Kantara - 'varaha roopam' - restrained !!

Prescript : I am no Cinemageek and my list of know-nots ashames me !  .. .. I am hearing Rishab Shetty, Ajaneesh Loknath, Keradi .. .. all for the first time.  I have not seen the movie too – but have heard this song many a times and am too impressed with the music, beat, picturisation, words and more !! 

பாடறியேன் படிப்பறியேன் பள்ளிக்கூடந்தான் அறியேன்

ஏடறியேன் எழுத்தறியேன் எழுத்துவகை நானறியேன்  

Keradi is a village in Kundapur Taluk of Udupi district in the southern state of Karnataka.  The village falls in an Eco-Sensitive Zone close to the Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary.  

In 1847, a king agrees with Panjurli Daiva/Bhoota (a Hindu deity worshipped in its animist form by the locals of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada, which are parts of Karnataka and Kasargod district of Kerala) to give some of his forest land to the local tribes-people in exchange for peace and happiness granted by Daiva. Although the Daiva agrees, the tribes warn the king that the family of the Daiva would follow the deity and any attempt to go back on the word will incur the wrath of Panjurli's companion, the Guliga Daiva. In 1970, the king's successor gets consumed by greed and demands during the Bhoota Kola festival that the tribespeople give the land back and warns them that he will go to court.  .. .. ..  eerie !!  

It is all about the movie ‘Kantara’ now being spoken of as being a film of great order  -  Kantara (Kannada - "Mystical Forest") is a 2022 Indian Kannada-language action thriller film  written and directed by Rishab Shetty, produced by Vijay Kiragandur, under Hombale Films. The film stars Shetty as a Kambala champion who is at loggerheads with an upright DRFO officer.  The film was released on 30.9.2022 and has received high acclaims from many quarters – appreciations for the cast performances, direction, writing, production design, cinematography, proper showcasing of the Bhoota Kola, action sequences, editing, soundtrack, and musical score. The film is stated to be a big success and the second highest-grossing Kannada film of all time.  

Director Rishab Shetty cited the conflict between nature and human beings as the theme of the film, while adding specifically that the strife between forest officers and the inhabitants in his hometown Keradi, Karnataka, in the 1990s, as the source of inspiration for the film. He further added, "It is a film from our land, from our roots, stories that are heard through generations, untapped and deeply rooted to our culture”

Varaha at Khajuraho.

 

This song is really good .. .. 

Varaha Roopam Daiva Varishtam; Varaha Roopam Daiva Varishtam

Varasmitha Vadanam.. Vajra Dantadhara Raksha Kavacham  

Oh  Varaha, the third incarnation of Lord Sriman Narayana,  the supreme among all Gods. It is HE who assumes the form of a wild boar; with teeth as hard as diamond, slays the demons and protects us like a shield.  The song is sung by Sai Vignesh, written  by Shashiraj Kavoor to the music of B Ajaneesh Loknath. Ajaneesh Loknath  received the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Music Director for his work in the film Ulidavaru Kandanthe in 2015.   

The latest news is that the song is mired in some controversy with  Kozhikode Sessions Court having  issued an injunction barring Kantara makers from playing the “Varaha Roopam” song in theatres and other streaming platforms after receiving a plagiarism complaint from Kerala-based music band, Thaikudam Bridge.  On Friday, the Kerala Court issued a preliminary injunction  after a Kerala-based music band named Thaikkudam Bridge filed a complaint alleging that the song was plagiarized from its song named ‘Navarasam’ which was released in the year 2015. 

According to the reports, the Principal District Court at Kozhikode issued the order against Hombale Films, Rishab Shetty, Prithviraj Productions, the producer, director, and Kerala distributor of the film respectively and also barred the music sites from playing the song on their platforms. 

The music band earlier took to social media platforms to announce that they are taking legal action against the makers of Kantara for allegedly plagiarising their song “Navarasam”, which was released in 2015. They claimed that Kantara song “Varaha Roopam” is a plagiarised work based on “Navarasam”.  They stated that in their standpoint the line between ‘Inspired’ and ‘Plagiarized’ is distinct and indisputable.  Thaikkudam Bridge is a Kerala-based multi-genre music band, of Govind Vasantha and Siddharth Menon.  According to sources within the band, the band literally had its inception near Thaikkudam Bridge at Thaikkudam, Kochi, in early 2013.   

Varaha Roopam Daiva Varishtam;  ….hear or see it once, you are likely to be mesmerized ! I am !!

 
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
30^th Oct 2022.