Recently, movies have been leaning heavily into mythology and themes like “dharma vs adharma" and righteous war. They are also devotional-war spectacle movies that are heavy on VFX and pan-India ambition. South Indian cinema is currently blending mythology, nationalism, VFX spectacle, and moral conflict. Frankly, many have started getting bored of these themes.
Just this month, two movies are in the news with such themes: Virat Karnna's Telugu-language movie Nagabandham, and the yet-unreleased Kannada movie Pinaka, starring "Golden MegaStar" Ganesh.
Nagabandham's producers Kishore Annapureddy and Nishitha Nagireddy run a software company. As per Nishitha, their latest film is their way of showing gratitude to Sanatana Dharma. Pinaka is set in a divine kingdom where "dark forces" have arisen afresh. A "haunting secret" and a "war across ages" force destiny to choose our hero, who has reincarnated centuries after waging a Baahubali-like battle (nothing in the teaser looks original, in tune with everything that Sandalwood is infamous for). Just to make sure we are sold on Pinaka, the teaser declares that the "war for dharma" has begun.
Films like Kalki 2898 AD, Akhanda, Karthikeya 2, Bimbisara, HanuMan and Mirai came with 'dharmic' and mythological/supernatural/superhero themes. But they had some or the other advantage going for them. By now, the failure of Akhanda 2 and Nagabandham should be seen as a writing on the wall. The novelty is wearing off. Nikhil Siddhartha's Swayambhu, one hopes, will be novel.
