I don’t buy the idea that Kannadigas don’t watch films: Kiran Srinivas

We are halfway through the year and have over a 100 Kannada films that have already hit the screens, with not many hits and only a handful of them that have probably broken even on investment. There is no doubt that the Kannada film industry is extremely fragile right now. The business of films here is so low that one could say that it takes a fool to invest in the film industry right now,” points out actor Kiran Srinivas, who incidentally has just invested in a couple of short films this year.
‘Every year, we have 200-odd debut film producers, but hardly any of them repeat the effort the following year’
It is true that the Kannada film industry sees a lot of first-time producers every year. Hundreds of people try to back films and stories, but the state is such that not many of them manage to make any returns on their investments. And then it is the case of once bitten, twice shy – they do not produce films again, making way for new dreamers who see that same potential in this industry. Having said that, I do not buy the argument that the Kannada film audience is not watching films and that is probably why Kannada films are not doing well. They are not watching Kannada films because the films are not good enough; and even though there are some good films, the industry is not consistent in delivering good content.
‘We must introspect, come up with newer ideas to save the Kannada film industry’
The complaint that we do not have good content is not new. I have been hearing this for at least the last 10 years. Audiences and film industry personalities speak of how good content was earlier. We have had successful films, but those have been few and far between. It is important for all stakeholders of our film industry to come together, introspect and understand where we are falling short and how to get around these issues. We also probably need initiatives like what the Kerala government has taken up. They have their own OTT platform that encourages and backs Malayalam cinema rooted in culture. Such efforts give younger filmmakers the confidence to take risks.
‘I have decided to give this little project of mine three years’
One needs to do his/her bit and that is what I am attempting to do by investing in short films. Personally, I cannot make a big-budget film as I am aware that there is no guarantee on returns. What I can do is put aside a little bit of money and invest that on short films. This way, I can ensure that the effort will not affect my finances much. I am giving this project three years for now, and I hope to be able to tell interesting stories and see where they go. This year, I am starting with two shorts, Beeru Hudukida Mara - a Kannada story that is rooted in our culture, directed by Nagbhushan Deshpandey; and Sochkar Batayenge – a commercial short film in Hindi, directed by Chintan Gandhi. It’s been challenging; I have even reduced costs by acting in one. I have identified a couple of other stories that represent the cultural reality here. I hope to make diverse content that explores pop culture over the next three years.