Sudeep on Kannada cinema: ‘Don't plead for support, have faith in our language and people'

Kannada superstar Sudeep was the chief guest at Sunday’s trailer launch event for the upcoming Kannada movie Pepe. During the event, some speakers lamented the current state of the Kannada film industry and urged audiences to support Kannada movies. However, Sudeep took exception to this sentiment, viewing it as an insult to the sacred relationship between Kannada cinema and its audience.

When it was his turn to speak, Sudeep attempted to dispel the notion that the Kannada film industry is at anyone’s mercy. He likened the industry to a resilient banyan tree, arguing that seasonal changes do not destroy it.

“The seasons change, and during summer, the leaves wither and fall away. In winter, the leaves come back, and the tree bears fruit. The Kannada film industry has grown into a banyan tree,” he said.

ALSO READ: 70th National Film Awards: Kannada cinema emerges as winner as KGF 2 and Kantara win big

For context, the Kannada film industry has struggled to deliver a major hit since the nationwide success of KGF: Chapter 2 and Kantara. The arrest and imprisonment of Kannada star Darshan was another major setback. Many fans vowed not to watch Kannada movies as a form of retaliation against the industry for failing to collectively express solidarity with their favorite star.

Sudeep addressed this misconception and urged people to consider the possibility that the industry has fallen short in producing good movies. “It’s a grave error to stand in Karnataka and implore our Kannada audiences to make our films a success. Make movies based on your strengths, put faith in our language and our people. Those who don’t want to see our movies, let them not. Make movies for those who watch,” he added.

Sudeep expressed that the Kannada language and its cinema remain vibrant, vital, and continue to grow. He also advised filmmakers to focus on creating quality films instead of searching for reasons why audiences are not showing up in theaters.

“Instead of saying films didn’t work because of this reason or that, consider the possibility that good movies may not have come out for a while, and all bad movies may have come out at the same time. How many failures haven’t I delivered in my life? That doesn’t define me. The Kannada film industry and Karnataka are vast,” he added.

Recently, the box office in Karnataka has shown signs of bouncing back, following the success of movies like Duniya Vijay’s Bheema and Ganesh’s Krishnam Pranaya Sakhi. “You say it has fallen, been defeated, and plead with everyone to support it. We fail so we can win. How many movies have failed in the 70-year history of our Kannada film industry? We have more flops than hits, but even today, the Kannada film industry stands strong and tall,” he remarked.

Enjoy 35+ OTTs like ZEE5, LionsgatePlay, Ullu, SunNXT, SonyLIV, Fancode and 250+ Live TV channels at just ₹99