Kannada cinema, also known as Sandalwood, or Chandanavana, is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Kannada language widely spoken in the state of Karnataka. Kannada cinema is based in Gandhi Nagar, Bangalore. The 1934 film Sati Sulochana directed by Y. V. Rao was the first talkie film released in the Kannada language. It was also the first film starring Subbaiah Naidu and Tripuramba, and the first screened in the erstwhile Mysore Kingdom. It was produced by Chamanlal Doongaji, who in 1932 founded South India Movietone in Bangalore.
Prashanth Neelakantapuram, popularly known as Prashanth Neel, is an Indian film director and screenwriter who works in Kannada and Telugu films. He debuted with the Kannada action-thriller Ugramm (2014) and later directed the KGF trilogy (2018–present), whose second part became the highest-grossing Kannada film of all-time. Subsequently, Neel had his maiden Telugu film release with Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire (2023).
Prashanth Shetty, known professionally as Rishab Shetty, is an Indian actor, film director, film producer and screenwriter who works in Kannada cinema. He is known for his critical and commercial blockbuster, Kantara, which he directed and also starred in as the main lead. He is the recipient of several accolades, including three National Film Awards, two Karnataka State Film Awards and two Filmfare Awards.
Santhosh Ananddram is a lyricist, screenwriter, director who works in Kannada cinema. His debut films was Mr. and Mrs. Ramachari in 2014. He has directed Raajakumara starring Puneeth Rajkumar in Raajakumara and Yuvarathnaa. Raajakumara was a blockbuster in Kannada cinema.
Raajakumara is a 2017 Indian Kannada-language action drama film directed by Santhosh Ananddram and produced by Vijay Kiragandur under Hombale Films. It stars Puneeth Rajkumar, alongside Priya Anand. R. Sarathkumar, Ananth Nag, Prakash Raj, Chikkanna, Sadhu Kokila, Achyuth Kumar and Avinash. The music was composed by V. Harikrishna, while cinematography and editing were handled by A. Venkatesh and K. M. Prakash.
Ravi Basrur is an Indian music composer, lyricist and director who mostly works in the Kannada film industry. He is known for his collaborations with director Prashanth Neel, with whom he debuted in Ugramm. He is also a film director, having directed the films Gargar Mandala and Girmit.
KGF: Chapter 1 is a 2018 Indian Kannada-language period action film written and directed by Prashanth Neel, and produced by Vijay Kiragandur under the banner of Hombale Films. It is the first installment in the KGF series, followed by KGF: Chapter 2. The film features an ensemble cast including Yash, Srinidhi Shetty, Vasishta N. Simha, Ramachandra Raju, Archana Jois, Anant Nag, Achyuth Kumar, Malavika Avinash, T. S. Nagabharana and B. Suresha. Filmed on a budget of ₹80 crore, it was the most expensive Kannada film at the time of its release. In the film, Rocky, a high-ranking mercenary, working for a prominent gold mafia in Bombay, seeks power and wealth in order to fulfill his mother's promise. Due to his high fame, the leaders of the gold mafia where he works hire him to assassinate Garuda, the son of the founder of Kolar Gold Fields.
KGF: Chapter 2 is a 2022 Indian Kannada-language period action film written and directed by Prashanth Neel, and produced by Vijay Kiragandur under his Hombale Films banner. It serves as the direct sequel to KGF: Chapter 1 (2018), as well as the second installment in the KGF franchise. The film stars an ensemble cast of Yash, Sanjay Dutt, Raveena Tandon, Srinidhi Shetty, Prakash Raj, Achyuth Kumar, Rao Ramesh, Vasishta N. Simha, Ayyappa P. Sharma, Archana Jois, Saran Shakti, Easwari Rao, John Kokken, T. S. Nagabharana and Malavika Avinash.
Yuvarathnaa is a 2021 Indian Kannada-language action drama film directed by Santhosh Ananddram and produced by Vijay Kiragandur under the banner of Hombale Films. The film stars Puneeth Rajkumar, Sayyeshaa, Dhananjay, Prakash Raj, Diganth and P. Sai Kumar. The music was composed by S. Thaman, while the cinematography and editing was handled by A. Venkatesh and Jnaanesh B. Matad respectively.
James is a 2022 Indian Kannada-language action thriller film directed by Chethan Kumar and produced by Kishore Pathikonda under Kishore Productions. The film stars Puneeth Rajkumar in his posthumous film, alongside an ensemble cast of R. Sarathkumar, Srikanth, Priya Anand, Anu Prabhakar, Madhusudhan Rao, Mukesh Rishi, Adithya Menon, Avinash, Sadhu Kokila, Chikkanna and John Kokken. The film also marks the second collaboration between Puneeth Rajkumar, Priya Anand and Sarathkumar after Raajakumara. The score and soundtrack were composed by V. Harikrishna and Charan Raj, while the cinematography and editing were handled by Swamy. J. Gowda and Deepu. S. Kumar.
Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire is a 2023 Indian Telugu-language epic action thriller film directed by Prashanth Neel and produced by Vijay Kiragandur under Hombale Films. The film stars Prabhas as the title character alongside an ensemble cast of Prithviraj Sukumaran, Shruti Haasan, Jagapathi Babu, Bobby Simha and Sriya Reddy. In the fictional dystopian city-state of Khansaar, where monarchy still exists, the film follows the friendship between Deva (Prabhas), the exiled prince of Khansaar, and Varadha, the current prince of Khansaar. When a coup d'état is planned by his father's ministers and his relatives, Varadha enlists Deva's help to become Khansaar's undisputed ruler.
Yuvarathnaa is the soundtrack album composed by S. Thaman for the 2021 Indian Kannada-language film of the same name, starring Puneeth Rajkumar. The film marks Thaman's third collaboration with Puneeth after working with him in Power (2014) and Chakravyuha (2016).
KGF is an Indian Kannada language period action film series set mostly in the Kolar Gold Fields, which gives the series its name, created by Prashanth Neel and produced by Hombale Films starring Yash in lead role with an ensemble supporting cast. Set in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the series follows two narrators, Anand Ingalangi and his son Vijayendra Ingalangi, who gives an interview of a book written by Anand to a leading news channel, which tells the life story of Raja Krishnappa Bairya alias Rocky (Yash), a Mumbai-based high ranking mercenary born in poverty, and how he became the most dreaded person at that time.
Kantara is a 2022 Indian Kannada-language action thriller film written and directed by Rishab Shetty, and produced by Vijay Kiragandur, under Hombale Films. The film stars Rishab Shetty in a dual role as a Kambala champion who is at loggerheads with an upright forest officer named Murali.
Yuva is a 2024 Indian Kannada-language action drama film directed by Santhosh Ananddram and produced by Vijay Kiragandur under Hombale Films. The film, which marks the fourth collaboration of Santhosh Ananddram and Hombale Films, stars Yuva Rajkumar in his lead acting debut, while Sapthami Gowda, Achyuth Kumar, Gopal Krishna Deshpande, Sudharani and Kishore appear in supporting roles.
Bagheera is a 2024 Indian Kannada-language superhero film written & directed by Dr. Suri, from a story by Prashanth Neel, and produced by Vijay Kiragandur. It stars Sriimurali, alongside Rukmini Vasanth, Prakash Raj, Sudha Rani, Ramachandra Raju, Achyuth Kumar and Rangayana Raghu. The music was composed by B. Ajaneesh Loknath, while the cinematography and editing were handled by Arjun Shetty and Pranav Sri Prasad.
