Blurb: Social media and online streaming have reduced cinema hall footfall, affecting revenue.
BENGALURU
Kannada cinema has increasingly drifted from its literary and cultural roots, leading to a decline in audience attendance, said KV Prabhakar, Media Advisor to the Chief Minister. Speaking at the session Golden Jubilee: 50 Years of the Kannada Cinema Journey during the 17th Bengaluru International Film Festival, Prabhakar noted that earlier films resonated with everyday life, naturally drawing viewers to theatres without actors having to solicit attention. “One who does not understand the past cannot step into the future,” he remarked.
Celebrating 50 years of Kannada cinema, the festival honoured stalwarts who shaped the industry: Parvathamma Rajkumar, S Ramachandra, Girish Kasaravalli, SV Rajendra Singh Babu, and Dr Jayamala. Prabhakar highlighted Kasaravalli’s four National Golden Lotus Awards and international acclaim, S Ramachandra’s pivotal role in parallel cinema, Parvathamma Rajkumar’s 80 socially relevant films under Poornima Enterprises, Dr Jayamala’s achievements as actor, producer, and academic, and SV Rajendra Singh Babu’s successful multilingual contributions.
Prabhakar expressed hope that their legacy would guide Kannada cinema into the next century and assured that film subsidies would continue as long as Siddaramaiah remains Chief Minister.
BOX: He also warned that the current trend of lead actors immediately declaring themselves stars upon a film’s release reflects cinema’s disconnect from its literary and cultural foundations, contributing to declining theatre audiences.