Hyperlinked romantic dramas are unexplored in Kannada cinema: Kenja Chethan Kumar
With content-driven films gaining prominence in today’s Kannada cinema, Chow Chow Bath by Kenja Chethan Kumar has grabbed all the eyeballs after its screening at the Bengaluru International Film Festival. The film, which was selected under the Kannada Cinema competition category, is now scheduled to release in theatres on March 15. Interestingly, Chow Chow Bath is a hyperlink comedy-drama which is a first in Kannada cinema. The ensemble cast includes Sushmitha Bhat, Sagar Gowda, Dhanush Prakash Shastri, Geeta Bangera, Sankalp Sharma, Aruna Balraj, and others.
Hailing from the remote corner of Udupi, Chethan nurtured aspirations of becoming a filmmaker from a young age. He started his creative journey by getting into video editing and later gained experience working with various popular TV channels. “I had aspirations to enter the cinema industry much earlier, but I was advised to gain some experience before taking on the role of a director. My stint in TV channels provided me with valuable insights,” says Chethan, whose passion for direction was somewhere rooted in his grandfather, a renowned theatre artist in his hometown, Udupi.
“I made my directorial debut with the romantic comedy Prema Geema Jaane Do (2016), followed by Devaru Bekagiddare (2019). Chow Chow Bath will be my third outing,” he adds. Chethan, discussing his film, describes it as akin to the dish Chowchow bath it is named after. Six characters, divided into three pairs, are all linked together. The film’s two main characters, who emerge in the climax, are depicted in contrast but eventually come together. This perfectly fits the film’s title.
The storyline offers a mix of flavours intertwined with three unique stories, unfolding simultaneously in three different settings, until they converge at a pivotal moment, weaving into one cohesive narrative,” elaborates Chethan as he explains why he chose a hyperlinked subject for his romantic drama. “We’ve seen numerous conventional love stories and even those with triangular dynamics. However, when the audience crave innovation, I reflected on what could truly captivate them. That’s when the concept of hyperlink romantic dramas, which are an unexplored territory in Kannada cinema, resonated with me as the ideal endeavour,” he shares.
Apart from wearing the director’s hat, Chethan dons multiple roles in the film as a writer and editor. The music of Chow Chow Bath is composed by Hemanth Jois, with lyrics by Pramod Maravanthe. Rudramuni Belagare has cranked the camera for the film’s cinematography.