Three Kannada films to release this weekend

Two of the three Kannada films releasing on Friday, March 22 across Karnataka state are remakes of popular Malayalam hits. The third is a love story that is based on a true life incident.

The last few weeks have spelt some success for Kannada films at the box-office and already there are more standing in the wings. The film-makers whose films are ready for release are unwilling to wait until the run of the current crop of successful films begins to wane.

Let's take a look at this week's Kannada film releases:

CID Eesha

Director: N Rajesh Fernandes

Cast: Jaggesh, Komal, Mayuri

CID Eesha is a remake of CID Moosa, a 2003 Malayalam hit film that had Dileep and Bhavana Menon playing lead roles. The Kannada version of the film has been in the making for more than five years.

Says director Rajesh Fernandes, "There were no production hassles or financial woes that we faced. Yes, we faced technical problems during the making of the film."

The film is about a constable's son who wants to become a cop and his brother-in-law who hates the constable's son. The film has the usual political angle with Eesha becoming a private detective after failing the physical test to join the police force. 

Fernandes says the original Malayalam hit has been tweaked to suit the tastes of Kannada audiences and promises 135 minutes of good entertainment.

Vijayabharathi has scored the music and Ramesh Babu is the cinematographer.     

Director: Anantharaju

Cast: Prajwal Devaraj, Aindrita Rai, Aishwarya Nag, Tilak

Ziddi is a remake of the Malayalam hit Puthiya Mukham that was released in 2009. The film is about a boy from Theerthahalli who comes to Bangalore to continue his studies. The character played by Prajwal is in love with a girl from his village. When he lands in Bangalore, another girl (Aindrita Ray) falls for him.

Aindrita's senior, played by Tilak, who is the villain in the film, is in love with Aindrita.

The film takes a violent turn with Tilak showing his true colours. Says director Anantharaju, "There are a lot of curiosity elements in the movie. Prajwal's character and that of Tilak are worth watching out for in the movie."

Giridhar Divan, a still photographer who shot to fame as a music composer in Chiru has scored the music for Ziddi as well.

The film has been shot on location in Bangalore and its surroundings, Melukote, Theerthahalli and in Hyderabad. Niranjan Babu is the cinematographer.

Director: Dhanuchandru Mavinakunte

Cast: Supreetha, Hemanth, Sudha Belawadi,

Nenapingala is a love story based on a real-life incident that happened in Doddaballapura (near Bangalore) in 2008. Director Chandru says the film depicts sweet and bitter memories of love.

The film raises some important questions in everyone's lives. "What is the question and where are the answers," the director asks before pointing to what his film sets people to ponder over.

G Ramakrishna is the producer. C R Bobby has composed the music with two of his songs Preethisuva Manasige... and Mella Mellane becoming popular.

The film has been shot in Bangalore, Bidar, Doddaballapura, Sakleshpura and Chikmagalur.