Karma Cartel

Last updated

Karma Cartel
KARMA CARTEL poster.jpg
Poster
Directed by Vinod Bharathan
Produced by Vinod Bharathan
Cinematography Vinod Bharathan
Edited by Vinod Bharathan
Music byMusic Supervisor - Sharnita Athwal
Production
companies
Fookdat Productions
KochiTown Films
Release dates
  • 2011 (2011)(International Film Festival Ahmedabad) [1]
  • 7 August 2015 (2015-08-07)(Indian) [2]
Running time
105 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguagesMalayalam
English

Karma Cartel [3] is a 2011 Malayalam-language film produced and directed by Vinod Bharathan.

Contents

The film is a modern day's look at India's growing economy and fast cash culture that the modern Indian youth are enticed by. Told through the actions of 6 people living different lives, the plot is interconnected through a single thread – easy money. The film follows a struggling actor and his foolish friend, who brings them into trouble, exposing an array of others who are also linked by the incident.

Plot

Sidth who is an upcoming actor, is best friends with Richie, who is constantly on the lookout for business opportunities. Sidth tries his luck at film sets and casting's and is frustrated at the negative feedback. Sidth's meeting with an indie film director fuels his hopes for his career. Richie, who meets an old friend of his, gets an idea to make some easy money. He invests in a ponzi scheme without Sidth knowing about it in detail. Sidth attends a casting for a big film producer, who in turns wants Sidth to give him sexual service in exchange for the role.

Dr Roy is a medical practitioner, who is also addicted to the real estate business. The addiction leads to debts and deadlines for payments begin interfering in his work. He has to pay Franko, a money-lending thug, 5,000 by the weekend. He contacts Deejay to make some money out of a rushed deal. He also invests in a fast cash scheme as second option, the same where Richie had invested.

Q, the Indie film director who needs money for his production, goes to meet Franko under Deejays recommendation. Sidth tags along as the lead actor of the film. While meeting Franko, Sidth sees Shaji, a money collector and learns that he always has a stack of cash in his sling bag.

Arjun and Tina have been dating for a while. Arjun, who is busy with his "business", is still a mystery to Tina. Tina is a divorcee who thinks that she has her life totally in control. Arjun surprises her by proposing to her and without her knowing, she falls in too deep for Arjun.

Tony is an Indian living abroad. He had been involved in a business with someone in India while he was abroad. His partner in India cheats him, and Tony now wants to teach him a lesson. Tony contacts Luttu and Plan B, two bounty hunters who use threats before harm to their victims. Luttu and Plan B are film enthusiasts who live and behave like film stars.

Luttu and Plan B tracks Tony's Indian business partner and discovers that he is also known as Arjun, Tina's fiancée. They discover that Arjun had transferred all the money to U.S.A. Luttu takes Arjun's phone to track down all who Arjun has dealings with. Luttu gives the bad news to Richie and Dr Roy, meanwhile Plan B finds a receipt of a diamond ring in Arjun's room. They decide to fetch it as their pay for the job. They beat Arjun badly and put him in the boot of at the car and head towards the cafe that he was supposed to meet Tina. Luttu now tells Tina the true side of Arjun, and she is in a state of disbelief. She asks for proof and Luttu asks her to check the boot of his car. Tina sees Arjun and realizes that Luttu was right. She is angry at first, but as the car drives away, she realises that she had let her fences down Arjun had gone in too deep into her heart. She is heartbroken.

Richie, who had taken money from his parents to make the quick buck, is now panicking about the loss of it all. He tells Sidth about it. As they panic, Sidth sees Franko's collector Shaji walking past them. Sidth mentions that Shaji must have at least 60,000 in his bag, and hopes Shaji forgets his bag somewhere so Richie can get the money. Richie follows Shaji to a lane where he snatches the bag and runs. Richie runs straight to Sidth, and finds that there is not much money in the bag, as Dr Roy who had to pay Franko, has delayed his payments again. Shaji tracks Richie and sees him standing beside Sidth who he recognizes from Franko's place during the meeting with indie director.

Franko, who is angry that Sidth and his friend tried to overpower Shaji, calls Deejay and tells him that he is going to teach them a lesson. Franko decides to shake all the late payers, including Dr Roy.

