Single-screen movie theaters throughout Karnataka are basking in a nostalgic triumph as Darshan’s latest film, ‘Kaatera,’ directed by Tharun Sudhir, revives the spirits and profits of these traditional cinema halls. The action-packed film, reminiscent of the golden days of Kannada cinema, has completed a stellar 25-day run over 400 screens, much to the delight of the state’s exhibitors who have faced challenging times in recent years.
The end of 2023 brought with it the release of ‘Kaatera,’ and as anticipated with Darshan’s star power, the movie took off with a bang. The impressive feat is not merely the grandiose launch that is typical for the actor’s films but its enduring appeal, ensuring consistent box office success. The film’s makers shared a remarkable milestone, celebrating over ₹200 crore in earnings and a whopping sale of one crore tickets.
Gundanna, a seasoned film distributor from Mysuru, pointed out, “Women are watching ‘Kaatera’ in good numbers, and that’s a sign of a blockbuster family entertainer.” The enthusiasm for the film is palpable across demographics, as evidenced by rural moviegoers flocking to theatres in tractors and bullock carts, pouring out their anticipation and support for the film that delivers entertainment for every age bracket.
Drawing parallels with historic successes, Gundanna recalled, “The continuous rush for ‘Kaatera’ reminds me of the dream run of films like Rajkumar’s ‘Bangarada Manushya’ (1972) and ‘Shankar Guru’ (1972).” The film’s universal appeal is further testified by S.T. Anand, the owner of Bengaluru’s iconic Prasanna theatre, who proudly announced, “The film has collected around ₹75 lakh in three weeks at our theatre.”
Prasanna theatre has a long-standing association with Darshan’s hits, such as ‘Roberrt,’ ‘Kurukshetra,’ and ‘Bulbul,’ which enjoyed celebratory 100-day runs. Anand noted that after quite some time, ‘Kaatera’ was one movie that spawned the most number of houseful shows in its initial two-week stretch across the state. The main theatre showcasing the film in Gandhi Nagar, Anupama, also registered record collections.
Interestingly, Darshan was the actor who sparked a resurgence in the COVID-stricken industry back in 2021 with his commercial hit, ‘Roberrt,’ the first big-star film to debut with 100% occupancy. However, 2023 commenced with a less favorable outcome as his film ‘Kranti’ faltered at the box office, precipitating a period of subdued performances across the Kannada film industry, with no notable hits in the first half of the year.
M.R. Rajaram, owner of Mysuru’s Gayathri Talkies and vice-president of the Karnataka Film Exhibitors Federation, admitted that the slump led to the cessation of 25 to 30 theatres in C centres (below taluk level) in Karnataka. Fortunately for many, around 10 to 15 of these have resumed operations, thanks to ‘Kaatera,’ signaling a broad appeal with “something for everyone to enjoy,” as Rajaram stated.
Set against the backdrop of the 1970s, ‘Kaatera’ is a narrative about the oppressive dominance of desperate landlords over powerless tillers. The film enumerates the land reform acts promulgated by the former Chief Minister Devaraj Urs and offers a condemnation of caste discrimination. Darshan is at the heart of this narrative, portraying a blacksmith from the oppressed class courageously challenging the zamindars.
Rajaram highlights the film’s dual appeal, with exciting moments for Darshan fans and substantial content for family audiences, while also being informative for children. He noted that Gayathri Talkies wasn’t the only cinema enjoying this success; Woodlands Theatre had 16 full-house shows within the first three weeks of ‘Kaatera’s’ release.
Guru Deshpande, the film’s director-producer who distributed ‘Kaatera’ in the Kalyan-Karnataka region, has alluded that the movie is on its way to becoming Darshan’s most triumphant film.Emphasizing the role of big stars, Rajaram suggests that to prevent long intermissions at theatres, actors should take on at least two Kannada movies annually. He reflects on the audience’s preference, noting that especially in C centres, viewers predominantly watch films in the Kannada language. Consistent delivery of large-scale Kannada productions is crucial to keep audiences engaged and prevent a shift towards watching Kannada-dubbed versions of films from other languages.
The phenomenal run ‘Kaatera’ has had echoes the reminiscent surge of foot traffic single-screen cinemas saw during the release of Rishab Shetty’s ‘Kantara’ (2022), proving that a compelling narrative combined with star power can still drive crowds to the beloved single-screen theatres. With ‘Kaatera,’ it’s clear the magic of cinema endures within the walls of Karnataka’s classic movie houses.
