Kaatera | |
---|---|
Directed by | Tharun Sudhir |
Screenplay by | Tharun Sudhir Jadesh Kumar Hampi |
Dialogues by | Maasthi Upparahalli |
Story by | Tharun Kishore Sudhir Jadesh Kumar Hampi |
Produced by | Rockline Venkatesh |
Starring | Darshan Aradhana Ram Jagapathi Babu |
Cinematography | Sudhakar S. Raj |
Edited by | K. M. Prakash |
Music by | V. Harikrishna |
Production company | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 183 minutes |
Country | India |
Language | Kannada |
Budget | ₹45 crore [1] [2] |
Box office | est.₹67–200 crore [a] |
Kaatera is a 2023 Indian Kannada-language action drama film co-written and directed by Tharun Sudhir and produced by Rockline Venkatesh. The film is inspired by a real-life incident at a village in Karnataka in the 1970s. [10] It stars Darshan, alongside Aradhana Ram (in her debut), Jagapathi Babu, Kumar Govind, Vinod Kumar Alwa, Danish Akhtar Saifi and Shruti. The music was composed by V. Harikrishna, while the cinematography and editing were handled by Sudhakar. S. Raj and K. M. Prakash. [11]
Principal photography began on 5 August 2022 and the shooting was done in various locations of Bangalore and Hyderabad.
Kaatera was released on 29 December 2023 to positive reviews from critics and became the highest-grossing Kannada film of 2023 and Ninth highest-grossing Kannada film. [12] [13] [14]
1970s: Kaatera is a blacksmith in Bheemanahalli living with his sister Kumari, brother-in-law Mahadevanna and family. Kaatera has to tackle multiple challenges to implement Land Reforms Act in order for the farmers to escape from the feudal landlords Devaraya and Kaalegowda as they are torturing the farmers to gain tax.
Prabhavathi, the daughter of Shanubogha, has been in love with Kaatera since childhood. Despite reluctance due to caste discrimination, Kaatera accepts her love and Prabhavathi leaves with Kaatera against her parents' wishes. Just before the marriage, Kaatera learns that Devaraya has sent 108 skilled combatants to destroy him and his village. Kaatera kills the combatants and returns home only to find Prabhavathi killed. An enraged Kaatera kills Devaraya for Prabhavathi's death and is imprisoned.
1989: The forensic team finds the skeletons and Reena D'Souza, the forensic officer, tells the police to begin the investigation. Reena learns from a police officer, who was among the combatants, about Kaatera's past and closes the case as natural death due to Kaatera's good nature.
Meanwhile, Mahadevanna and the villagers manage to get Kaatera released on parole. Kaatera attends the festival and meets Prabhavathi's brother Paddu. Kaatera reveals Paddu's involvement in Prabhavathi's death. Paddu reveals that he killed Prabhavathi as he was enraged about her marriage to Kaatera. Kaatera kills Paddu, thus avenging Prabhavathi's death. Kaatera urges the villagers to respect each other and eradicate caste discrimination. Kaatera pays respect to Prabhavathi and returns to prison, hoping that the villagers will change.
The initial announcement of the film was made on 16 February 2022 on occasion of Darshan's birthday by Tharun Sudhir without revealing much details. [16] The project was initially said to be produced by Umapathy Srinivas Gowda, which did not materialise. [17] Later, Rockline Venkatesh took over the project and the announcement was made on 16 February 2022 by releasing a poster. The poster featured a dog leading a band of sheep which created a lot of buzz around the film. [18]
Later, Jagapathi Babu was onboarded to play the antagonist role which was confirmed by the director. [19] The team roped in Debutant Aradhana Ram, who is the daughter of actress Malashri. [20] A year later on 26 February 2023, the makers announced the title and first look of the film, celebrating the actor's birthday. The project was titled "Kaatera", which is based on the goddess Kaateramma, famous in Karnataka. [21] The project is being co-written by Jagadeesh Kumar Hampi of Guru Shishyaru fame. Renowned dialogue writer Maasti was brought on board. Popular actor Kumar Govind was onboarded on 17 March 2023 on his birthday by releasing a poster. [22]
Principal photography began with a muhurta on 5 August 2022. The shooting took place in various locations of Bengaluru and Hyderabad. [23] The film organised a press meet on 12 September 2023 in Bangalore, where it was revealed that the major portions of the film had been shot and post production works would begin shortly thereafter. [24]
Kaatera | |
---|---|
Soundtrack album by | |
Released | 2023 |
Recorded | 2023 |
Genre | Feature film soundtrack |
Label | Anand Audio |
Producer | V. Harikrishna |
V. Harikrishna, a long time and frequent collaborator of Darshan, composed the music. [25]
No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Pasandaagavne" | Chethan Kumar | Mangli | 5:42 |
2. | "Yaava Janumada Gelathi" | V. Nagendra Prasad | Hemanth Kumar, Rakshita Suresh | 4:35 |
3. | "Anuragava Kalisalu" | Yogaraj Bhat | Vani Harikrishna | 5:39 |
4. | "Punyathma" | Nagarjun Sharma | Vijay Prakash | 5:23 |
5. | "Kaatera Theme" | Punith Arya | Aniruddha Shastry, Madhwesh Bharadwaj, Abhishek M. R., Vishak Nagalapura | 5:12 |
Total length: | 31:02 |
Initially, the producer was aiming to release the film on occasion of Dasara, which did not happen due to production delays. [26] [27] It is being speculated that the team are eyeing Sankranti or February 2024 release. [28] The makers announced that the film will be releasing on 29 December 2023, through a special video. [29] Post the film's positive reviews and collections, the makers announced that the production house is aiming for a grand overseas release, starting with Dubai. Additionally, the film is set to have theatrical run in around 9 countries including Germany, UK, the USA, Canada, and Ireland. [30]
