Kannadiga movie review: Ravichandran’s film is a really long tribute to the Kannada language

3/5

Story: A descendent of a long-line of writers who preserve Kannada scriptures, Gunabhadra is tasked with clearing a debt passed down generations to take possession of a land owed to the family. But when the ownership eventually rests with a Christian missionary, Gunabhadra finds that clearing his debt will involve a matter close to his heart.

Review: The German missionary Ferdinand Kittel is credited with putting together the first-ever Kannada-English dictionary, which forms a minor, but important element in director Giriraj BM’s latest film, Kannadiga. The film is the director’s tribute to the many nameless/faceless writers, who, over generations, painstakingly wrote important Kannada scriptures, literary works to preserve them for posterity.

One such, in this tale, is Gunabhadra (Crazy Star Ravichandran) an eighth generation descendent in a long-line of writers, whose primary focus was the preservation of all things Kannada. Gunabhadra’s ancestors had been given an island, wherein a University for Kannada was to be established. But those plans did not materialize, as they had to pledge the land against a hefty loan during the British rule, a debt they continued repaying over three centuries.

When the ownership of the island eventually passes on to a Christian missionary Ferdinand Kittel, with a love for languages, Gunabhadra finds out that he can reclaim the land simply by helping the former learn Kannada and develop a Kannada-to-English dictionary. His joy, though, is short-lived, as Gunabhadra faces several challenges along the way.

Kannadiga is a Ravichandra vehicle from start to finish and the actor lives and breathes the character, which allows for absolutely no flamboyance. Paavana, as his wife, does justice to her role too, as do the rest of the supporting cast, including Jamie Alter, the son of late actor Tom Alter, as Fr Ferdinand Kittel.

The makeup department’s work on some characters, like Tunga’s bald pate, for instance, is rather shoddy, as is the choice of doll for a newborn baby. But these minor peeves aside, the rest makes for an interesting watch, provided you have the patience for it. It is nearly two and a half hours long.

Verdict: Kannadiga is, no doubt, an interesting narrative, with references to casteism, which is relevant even in today’s day and age. The treatment, though, is overly melodramatic in portions and would have worked a lot better with a more muted, subtle tone. If you are looking for a lesson in history, this may not be the right film choice, but if it’s the language and the efforts that went into preserving it pique your interest, give this one a watch.