Flashmob strikes Kannada film

Pre-release film promotion has reached new heights in Kannada cinema. Popular Kannada actor Ramesh Aravind has been using innovative methods to grab attention and eyeballs for his forthcoming film Nam Anna Don, which he has also directed.

The film's makers claim that this is the first movie in India to feature an actor in a flashmob. Ramesh Aravind shot the flashmob dance with four cameras in an upmarket mall in Bangalore to grab the attention of weekend shoppers and cine-goers.

Ramesh organised a flashmob of about 4,000 including college students and kids. He also engaged professional dancers from the film industry.

To further promote the film Ramesh Aravind, who plays the lead in this, his fifth directorial venture, rode a tonga in Gulbarga with his heroines Mona Parvaresh and Sanathani. He also gate-crashed a Banashankari jathre (fair) in Badami, and regaled huge crowds at the Yellamma jathre in Saudatti, all as part of promoting the film.

The film crew participated in a kite festival at Penambur Beach in Mangalore with about 7,000 kids as part of a Bala Utsava (children's festival).

"We made the kids scream, sing and dance as the film is about children's health care, and it worked for us," Ramesh was quoted as saying.

In Hassan, the Nam Anna Don team was present at a skating marathon and interacted with 2000 girls in AVK College. They painted Channarayapatna town red with visits to some schools and a college.

The film makers see youngsters as their main audience for this film so Ramesh has been visiting colleges in Gulbarga, Bijapur, Hassan, Raichur, Chandrapura, Kunigal, Shimoga, Hubli, and Bidar. More such visits are planned in the coming days.

 An innovation in popularising the music of the film is launching the Nam Anna Don audio entirely on the mobile platform. No CDs or audio cassettes are available or sold in the audio market.

Nam Anna Don is produced by Ravi Joshi for Luv Kush Productions. The film highlights the importance of equal healthcare for all in a fun and an entertaining way.

The film releases in mid-February.