Kannada cinema, also known as Sandalwood,[4] or Chandanavana,[5] is the segment of Indian cinema[6] dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Kannada language widely spoken in the state of Karnataka.[7][8][9] Kannada cinema is based in Gandhi Nagar, Bangalore.[10] The 1934 film Sati Sulochana directed by Y. V. Rao was the first talkie film released in the Kannada language.[11][12][13] It was also the first film starring Subbaiah Naidu and Tripuramba, and the first screened in the erstwhile Mysore Kingdom.[14] It was produced by Chamanlal Doongaji, who in 1932 founded South India Movietone in Bangalore.[15][16]
Major literary works have been adapted to the Kannada screen, such as B. V. Karanth's Chomana Dudi (1975), (based on Chomana Dudi by Shivaram Karanth), Girish Karnad's Kaadu (1973), (based on Kaadu by Srikrishna Alanahalli), Pattabhirama Reddy's Samskara (1970) (based on Samskara by U. R. Ananthamurthy), which won the Bronze Leopard at Locarno International Film Festival,[17] and T. S. Nagabharana's Mysuru Mallige (1992), based on the works of poet K. S. Narasimhaswamy.[18]
Kannada cinema is known for producing experimental works such as Girish Kasaravalli's Ghatashraddha (1977), which won the Ducats Award at the Manneham Film Festival Germany,[19] Dweepa (2002), which won Best Film at Moscow International Film Festival,[20][21] Singeetam Srinivasa Rao's silent film Pushpaka Vimana (1987), Ram Gopal Varma's docudrama Killing Veerappan (2016), Prashanth Neel's action franchise K. G. F. film series being the highest-grossing Kannada film, and Rishab Shetty's Kantara (2022).[22]
Kannada cinema is reported to have 8% market share in the gross domestic box office collections for the period January to August 2022, making it the fourth-biggest Indian film industry.[23] The share rose to 9% by October 2022.[24] The total gross collections of the top five Kannada movies of 2022 in first ten months was reported to be ₹1800 crores.[25] The year 2022 began new era for the industry in terms of popularity, quality content and collections.[26] However, the market share of Kannada movies in the gross domestic box office collections declined to 2% in 2023[27] with the footfalls dropping from 8.1 to 3.2 crores in 2022.[28]
In 1934, the first Kannada talkie, Sati Sulochana,[29] appeared in theatres, followed by Bhakta Dhruva (aka Dhruva Kumar). Sati Sulochana, starring Subbaiah Naidu and Tripuramba, was shot in Kolhapur at the Chatrapathi studio; most filming, sound recording, and post-production was done in Chennai.[30]
In 1949, Honnappa Bhagavathar, who had earlier acted in Gubbi Veeranna's films, produced Bhakta Kumbara and starred in the lead role along with Pandaribai. In 1955, Bhagavathar again produced a Kannada film, Mahakavi Kalidasa, in which he introduced actress B. Saroja Devi.[30] B. S. Ranga was an Indian photographer, actor, writer, producer and director made many landmark movies in Kannada, under Vikram Studios.[31]
Matinee idol, Rajkumar entered Kannada cinema after his long stint as a dramatist with Gubbi Veeranna's Gubbi Drama Company, which he joined at the age of eight, before he got his first break as a lead in the 1954 film Bedara Kannappa.[32]
He went on to essay a variety of roles and excelling in portraying mythological and historical characters in films such as Bhakta Kanakadasa (1960), Ranadheera Kanteerava (1960), Satya Harishchandra (1965), Immadi Pulikeshi (1967), Sri Krishnadevaraya (1970), Bhakta Kumbara (1974), Mayura (1975), Babruvahana (1977) and Bhakta Prahlada (1983). His wife Parvathamma Rajkumar founded Film production and distribution company, Sri Vajreshwari Combines.[32]
Vishnuvardhan entered Kannada cinema with the National Award-winning movie Vamsha Vriksha (1972) directed by Girish Karnad based on the novel written by S. L. Bhyrappa. His first lead role was in Naagarahaavu, directed by Puttanna Kanagal and based on a novel by T. R. Subba Rao. It was the first in Kannada film history to complete 100 days in three main theatres of Bangalore. In his 37-year career, he has played a variety of roles in more than 200 films.[33]
With his debut in Puttanna Kanagal's National Award-winning Kannada film Naagarahaavu (1972), Ambareesh's acting career commenced with a brief phase of portraying antagonistic and supporting characters. After establishing himself as a lead actor portraying rebellious characters on screen in a number of commercially successful films, he earned the moniker "rebel star".[34] He also earned the nickname Mandyada Gandu (transl. Man of Mandya)[35]
Rajkumar, Vishnuvardhan and Ambareesh are collectively known as Kannada cinema's triumvirate.
