There are certain things in our lives that mostly go unnoticed until they become too large to ignore. A growing divide between the old and the new is one of them. There is almost always this idea, of tradition clashing against anything new, that has been the topic of discussion for many creative artists. And, while there is some semblance of truth to that thought, it is also important to realise that, mostly, things can run parallel to each other, never quite meeting or embracing each other but, also at the same time, never hampering the progression of the other. ‘Nammane Kannada’ is one such short film that focuses deeply on this idea.
Written and directed by Sampath Kannanth Kundapura, ‘Nammane Kannada’ follows the Adiga family and, more importantly, the constantly shifting dynamics within that family. What is important to realise here is that the Adiga family stands in as a symbolic representation for the constant struggle between the idea of sticking to established tradition and the idea of moving forward. Kundapura has done a remarkable job in portraying this throughout the film. ‘Nammane Kannada’ is a tale about the importance of preserving tradition, of course, but at its heart, it is a story about fathers and sons and what ‘home’ means to the other.
Director Sampath Kundapura sets an established narrative background before moving on to explore the themes that he wishes to. Mr. Adiga and his wife are happily living out their golden years in the bliss of their serene village, somewhere in Karnataka. Their son, who is settled in Bangalore with his wife, wants them to leave the village and move in with him in the city. Unwilling to leave behind all that they really know, Mr. and Mrs. Adiga find themselves at odds with their son. That’s where the true conflict, in the film, derives itself from.
While there is certainly a more inclined lean towards the idea of emphasising tradition as the moral high ground, Sampath Kundapura also tempers this idea with an explanation. You see, ‘Nammane Kannada’, unlike many others, does not preach. Rather, it explains. Kundapura bases his entire film and the thematic conflict between the old and the new on the foundational idea of what ‘home’ means. It is not so much about which idea wins over the other, it is merely a matter of what you call home. For some, home can mean a studio apartment in a bustling metropolis while for others home can only be the ancestral house you grew up in.
The idea of ‘home’ is truly embedded in each and every scene. Almost all scenes set in the village have classical music running in the background, while the few scenes in Bangalore have a running audio track of ambient noise. This further divides and demarcates the boundaries of what the Adigas call home.
‘Nammane Kannada’ isn’t a film that is about proving a perspective wrong. More so, it is a film about where you find your best memories are kept. Watch it. It might just remind you of some of your own cherished childhood days.
