Amongst the torrent of latest movie releases running in the theatres today, most fade out within a few weeks despite their box office collection. Here is a special screening of a film released in March 2017 that remains as relevant today, despite its language disconnect.
What : Shuddhi Special Screening
When : March 10, 2018 | 12 noon onwards
Where: Elante Mall
Sometimes a great film hits the theatres and we miss it for some reason or the other. Once off the theatres, the only medium left is to watch it on our personal screens, thus significantly altering the viewing experience. Don’t you wish you could get just one more chance to watch it on the big screen?
Yep, we all have the same answer to that question. That’s why Radical Frames and Elante Mall have collaborated to bring to us Shuddhi, a 2017 Kannada film that has managed to attract international attention. Written and directed by Adarsh Eshwarappa, Shuddhi revolves around three characters – an American photojournalist who travels to India, an Indian journalist and theatre activist who calls out the bluff of the Juvenile Justice Act, and a criminal on the run.
The film is a female-centric thriller, connecting the lives of its three protagonists, presented through an intricately woven screenplay. What stands out about the film is that it doesn’t become too over the top activist in nature but keeps the drama and thrill of the screenplay intact, clearly conveying the message that it wants to instead of preaching it. The narrative of the film meanders in and out of cultural experiences, mythological parallels, and the average citizen’s beliefs, stigmas, strengths, and weaknesses.
The three lead actresses do a fine job of portraying relatable characters who are driven not by some misplaced sense of activism, but by the need to bring about change just as much as the average citizen of the country, their gender notwithstanding. Though the film may not have found solutions to today’s women-centric problems, but it manages to give a true non-exaggerated picture of numerous situations that women have to deal with today.
Debutant director Adarsh Eshwarappa has managed to do in his first film what few are able to accomplish over decades of hit and trials – and that is to create an authentic cinematic experience. The whole team can be credited for this accomplishment. From beautiful cinematography to a complimenting background score to a brilliant job of casting, the combined effort is what makes the film laudable. It may not be the most critically acclaimed film, but it is definitely one that lingers in your mind long after you’ve left the movie theatre.