ZEE5 and Zee Kannada bought the digital streaming and satellite rights of the film. [31] The film was premiered on ZEE5 on February 9, 2024. [32]
A. Sharadhaa of The New Indian Express gave 4/5 stars and wrote "Kaatera steers away from conventional mass formulas, and full credit should go to director Tharun Kishore Sudhir and his co-writer Jadeshaa K Hampi." [33] Y. Maheswara Reddy of Bangalore Mirror gave 4/5 stars and wrote "It is worth a watch by all and a must for Darshan's fans." [34]
S. Sridevi of The Times of India gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "The movie drives home an important message while being a perfect star vehicle for Darshan. Now is a good time to say, 'Welcome back, Darshan – the performer.'" [35] Swaroop Kadur of OTTplay gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "'Kaatera' could have definitely benefitted from a more taut screenplay and shorter runtime, but the film is certainly worth a watch. The film doesn't mindlessly rely upon its lead actor's star status and instead attempts to drive home a message in engaging, mostly entertaining ways." [36]
Vivek M. V. of The Hindu wrote "Despite celebrating Darshan's 'mass' appeal, 'Kaatera' doesn't lose sight of its subject, as it balances its message nearly with good dose of entertainment." [37]
From Day 1, there have been contrasting reports with respect to box office collections officially announced by the makers and the amount estimated by the industry trackers. While Vijaya Karnataka reported that the first day collections officially announced by the makers was ₹19.79 crores, [38] Hindustan Times cautioned that the actual figure might be only ₹9 crores as per trade. [39] Vijayavani reported the gross first day collection to be ₹14.79 crores which was ₹5 crore equidistant from both the trade figures and official figures. [40] OTT Play and Times of India reported the first day net collections to be ₹11 crores. [41] [42]
Similar to Day 1, there were varying reports with respect to Day 2 collections – while the makers announced that the two day gross was ₹37.14 crores, [43] Deccan Chronicle pegged it at only ₹18.85 crores [44] and Jagran estimated an even lower figure of ₹17.75 crores. [45] The trade estimated the first weekend gross to be only ₹27.60 crore [46] to ₹35 crore [47] as against ₹58.08 crore declared by the makers. [48] Similarly, at the end of first Monday, the makers declared a gross of ₹76.34 crores [49] as against trade figure of ₹36.89 crores. [50] Continuing with the tradition, the difference between producer figure and trade figure continued to be more than 50% even after 5 day of release – with the trade estimating the gross collection to be around ₹ 41.40 crores [51] to ₹44 crores [52] as against the producer figure of ₹86.84 crores. [53] The total gross at the end of Day 6 was reported to be ₹95.36 crores. [54] The total first week gross collections were reported to be ₹104.58 crores by the makers [55] as against the trade estimate of only ₹45.50 crores [56] – further widening the gap between the two figures by a staggering 130%.
The trade estimated the net collections to be ₹55.58 crores [57] - which resulted in a whopping ₹49 crores difference between the gross figures declared and the net figures estimated. The net collections at the end of two weeks was reported to be around ₹59.90 crores [58] to ₹65.57 crores. [59] While the makers announced that the movie had become the highest grosser in the state with ₹190.89 crores collected in 19 days, [60] Hindustan Times noted the huge difference between the figures declared by the makers and the amount estimated by the trackers. [61] The makers announced the gross collections to be ₹206 crores at the end of 20 days [62] but the tracked collections was reported to be only ₹100 crores after 22 days of its release. [63] OTT Play speculated that the collections could have been inflated since the weekly collections and footfalls couldn't match up. [9] A report in January 2024 called the movie the highest grosser of the year with a total collections of ₹216 crores. [64] The trade estimated the final gross to be around ₹65 crores. [9] However, reports emerged later that though the movie was the highest grosser of the year, the collections were only ₹67 crores. [3]
Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
69th Filmfare Awards South | Best Film | Rockline Venkatesh | Nominated | [65] [66] [67] |
Best Director | Tharun Sudhir | Nominated | ||
Best Actor | Darshan | Nominated | ||
Best Supporting Actress | Shruti | Nominated | ||
Best Music Director | V. Harikrishna | Nominated | ||
Best Playback Singer – Male | Vijay Prakash – "Punyathma" | Nominated | ||
Best Playback Singer – Female | Mangli – "Pasandaagavne" | Nominated | ||
12th South Indian International Movie Awards | Best Film | Rockline Venkatesh | Won | |
Best Playback Singer Female | Mangli – "Pasandaagavne" | Won | ||
Best Music Director | V. Harikrishna | Won | ||
Best Debutant actress | Aradhana ram | Won |
Hemanth Kumar, better known by his stage name Darshan Thoogudeepa or simply Darshan, is an Indian actor, film producer and distributor who works predominantly in Kannada films. In 2017, he was the highest paid actor in Kannada cinema. Darshan established the production house Thoogudeepa Productions in 2006. Its first production was Jothe Jotheyali, with Darshan in a special appearance. His performances in Anatharu (2007) and Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna (2012) won him praise from critics; his performance in the latter as the 19th-century warrior Sangolli Rayanna won him the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor.
