| Dweepa | |
|---|---|
_poster.jpg) Poster | |
| Directed by | Girish Kasaravalli |
| Screenplay by | Girish Kasaravalli |
| Story by | Na D'Souza |
| Based on | Dweepa by Na D'Souza |
| Produced by | Soundarya |
| Starring | Soundarya Avinash M. V. Vasudeva Rao Harish Raj |
| Cinematography | H. M. Ramachandra |
| Edited by | M. N. Swamy |
| Music by | Isaac Thomas Kottukapally |
Production company | Sathya Movie Makers |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 134 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Kannada |
Dweepa (transl. The Island) is a 2002 IndianKannada-language film byGirish Kasaravalli, based on the novel of the same name byNa D'Souza.[1] It starsSoundarya,Avinash andM. V. Vasudeva Rao in the lead roles. The film deals with the raging issue of building dams and the displacement of natives. It won twoNational Film Awards,[2] fourKarnataka State Film Awards and threeFilmfare Awards South.[3]
Located in the backwaters of a dam, Sita Parvata is a low-lying island slowly submerging due to the incessant rains. The government succeeds in evacuating the residents by giving them compensation for the properties they own. The temple priest Duggajja, his son Ganapa, and daughter-in-law Nagi find it impossible to leave their homeland and make a living with the meagre compensation. They have but a small hut, which earns them a compensation of₹25,000. In Ganapa's own words, the compensation can give them food and shelter, but cannot compensate for the love and respect of their people. On the island, they are respected people, but outside, they would be one among hundreds of families struggling to make a living. Centered on this complex theme, the film narrates the struggles of the family and how ultimately in the end they manage to continue life on the island.
Upon being impressed byNa D'Souza novelDweepa,Girish Kasaravalli narrated the story toSoundarya who decided to adapt it into a film and that she would produce it. Filming began in August 2000 but was temporarily stalled due to events surrounding theabduction of Rajkumar. As heavy rains were intrinsic to the plot of the film, shooting had to be further postponed to the followingmonsoons due to inadequate rainfall that year inKarnataka. Kasaravalli shuttled up and down toLinganamakki Dam area, and the surrounding villages Bellenne and Taleguppa with his crew, trying to get the rainy days on film. Filming completed and was ready for release in December 2001. With author D'Souza's consent, changes in the plot were made in the adaptation. The human dimension of the interaction between characters were put to the forefront of the story, with the social concern around the plot being made secondary. The film was first screened at theInternational Film Festival of Kerala in April 2002. Kasaravalli also showed it to the film appreciation course students of theFilm and Television Institute of India,Pune, and received good responses from them.[4]
Kasaravalli said he "read the book and liked the theme very much." He added, "It is all about how people's lives change completely when the land around them gets submerged. It is not just about physical change and survival, but about changes in culture, value systems and even basic self-confidence, caused by circumstances beyond a person's control."[4] Thematically, the film was observed by critics as similar to his previous films, that of "human relationships and struggles".[5] Alienation is another theme in the film that Kasaravalli depicted, like in his previous works,Ghatashraddha (1977) andMane (1990).[4] The female protagonist inDweepa had an optimistic outlook on life as opposed to her husband's abject resignation to his fate.[6] Critic Srikanth ofDeccan Herald wrote, "As always,Dweepa has a woman protagonist who represents strength, optimism and pragmatism signifying the growth of the today's 'new age woman'. The film celebrates Nagi's inner strength, which is also the beauty of human nature. Through Nagi's characterisation, director Kasaravalli hopes to prove that women are capable of unselfish love and facing life courageously."[5] Barring the main characters, he identifies an outsider and the water as two other characters on the film; represents the world on the other side of the river as opposed to the central character's dwelling, and the latter lending a metaphoric voice toDweepa." He added, "Rarely have the rains been brought to the foreground as a character. But here, it represents some kind of a hope as well as fear as is visible."[5]
Srikanth ofDeccan Herald felt the film was "quite engaging and briskly paced." He added that the cinematographer H. M. Ramachandra "certainly deserves a lot of credit for capturing the picturesque locales ofMalnad in its splendour." He commended the acting performances and wrote, "Soundarya ... has certainly come of age. She has bloomed into a fine actress and a natural performer besides producing the film herself. Kasaravalli has drawn a superb performance from Avinash, who has portrayed his character with panache. The late Vasudeva Rao has put up a spirited performance. Harish Raju comes as a whiff of fresh air in the film. It is an out and out Kasaravalli film with a lot of surprises!"[5]
Unlike earlier Kasaravalli films,Dweepa had music by Thomas Isaac Kottukapally used throughout.