Sunday, March 29, 2009

Legendary Kashinath

Ananthana Avanthara means Ananth's confusion. Once upon a time, when kannada films were dominated by the Rajkumars and Vishnuvardhans, came a maverick. The name is Kashinath. Not only did he think out of the box, but had the balls to go all out and do what he really believed in. Respect!
When Anantha realises that contorted Yogaasanas wouldn't curb his urges and he hasn't the balls for a fling, he decides to get married. His secretary has the hots for him but he really likes a Menaka next door. An accidental meeting leads to nuptial day. His secretary, however, has plans of her own.
What follows are comic episodes narrating testing times for our hero on his honeymoon. With a decent BP monitor-urgeness analogy, simple yet communicative, a cot-banging neighbour to rub it in and medication from in-laws to make it worse, the movie is a hilarious satire on the closer-home mindset of not talking about problems down there and the mental torture therein.

Watch out for a Mr.Uppi aka Kashinath's sisya (Student)as Kamanna, intelligent screenplay and dialogues, clever use of songs and a nice background score by Hamsalekha in a film scripted, produced and directed by Kashinath.
The movie is off the ordinary in Indian cinema. Like it or not, take some time to appreciate a change that Kashi brought. An openness hitherto alien, and personally a feeling of traditional in look and modern in thought. A talent well ahead of his time.
Adding, Anjali, who plays Menaka's character, deserved more than the dagar roles she got later. An undervalued actress! Will finish quoting Ajji Lehya Ajji.
(When Menaka's Mum asks if Anantha would really heed their advice and have the Lehya)'Men, who have no problems, go searching for things like this. Someone with a problem, like Ananthu, will be licking it off his hands by now"

5 comments:

Invincible me said...

Agree on the last part...talent beyond his time.
Good one...different perspective... he is considered poly nan maga most of the time. Nobody ever saw him in this sense.

Ramya said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bhargava said...

@Invincible you: Thanks kane ma! "poly nan maga" seemed a little too stereotypical. Wanted to judge him for myself :D

@Ramya: Hehe...Just heard from another friend about the meaning of Avaantara. And ya, it is a BP-monitor not a thermometer. Thanks for the corrections :)
I mistook avanthara with some pseudo word aavantara and somehow equated it with aatura(=urgency/longing). Hehe... weird!
I saw his other movie called ajagajantara today. That was not as much fun. A little too patronising it is. Want to watch this one this one called anubhava.

Recommendations anyone?

Chikkadi said...

Auuu! Anubhava, classic Kashinath it is. In fact, he was known as 'Anubhava Kashinath' for a long time (in the same spirit as Toogudeepa Srinivas)

Bhargava said...

@screwsandbolts:
Watched Anubhava. I loved he(Kashinath) has shown Gauri's coming-of-age story :D