Tharun Kishore Sudhir is an Indian actor and filmmaker who predominantly works in the Kannada Cinema. He made his directorial debut with the multistarer Chowka which was a commercially successful movie. He is a recipient of one Filmfare and two SIIMA Awards for best director.
Roberrt is a 2021 Indian Kannada-language action thriller film directed by Tharun Sudhir and produced by Umapathy Films. The film stars Darshan, alongside Asha Bhat, Vinod Prabhakar, Jagapathi Babu, Ravi Kishan, Devaraj and P. Ravi Shankar. The soundtrack and musical score was composed by Arjun Janya and V. Harikrishna, while cinematography and editing were handled by Sudhakar S. Raj and K. M. Prakash.
Gaalipata 2 is a 2022 Indian Kannada-language romantic comedy film written and directed by Yogaraj Bhat. Not a sequel to 2008 Kannada film, Gaalipata, it features an ensemble cast consisting of Ganesh, Anant Nag, Diganth, Pawan Kumar, Vaibhavi Shandilya, Samyuktha Menon, and Sharmiela Mandre.
Sreeleela is an American-born Indian actress who predominantly works in Telugu and Kannada cinema. She began her career as a child artist, before playing a lead role in the 2019 Kannada film Kiss, and then starred in the Telugu films Pelli SandaD (2021), Dhamaka (2022), and Bhagavanth Kesari (2023). She is a recipient of three SIIMA awards.
777 Charlie is a 2022 Indian Kannada-language adventure drama film written and directed by Kiranraj K. and produced by Paramvah Studios. It stars Charlie, a Labrador dog in the title role, and Rakshit Shetty alongside Sangeetha Sringeri, Raj B. Shetty, Danish Sait, Bobby Simha and Aniruddh Roy. The film follows the journey and bonding between a lonely factory worker and a stray Labrador dog.
Kranti (transl. Revolution) is a 2023 Indian Kannada-language action drama film written and directed by V. Harikrishna. Produced by B. Suresha and Shylaja Nag, under Media House Studio. It stars Darshan and Rachita Ram in the lead roles alongside Ravichandran. The music of the film is composed by V. Harikrishna.
Bheema is a 2024 Kannada-language action thriller film directed by Vijay Kumar and produced by Krishna Creations and Jagadeesh Films. The film stars Duniya Vijay, alongside Ashwini, Black Dragon Manju, Gili Gili Chandru, Rangayana Raghu, Achyuth Kumar, Gopal Krishna Deshpande and Ramesh Indira. The music was composed by Charan Raj, while the cinematography and editing were handled by Shiva Sena and Deepu. S. Kumar.
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 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.
Bhairathi Ranagal is a 2024 Indian Kannada-language neo-noir action thriller film directed by Narthan and produced by Geetha Shivarajkumar under Geetha Pictures. A prequel to the 2017 film Mufti, it stars Shiva Rajkumar, alongside Rahul Bose, Rukmini Vasanth, Devaraj, Chaya Singh, Madhu Guruswamy, Shabeer Kallarakkal and Babu Hirannaiah. The music was composed by Ravi Basrur, while the cinematography and editing were composed by I. Naveen Kumar and Akash Hiremath respectively.
Devil: The Hero is an unreleased Indian Kannada-language action film written, directed, and co-produced by Prakash. It stars Darshan, Rachana Rai, Mahesh Manjrekar, Jisshu Sengupta, and Mukesh Rishi and Fardeen Khan in lead roles. Music for the film was composed by B. Ajaneesh Loknath, and the cinematography was done by Sudhakar S. Raj. The film's release date is currently uncertain, as Darshan is the prime suspect in the murder of Renukaswamy and has been placed in jail.
Krishnam Pranaya Sakhi is a 2024 Indian Kannada-language romantic comedy film directed by Srinivas Raju and produced by Prashant G. Rudrappa under Trishul Entertainments. The film stars Ganesh, Malvika Nair and Sharanya Shetty, alongside Sadhu Kokila, Rangayana Raghu, Shruti and Srinivasa Murthy.