Aakasmika (transl. Unexpected) is a 1993 Indian Kannada language action thriller film directed by T. S. Nagabharana. The film stars Rajkumar, Geetha and Madhavi. The film was based on Ta Ra Su's trilogy Aakasmika – Aparadhi – Parinama [1] thereby becoming the second Kannada movie to be based on three novels, the first being 1973 movie Naagarahaavu which incidentally was based on three novels of the same writer.[2]
| Aakasmika | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | T. S. Nagabharana |
| Written by | Ta Ra Su |
| Screenplay by | T. S. Nagabharana |
| Produced by | S A Govindaraju |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | S. V. Srikanth |
| Edited by | P. Bhaktavatsalam |
| Music by | Hamsalekha |
Production company | Sri Nirupama Combines |
| Distributed by | Sri Vajreshwari Combines |
Release date |
|
Running time | 146 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Kannada |
The movie was produced by S. A. Govindaraju and has music and lyrics written by Hamsalekha. The film opened to packed houses across Karnataka for many months and won many awards and critical acclaim. The film was highly successful at the box office. The movie saw a theatrical run of 25 weeks.[3][4] At the age of 64, Rajkumar won his 8th Filmfare Award in Best Actor Category. The song Huttidare is still considered one among the top Kannada songs.
Plot
editACP Narasimha Murthy places a wreath at the grave of his wife Clara. It is shown in a flashback that after attending a wedding, Murthy boards a train headed to Bangalore; Indira and Vyasaraya are his co-passengers. Vyasaraya and Murthy connect over their interests in theatre. At a terminal, the former alights his cigar for refreshment, while Inspector Rajagopal boards; he states that he is on a lookout for a pimp and details the pimp's description to Murthy, who turns out to be Vyasaraya.
Later, Vyasaraya reappears brandishing a knife fending off Murthy, who is now protective of Indira. However, Murthy and Indira get off the train out to panic and find themselves at night to stay in a house. Indira reveals to Murthy that Vyasaraya had paid her poor mother ₹1,000 (US$12) with a promise that he would ensure that the former joins a Gubbi Drama Company. The following morning, Vyasaraya takes Indira away after fighting off Murthy with the help of his henchmen. A devastated Murthy reaches out to Rajagopal to find Indira but with no luck.
Murthy tries to regain his life after the disturbing incident until he sees a drunk woman, Clara, driving her car on a railway track. He saves her from a certain injury and drives to her lodging. There, he meets her brother Anthony who reasons that Clara's broken engagement to Reggie, due to his infidelity behind her taking to heavy drinking. As days progress, Clara and Murthy get closer, develop a liking towards each other and get married. While at their honeymoon, Clara falls off a ravine; the railing she has leaned on gives way and she falls down the rock-face to her death.
A hapless Murthy's attempt to rescue her only leaves him injured. In the present, he is shown laying wreath on her grave, and returns to his car to find that his friends have turned up hoping to cheer him, but Murthy tells them that he is doing fine. Life's vicissitudes have only made him stronger. Murthy makes his way to a Central Jail looking for a woman named Anandi, who has been in prison for three years. He is told that she is on her death bed. He visits and finds out that she was a pimp. she dies without being of any help to him. He later receives a letter written by Anandi, that mentions names of her three associates: Vyasaraya, Thipparaju and Kaatayya.
Murthy sets his subordinates on their trail. A man by the name of Kaatesh, who seems to have recently amassed a significant amount of wealth is summoned under the false pretext of having recovered some stolen property that belong to him. When Kaatesh denies having ever been burgled, Murthy convinces him to make a statement in writing. Having obtained his handwriting sample, Murthy has it cross-verified with that belonging to the letters found among Anandi's belongings, and the comparison reveals that Kaatesh is indeed Kaatayya.
Under police custody, Kaatesh reveals that Tipparaju is dead, but Vyasaraya lives in Hubli. Murthy heads to Hubli and locates the house where Vyasaraya is running his prostitution racket. He locates Vaikuntaiah, Vyasaraya's aide, and thrashes him into submission to reveal that Vysaraya has left for Bangalore by train that evening. Murthy pursues the train and boards it during its following stop. While looking for Vyasaraya, he notices a girl being chased by a couple of goons at the railway platform. He gives them a chase, and as he catches up with the girl, realises it is Indira.
Indira tries to attack him, assuming he is one of Vysaraya's henchman. Upon realising it is Murthy, she breaks down and reveals the incidents that transpired after Vysaraya took her from the house. she killed a man, who tried to molest her and has been constantly on the run since. Vyasaraya's henchmen appear and engage Murthy in a fist fight; Vyasaraya is killed after his leg gets trapped in the railway track and an oncoming train runs over him. Murthy and a relieved Indira walk into the darkness.