Method actor Shankar Nag received the inaugural IFFI Best Actor Award (Male): Silver Peacock Award" at the 7th International Film Festival of India for his work in the film Ondanondu Kaladalli.[36] He is the younger brother of actor Anant Nag.[37][38] M. V. Vasudeva Rao, the first Kannada actor to win National Film Award for Best Actor, was starred in over 200 films in his career; however, post Chomana Dudi, he only played minor roles.[39]
B. Saroja Devi is one of the most successful female leads in the history of Indian cinema, she acted in around 200 films in over seven decades.[40] She is known by the epithets "Abinaya Saraswathi" (Saraswati of acting) in Kannada and "Kannadathu Paingili" (Kannada's Parrot) in Tamil.[40]
M. V. Rajamma (first female producer of Indian cinema) and Pandari Bai are considered as the earliest female superstars of Kannada cinema. Other popular female actresses of 1970s through 1990s include Leelavathi, Kalpana, Aarathi, Bharathi, Jayanthi, Manjula, Malashree, Sudharani, Shruti, Tara among others.
Kannada Cinema majorly contributed to the parallel cinema movement of India.[41] Directors like Girish Kasaravalli,[41] Girish Karnad,[42] G. V. Iyer[42] were the early names to join the movement. T. S. Nagabharana[43] and B. V. Karanth were also popular names in the movement. Puttanna Kanagal's films were however considered a bridge between Mainstream and Parallel Cinema.
Prakash Raj began his acting career with Doordarshan serials such as Bisilu Kudure (Kannada) and Guddada Bhootha (Tulu and Kannada).[44] He later took up supporting roles in Kannada films such as Ramachari, Ranadheera, Nishkarsha and Lockup Death. He was known for his dialogue delivery and histrionics. His breakthrough role came in Harakeya Kuri, directed by K. S. L. Swamy starring Vishnuvardhan, with whom he had acted in other films such as Mithileya Seetheyaru, Muthina Haara and Nishkarsha. Prakash re-entered Kannada films through Nagamandala in 1997, directed by T. S. Nagabharana.[45] Veteran Kannada actor Shakti Prasad's son Arjun Sarja is known for his work in South Indian cinema.[46] He starred in movies such as Prasad; the film was screened at the Berlin Film Festival and Arjun received the Karnataka State Award for his performance in it.[47]
Sanchari Vijay's portrayal of a transgender won him the National Best Actor Award.[48][49][50] With the award, Vijay became the third actor after M. V. Vasudeva Rao, and Charuhasan to win the National Award for Best Actor for a performance in a Kannada film.[51]
Shiva Rajkumar is known for his work in Janumada Jodi, Anand, Ratha Sapthami, Nammoora Mandara Hoove, Om, Simhada Mari and Chigurida Kanasu. He acted in Sugreeva, which was shot in 18 hours. His Om, directed by Upendra, set a trend of gangster movies in Kannada and other film industries in India. It continues to be shown even to this day.[52]
Rockline Venkatesh founded Rockline Entertainments which has produced over twenty five films as of 2012.[53] New age actors - Yash, Darshan, Puneeth Rajkumar, Rakshit Shetty and Sudeepa are some of the highest paid actors in Sandalwood.[54][55][56] The Rakshit Shetty starrer Kirik Party went on to become one of the highest-grossing Kannada films by collecting ₹ 50 crores[57] against a production budget ₹ 4 crores