Deejay calls Sidth to find out what went wrong. Sidth explains, and Deejay tells them to leave the city if they want to stay alive. Sidth and Richie decide to take the next train to Mumbai.

Dr Roy gets fired from his job, as the hospital has had enough of his distractions at work. Dr Roy who has lost his job, and has no successful real estate deals, now faces Franko's thugs who take his car away.

While waiting for the train, Richie comes with one last crazy idea to sell their motorbike before they leave to Mumbai. Sidth calls him a fool, but gets a better idea. He borrows the bike and rides to the hotel where a film producer offered to cast him earlier. He lashes all his anger out on the producer by beating him up and steals all his money. He reaches the train station just in time as the train they have bought tickets to was leaving the station. They both run and hop on the speeding train. They leave to Mumbai, smiling.

Cast

Production

Karma Code was the first short film in the Vinod Bharathan's 'Karma series' with forgiveness as its theme. It was followed by Karma Currency, a 16-minute short film on the theme corruption. It was while he was working on Karma Currency that he realized that it was time he made his first feature concluding the Karma series. Karma Cartel is the last film in Karma series by Vinod Bharathan.

Shooting as much as six scenes a day, Vinod juggled the ensemble of 25 actors using Microsoft Excel charts he had earlier prepared in anticipation. Dialogues for the scenes were often improvised in front of the rolling camera, and fewer times did they have the luxury to develop it an hour before the take. Vinod shot the entire scenes in long takes, and the longest single take with the indie filmmaker (Jinu Joseph) telling the story to the actor lasts 7 minutes, which was later taken out of the festival version edit as Vinod thought it would be hard for the foreign audience to follow.

The film was shot with a two-member crew with Vinod behind the camera assisted by the sound recordist. Apart from the four cast members of Karma series, the rest of the cast were non-professionals or have never acted before.

Themes

The film uses a social, situational, commentary on the current state of the Indian film industry. It touches on impact of Facebook on film industry and how it has altered the influence of the film craze of the Indian people in general.

Reception

Karma Cartel premiered at the 2011 International Film Festival Ahmedabad, and also showed at Cochin Film Society at Kochi and later traveled to film festivals in Canada, America and Italy, where it won Award of Excellence [4] in filmmaking at Canada International Film Festival 2014, and Best First Time Director Award at American Movie Awards, [5] Nevada, 2014. The Director Vinod Bharathan won the Best Director Award at CinemaVvenire Film Festival, Rome 2014. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaji N. Karun</span> Indian film director and cinematographer

Shaji Neelakantan Karun is an Indian film director and cinematographer. His debut film Piravi (1988) won the Caméra d'Or – Mention d'honneur at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival. He was the premiere chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, the first academy for film and TV in India and was also the executive chairman of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) from 1998 to 2001. He is best known for his award-winning films Piravi (1988), Swaham (1994), Vanaprastham (1999) and Kutty Srank (2009). He won the National Award for Best Director for his debut film Piravi. He also won two Kerala State Film Awards for Best Director for his films Swaham and Vanaprastham. Currently, he is the Chairman of Kerala State Film Development Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vinod Mehra</span> Indian film actor

Vinod Mehra was an Indian actor in Hindi films. He started out as a child actor in the mid 1950s before starting his film career as an adult in 1971. He acted in over 100 films from the 1970s through to his death at the age of 45 in 1990. He was also the producer and director of the film Gurudev which was released 3 years after his death.

<i>Bemisal</i> 1982 Indian film

Bemisal is a 1982 drama film produced by Debesh Gosh and directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. It is a remake of Uttam Kumar's Bengali classic Ami Se O Shakha (1975), which was also based on the Bengali story of the same name by Ashutosh Mukherjee.The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Mehra, Raakhee, Deven Verma, Aruna Irani and Om Shivpuri. The music was by R.D. Burman.

<i>Naduvazhikal</i> 1989 film

Naduvazhikal is a 1989 Indian Malayalam-language action crime film directed by Joshiy and written by S. N. Swami. The film was loosely based on The Godfather. It tells the story of Arjun (Mohanlal), who takes up the business empire of his father Ananthan (Madhu), who has been sent to jail, and his clashes with his father's rivals, the Chekkudi brothers. The film also features Murali, Devan, Thilakan, Kuthiravattom Pappu, Jagathy Sreekumar and Manianpilla Raju in supporting roles. The music was composed by Shyam. The film was released on 5 May 1989 to positive reviews and was one of the highest-grossing films of the year. The climax of the film was highly appreciated by critics and audience like.

