Missing Pages of a Book

A Pandora’s Box of Kannada film industry’s Amrita Mahotsava was opened right before a news hungry TV channel today, and it wasn’t a pleasant sight to watch. Darshan and Tarun Sudhir, sons of legendary actors Tugudip Srinivas and Sudhir respectively, were in the studios of TV9 to talk about their grievances. As we all know by now, many of the sons of former actors like Sundar Krishna Aras, Sudhir, Dinesh and others are upset that their fathers have not figured in the list of 75 legends that have given their services to industry.

All the people mentioned above have made immense contribution to the Kannada film industry and any discussion about the development of Kannada films will be incomplete without discussing the contributions made by these legends. So, it’s understandable and even acceptable that Darshan and company would feel ditched by the very industry in which their fathers worked.

But the scenes that unfolded in the TV9 interview was not what was expected from professionals. While Darshan vowed that he will not come to Jayamala’s funeral and would like to act even on that day, Jayamala, who spoke over the phone, kept ranting and raving about her own problems and how “cash and staff starved” was KFI. Her explanation was, “we didn’t have enough time, money or manpower to bring a book on your fathers. So sad, better luck next time!”

There are two aspects to this issue here. First, Jayamala alone cannot be blamed for this situation and there was no need to for Darshan to be so rude with a lady who he still calls “Amma.” Second, it’s after all a series of books released by the KFI committee; they are not going to be sold like hot cakes and no one will make beelines in front of book shops to buy them. Thanks to this controversy, lots of us don’t know who figured in those books; but we certainly know who didn’t!

The moral of the story is straight and simple. Not too many people read the books released on film personalities and films in Karnataka and in any part of India for that matter. A cine artist always lives on screen. And actors like Tugudip Srinivas and others will always remain etched in our minds; irrespective of somebody writes a book on them or not.

You do not have to talk about Jayamala’s funeral to vent your anger Mr. Darshan; that was uncalled for. We think even your legendary father would have agreed on this.