Director: Raam Reddy
Cast: Channegowda, Thammegowda S, Singri Gowda, Abhishek H.N, Pooja S.M.
Months after it first released at an International film festival, the most talked about and popular Kannada film for the past few months at various film festivals, has finally hit the screens for the general public (theatrical release). While there is so much buzz around the making of this brilliant film which even won the national award for best Kannada film, the focus is actually not just all about awards, but for its wholesome entertainment packed with real fun.
Unlike so called 'parallel cinemas', which are mostly aimed at winning awards and barely limited to film festivals, Thithi is an exception wherein even an ordinary laymen can feel the reality told through humour at its best.
Whereas majority of the popular cinemas fail to entertain despite huge budget, star actors, loud music, and other essential gimmicks to pull audience to theatres, this one has none of the earlier mentioned qualities but wholly stands on the basic of making a movie - honesty, a well written script, keeping it close to reality and to let the film to do all the talking. Apart from the director Raam Reddy, it is the co-writer Ere Gowda who deserves credit for picking up experiences from his own village and filming it at amongst them with minor adjustments to suit the movie requirements. Every bit of detail is filmed to perfection.
It has no songs nor even background score, and further almost all the actors in it are non-professionals. Right from the beginning, the experience is such that it makes to forget that there is a screen on which the film is being shown through a far stationed projector. Beyond the screen, the audience are dragged into a typical village and its people for two hours. While many young directors brag about their experiences of their debut with a star actor in the lead, Raam Reddy is a perfect example of a top class debut director.
Set in a small village, three separate plots revolves around three generations of sons after Century Gowda dies at the age of 101. What follows is pure fun when the three main characters react to the situation in 11 days. The scenario of Gadappa as the wanderer, his son Thamanna as the materialistic son and his son Abhi behind an attractive Shepard girl, meets an interesting turn on the final day. No preachings, no conclusion is the other best part of Thithi. Do watch it before the exhibitors find excuses to pull it out from theatres to make way for star films.
