Film historians consider the release of Sati Sulochana , the first Kannada talkie, on March 3, 1934 as the beginning of Kannada cinema. To mark the 80th anniversary of Kannada cinema, Suchitra Film Society, in association with the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy (KCA) and the Information Department, has organised a two-day event on April 26 and 27. There will be an exhibition of 150 rare stills from over 140 landmark Kannada movies and 5000 postal stamps tracing history of Kannada celluloid.
Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, director of celebrations T.S. Nagabharana said that “it was an occasion to remember milestones and the veterans who created them.”
There will be sessions on the past and present state of Kannada cinema and a special keynote address by Meenakshi Shedde, curator and critic.
Actor-director Prakash Belwadi said that Kannada cinema had come a long way to serve a market that saw about 125 feature films release every year. “The climb has been hard, but exciting. In the wake of the centenary year of Indian cinema, this is a good point to stop, take a breath and look back,” he said. The sessions include ‘Kannada Cinema Now : Concept, Context and Content’, ‘What about the audience?’ and ‘The Future-Form, Finance, Marketing and Distribution’. Sahitya Sanje-Literature adaptation in cinema by K.M. Chaitanya and Shubhamangala , a film by Puttanna Kanagal will be screened on the occasion”, said Mr. Nagabharana.
Actor Shivaram, who has acted in over 300 films would be felicitated on the occasion.
