The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Government under pressure to republish volume on Kannada cinema

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Government under pressure to republish volume on Kannada cinema

K.N. Venkatasubba Rao

High-level committee to be constituted to bring out book by platinum year

The ‘accuracy and objectivity’ of contents of the published book questioned
Parvathamma Rajkumar had also taken offence to certain references made in the book

Bangalore: The Government is reportedly under pressure from the public and a section of Kannada cinema to revise and republish “Kannada Chalanachitrada Ithihasa” on the occasion of the 75th year of Kannada cinema.

It is likely to constitute a high-level committee, said sources.

Although a section of influential persons in Kannada cinema is not in favour of revising the two-volume history of Kannada cinema, the Government is said to have been keen on it, especially during the platinum year of Kannada cinema.

The Government, in association with Kannada University (Hampi), published the two-volume compendium covering 65 years of Kannada cinema on January 21, 2002. The book was edited by journalists M.B. Singh, V.N. Subba Rao and Vijaya. A 12-member editorial board supervised the compilation of the book. The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), the nodal agency, provided the logistic support.

The 1,700-page effort was meant to capture the development of Kannada cinema from 1934 to 2000. Priced at Rs. 1,000, the publishers put up 1,500 copies for sale and it was agreed that the university would look after the marketing of the book. The overall cost of the publication was estimated at Rs. 22 lakh then.

Objections

Even as the sales of the book was picking up, a section in the Kannada film industry questioned the “accuracy and objectivity” of some contents pertaining to directors, technicians, producers and artistes, including thespian Rajkumar. Fearing strife within the Kannada cinema fraternity, the KFCC decided to withdraw the volume from sales outlets from May 15, 2002.

Defending its action in a carefully worded statement, the KFCC said the “book was not devoid of factual errors, misinterpretations, motivated articles and attempted caste aspersions against individuals and institutions, including the superstar of Kannada cinema Rajkumar”.

On June 8, 2002, Parvathamma Rajkumar also took umbrage to certain references made in the book pertaining to her husband. She demanded that the Government ban it.

Instead of taking measures to set things right, the then Government instructed the authorities concerned in the university to hold back the book. Over 1,000 copies of the book are said to have been languishing in Kannada University’s godown.

In 2006, the H.D. Kumaraswamy Government decided to revise and republish the volume following public demand. The Government went on record that it would hold talks with the Vice-Chancellor of the university on the book. It had admitted that though there was pressure from many quarters to release the book for sale, the Government would take up the issue at an appropriate time.

Errors

Ironically the same people who had forced the Government to withdraw the book and have been opposing its revision and republication, had on the occasion of the 25th year of Kannada Film Directors’ Association (KANFIDA) brought out a brochure that records history as such: “Puneet Rajkumar entered Kannada cinema through Hamsagite” and Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa hailed from “Bookaranakere”, fought for “Bigar hukum farmers” and has become the “first Chief Minister for the BJP”. The brochure on the annual KANFIDA award winners and others is full of factual and grammatical errors and its ambiguous, irrelevant and poor syntax has not spared even Parvathamma Rajkumar, Ambarish, Vishnuvardhan and the KFCC president Jaimala.

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