<i>Pavitra Rishta</i> Indian television series

Pavitra Rishta is a 2009 Indian soap opera produced by Ekta Kapoor of Balaji Telefilms, that aired on Zee TV from 1 June 2009 to 25 December 2016. It is an adaptation of Tamil television series Thirumathi Selvam.

<i>Utharaswayamvaram</i> 2009 Indian film

Utharaswayamvaram is a 2009 Malayalam film by Remakanth Sarjju starring Jayasurya and Roma. M. Jayachandran did the music for this film.

<i>The King & the Commissioner</i> 2012 Indian film

The King & the Commissioner is a 2012 Indian Malayalam-language action thriller film written by Renji Panicker and directed by Shaji Kailas, starring Mammootty and Suresh Gopi. The film is a crossover of the films The King (1995), Commissioner (1994), Ekalavyan (1993) and Bharathchandran I.P.S. (2005).

<i>Chilambu</i> 1986 film by Bharathan

Chilampu is a 1986 Indian Malayalam-language film. Directed by Bharathan, the film is about a young man's revenge against his uncle who grabbed his family properties by expelling his mother and grandfather from the house. Rahman, Thilakan, Shobhana, Nedumudi Venu, Ashokan, Santhakumari, and Babu Antony appeared in leading roles. The script was written by Bharathan himself, based on a novel by N. T. Balachandran by the same title.

<i>Jyoti Bane Jwala</i> 1980 Indian film

Jyoti Bane Jwala is a 1980 Indian Hindi-language action film, produced by Prasan Kapoor and written and directed by Dasari Narayana Rao. It stars Jeetendra, Vinod Mehra, Waheeda Rehman, Moushumi Chatterjee, Sarika in the pivotal roles and music composed by Laxmikant–Pyarelal. The film is a remake of the Telugu film Katakataala Rudraiah.

<i>D Company</i> (2013 film) 2013 Indian Malayalam film

D Company is a 2013 Indian Malayalam anthology gangster drama film. It is an anthology of three independently shot films directed by M. Padmakumar, Diphan, and Vinod Vijayan. It includes a huge ensemble cast of Jayasurya, Fahadh Faasil, Anoop Menon, Unni Mukundan, Asif Ali, Samuthirakani, Ananya, Bhama, Parvathi Nair, Aadukalam Naren, Rajeev Pillai, Jinu Joseph, Joju George, Deepak Parambol and Pooja Ramachandran. The film is produced by Vinod Vijayan, Seven Arts Mohan and Faisal Latheef under the banner of D Cutz Film Company and distributed by Seven Arts International.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vinod Bharathan</span>

Vinod Bharathan is an Indian filmmaker based in Copenhagen. He was educated in filmmaking at film schools in Copenhagen.

<i>Sapthamashree Thaskaraha</i> 2014 Indian film

Sapthamashree Thaskaraha is a 2014 Malayalam-language heist comedy film directed and written by Anil Radhakrishnan Menon. The film features an ensemble cast of Prithviraj Sukumaran, Asif Ali, Nedumudi Venu, Chemban Vinod Jose, Joy Mathew, Neeraj Madhav, Salam Bukhari, Reenu Mathews, Sanusha, Joy Mathew, Mukundan, Irshad and Flower Battsetseg. The film is produced by Prithviraj, Santosh Sivan and Shaji Nadesan under August Cinema. Sapthamashree Thaskaraha has cinematography by Jayesh Nair and music composed by Rex Vijayan. The film released on 6 September 2014 to positive reviews It led in the box office collections among the Onam releases and was deemed a blockbuster.

