Coorg and starring Pawan Kumar, is a murder mystery, a genre that works well on OTT. A thriller or murder mystery seems to be a genre that people love watching on OTT,' Yogi explains, adding, 'This creates more work opportunities, and that's a win for the industry. ' What began as a young, urban phenomenon is now spreading across Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, families, and even older viewers. Cheaper internet, mobile-first viewing, and relatable content have made OTT more inclusive than ever – Deepak Sriramulu, business head at an OTT platform 'Convenience is the driving force for viewers' Convenience, say creators, is at the heart of the shift. 'Viewers want to watch what they like, when and where they want, often on their phones,' says filmmaker Pradeepa. This demand has led to varied formats - micro-series with short vertical episodes, mini-series with about six episodes, and larger, more expansive mega-series. 'For Ayyana Mane, the 'mother-in-law vs daughter-in-law' drama was a deliberate move to ease television audiences into OTT, and it worked,' he explains. 'New formats open doors to new audiences' Actress Manvita Kamath, who is working on a vertical web series, believes the future is multi-format. 'The viral nature of digital is tricky. You'll see a silly video going viral with millions of views, while a meaningful one might struggle to cross a few thousand; that's the game now. But one truth remains - for the audience, quality is non-negotiable. So, if you're making something, it better be worth their time. Horizontal long-form shows are still big for binge-watchers, but vertical content has its own audience, especially younger viewers,' she says. Snehith Gowda, who recently acted in a micro-series, likens the micro-web series format to fast food. 'Quick, on-the-go, but satisfying. Kannada was late to OTT, but the potential is massive now,' he says. "Get the latest news updates on Times of India, including reviews of the movie Coolie and War 2 ."
