Historical films should not distort local condition, dialect, says P. Sheshadri

Filmmaker P. Sheshadri expressed concern on January 11 about the shortage of Kannada films on historical figures, noting that some historical films distort narratives by altering local dialects and ignoring local conditions.

During a session titled “Chitra Mattu Chintane: Kannadada Srujanasheela Jawabdari” on the concluding day of the two-day Mangaluru Lit Fest, organised by the Bharat Foundation, Mr. Sheshadri said there have been only 12 films on historical figures made in Kannada.

In the film on Kittur Rani Channamma, the great warrior is depicted as resembling B. Saroja Devi, the lead actress in the film. The film is in Mysuru Kannada, lacking the Kittur dialect and local cuisine and dressing style. Similarly, the film on Sangolli Rayanna portrayed a lot of exaggeration in the narration. Krishadevaraya is also depicted as resembling the lead actor, Rajkumar.

Creative liberty should not distort historical facts, dialect or local elements. Cinema serves as a form of documentation, and unlike literature, film directors set boundaries in their storytelling. As films can be viewed for years, directors must be careful in presenting a story on historical figures and events, he said.

Agreeing with Mr. Sheshadri, actor and BJP spokesperson Malavika Avinash urged to create more films on history. Filmmakers should be careful to balance entertainment with accuracy, and not distort distort historical facts. As much of our history is oral, more films on historical topics can engage a wider audience beyond just history graduates, she said.

The session was moderated by Pallavi Rao Karanth.