<i>Aadu</i> (film) 2015 Indian film

Aadu (transl. Goat) is a 2015 Indian slapstick comedy film, written and directed by Midhun Manuel Thomas. It was an adaptation from the Guy Richie film "Snatch" where the dog and diamond were replaced by the Goat and "Neela Koduveli". It was produced and distributed by Vijay Babu and Sandra Thomas through Friday Film House. The film stars an ensemble cast includes Jayasurya, Vijay Babu, Sunny Wayne, Vinayakan, Saiju Kurup, Dharmajan Bolgatty, Vineeth Mohan, Bhagath Manuel, Renji Panicker, Sandra Thomas, Chemban Vinod Jose, Indrans, Bijukuttan and Harikrishnan.

<i>Electric Slide</i> (film) 2014 biographical crime film directed by Tristan Patterson

Electric Slide is a 2014 American biographical crime film written and directed by Tristan Patterson. It stars Jim Sturgess as Los Angeles–based bank robber Eddie Dodson, who robbed 64 banks in 1983 before he was caught. It premiered at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival and received a limited theatrical release in April 2015.

<i>Bairavaa</i> 2017 Indian film

Bairavaa is a 2017 Indian Tamil-language action thriller film written and directed by Bharathan, and produced by B. Venkatarama Reddy. The film stars Vijay in the titular role alongside Keerthy Suresh, Jagapathi Babu, Daniel Balaji, Sathish, Thambi Ramaiah, Mime Gopi, Sija Rose, Harish Uthaman and Aparna Vinod.

<i>Naagarjuna – Ek Yoddha</i> Indian TV series or programme

Naagarjuna – Ek Yoddha is an Indian Hindi fantasy action drama television series which premiered on 30 May 2016 on Life OK. Produced by Yash A Patnaik of Beyond Dreams Entertainment, it starred Anshuman Malhotra, Pearl V Puri, Pooja Banerjee and Nikitin Dheer.

<i>Brij Mohan Amar Rahe</i> 2018 film by Nikhil Bhat

Brij Mohan Amar Rahe is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed and co-written by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat. The film stars Arjun Mathur, Nidhi Singh, Sheetal Thakur, Manav Vij, Sunny Hinduja, Vijayant Kohli and Yogendra Tikku in key roles.

<i>Delhi Crime</i> 2019 Indian drama anthology series

Delhi Crime is an Indian police procedural crime drama television series written and directed by Richie Mehta. Creative manager Chirag Shah and produced by Golden Karaven, Ivanhoe Productions, Film Karavan and Poor Man's Productions. The series star Shefali Shah, Rasika Dugal, Adil Hussain and Rajesh Tailang. The first season is set in the aftermath of the 2012 Delhi gang rape. The second season focuses on the Chaddi Baniyan Gang.

<i>Andhaghaaram</i> 2020 film by V. Vignarajan

Andhaghaaram (transl. Darkness) is a 2020 Indian Tamil-language supernatural horror thriller film written and directed by V. Vignarajan, in his directional debut. It is produced by Priya Atlee under A for Apple Productions, alongside Sudhan Sundaram and Jayaram under their banner Passion Studios and K. Poornachandra's O2 Pictures. The film stars Arjun Das, Vinoth Kishan, and Kumar Natarajan in lead roles along with Pooja Ramachandran and Misha Ghoshal.

<i>Kaduva</i> 2022 Indian film directed by Shaji Kailas

Kaduva (transl. Tiger) is a 2022 Indian Malayalam-language action film directed by Shaji Kailas, written by Jinu V. Abraham and produced by Prithviraj Productions and Magic Frames. It stars Prithviraj Sukumaran in the titular role, alongside Vivek Oberoi, Samyuktha Menon, Arjun Ashokan, Alencier Ley Lopez, Baiju Santhosh and Kalabhavan Shajohn. Set in 1990s, Kaduva revolves around an ego war between Kaduvakunnel Kuriyachan, an influential businessman, and I.G. Joseph Chandy.

References

  1. ↑ "Karma Cartel – A first film tribute to Kochi". 17 March 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  2. ↑ "Karma Cartel". Times Of India. 7 August 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  3. ↑ "Vinod Bharathan's out with his first feature film". The Times of India . Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  4. ↑ "Canada International Film Festival Winners 2014". Canada International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 21 July 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "American Movie Awards Winners 2014". American Movie Awards. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  6. ↑ "Overlook 2014: La Selezione Ufficiale". cinemavvenire . Retrieved 4 December 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.