Cast
edit- Rajkumar as Narasimha Murthy
- Madhavi as Clara
- Geetha as Indira
- Vajramuni as Vyasraya
- Thoogudeepa Srinivas as Kaatayya "Kaatesh"
- M. S. Umesh as Sridhar
- Sundar Raj as Bhoja
- Satish as Anthony
- Avinash as Reggie
- Mandeep Roy as Srikanth
- Krishne Gowda as Rajagopal
- Shani Mahadevappa as Vaikuntaiah
- Shankanada Anjanappa as Constable
- Praveen Nayak
- Agro Chikkanna
- Pandari Bai as Murthy's mother
- Shanthamma as Rajeeva, Indira's mother
- Jorge Indira
Production
editNagabharana had revealed that Shiva Rajkumar was supposed to be the hero of this film, but after listening to the script and at the insistence from Chi. Udayashankar, it was decided that it should be made with Rajkumar and accordingly the script was modified.[5] The song "Huttidare" was shot at the Rani Chennamma circle and the Siddharoodh Math, in the city of Hubli, Karnataka.[6] Over 6000 policemen were deputed when this song was being filmed to manage the crowds.[7] Rajkumar's grandson Vinay Rajkumar, then aged four made a brief appearance in the song.[8]
Soundtrack
edit| Aakasmika | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | |
| Released | 10 March 1993 |
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack |
| Length | 23:58 |
| Label | Akash Audio |
The music of the film and soundtracks were scored by Hamsalekha. The song "Huttidare Kannada", composed in Sindhubhairavi Carnatic raaga, went on to become a blockbuster hit and "unofficial state anthem".[9] It was remixed in Cheluveye Ninna Nodalu (2010) featuring his son Shivrajkumar.[10] The song "Aagumbeya Prema Sanjeya" became popular for its foot-tapping melody. The album has five soundtracks.[11] Rajkumar insisted on using the song Anuraagava Bhoga which his father used to sing in the stage play Echchamma Naayaka.[12][13]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Huttidare Kannada" | Hamsalekha | Dr. Rajkumar | 4:46 |
| 2. | "Baaluvantha Hoove" | Hamsalekha | Dr. Rajkumar | 5:18 |
| 3. | "Ee Kannigu Hennigu" | Hamsalekha | Dr. Rajkumar, Manjula Gururaj | 4:59 |
| 4. | "Aagumbeya Prema" | Hamsalekha | Dr. Rajkumar, Manjula Gururaj | 5:00 |
| 5. | "Anuragava Bhoga" | Hamsalekha | Dr. Rajkumar | 3:55 |
| Total length: | 23:58 | |||
Awards
edit- Second Best Film — S. A. Govindaraju
- Karnataka State Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer — Rajkumar
- Best Film – Kannada — S. A. Govindaraju
- Best Actor – Kannada — Rajkumar
- Best Music Director – Kannada — Hamsalekha
References
edit- ^ "Meet the man who was the inspiration behind great Kannada films". Archived from the original on 26 May 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
- ^ Udayavani. "ರಾಜ್ ಹಬ್ಬ: ವರನಟನ ಕಾದಂಬರಿ ಚಿತ್ರಗಳ ಕನ್ನಡಿ". Udayavani. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
- ^ "ಅಪರೂಪದ ಫೋಟೋ: ಒಂದೇ ವೇದಿಕೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮೂರು ಹಿಟ್ ಚಿತ್ರಗಳ ಸಕ್ಸಸ್ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮ". 22 September 2020. Archived from the original on 13 October 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- ^ ":: Welcome to Chitatara ::". www.chitratara.com. Archived from the original on 17 July 2007. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ "'Regularised market, homework, disciplined making and cinema education is the need of the hour'". The Times of India. 28 August 2018. Archived from the original on 10 June 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
- ^ "Raj's Kannada love immortalised in lyrical song". Deccan Herald. 13 April 2006. Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
- ^ "Filmi Escapes in Karnataka" (PDF). Lonely Planet. p. 33. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
- ^ "Rajkumar's grandson Vinay's first interview". The Times of India. 2 May 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
- ^ "Musical Musings". Deccan Herald. 17 May 2014. Archived from the original on 17 May 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
- ^ "Raising expectations". 2 March 2010. Archived from the original on 2 September 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
- ^ "Akasmika (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - EP". iTunes. 16 April 1993. Archived from the original on 8 September 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
- ^ "ಡಾ.ರಾಜ್ ಮತ್ತು ರಂಗಗೀತೆಗಳು". 25 April 2021. Archived from the original on 1 May 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
- ^ Kumari, Barkha (13 November 2021). "When mics were hidden in flower pots". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 5 March 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2024.