MYSURU: After a gap of six years, the Karnataka State Film Awards for 2018 and 2019 were finally presented at a glittering ceremony held at the Convocation Hall of Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) in Mysuru on Monday.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who conferred the awards, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to honouring cinematic excellence annually, while urging filmmakers to focus on producing films that serve a greater social purpose.
At the ceremony organised by the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), Siddaramaiah said that despite the rich cinematic legacy of Karnataka, the state awards had been delayed due to various reasons, including lack of interest from the previous government. The awards for 2020 and 2021 would be announced soon, he said and assured the film fraternity that awards for subsequent years would be given on schedule.
“There was a time when we had very few actors and technicians. Today, the Kannada film industry has grown manifold, but somewhere along the way, we have seen a decline in social values in cinema.
Films that used to inspire change and promote responsibility are rare now,” he said, calling upon filmmakers to revive the era of meaningful cinema. He said cinema is one of the most powerful forms of media and has the potential to shape public thought and social progress.
“What kind of films we make matters a lot because they can bring about real change. Film stars are revered by people. It is important that they remain true to their values off the screen as well. Dr Rajkumar was not only a great actor on screen, but also lived by the same values in real life. That is why he continues to live forever in the hearts of the people,” he said.
On a lighter vein, he recalled his own fondness for films during his student days. “I used to watch movies every day when I was a student. Now, with so many films being released, I have stopped watching. I have not yet watched Kantara which has received good response, but I will definitely watch it,” he added.
Reiterating the government’s support for the Kannada film industry, Siddaramaiah said pending film subsidies for the last three years would be cleared soon. He, however, cautioned filmmakers: “Do not make films just to claim subsidies. Make good, meaningful films that win people’s hearts and that alone makes the subsidy worthwhile.”
He announced progress on the long-pending Mysuru Film City project. Spread across 160 acres, the international-standard facility will be developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, he added.
“The land has already been handed over to the Information and Public Relations Department, and the detailed project report will be ready in two months,” he said, adding that construction will begin soon.
A galaxy of actors, directors, technicians, celebrities including Rishab Shetty, Darling Krishna, Milana Nagaraj, Umashree, Rajendra Singh Babu, Jayant Kaikini and others took part in the ceremony. Awards were conferred under various categories to over 85 people.
