The year 2020 has been an eventful year for the Kannada film industry despite the fact that theatres were shut due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With 2021 around the corner, here is a look at the key moments for Sandalwood from the past 11 months.
Chiranjeevi Sarja’s death: Actor Chiranjeevi Sarja, the nephew of ‘Action King’ Arjun Sarja passed away on April 7 following a cardiac arrest. The young hero, who acted in well-received films such as Ajith and Amma I Love You, enjoyed a strong fan following due to his impressive screen presence and sincere performances. He was married to actor Meghana Raj.
Covid-19 pandemic affects release dates: The Covid-19 pandemic affected the release dates of several big movies as all shoots were put on hold due to the lockdown. KGF Chapter 2, Roberrt and Sudeep’s Kotigobba 3 were some of the biggies that failed to keep their date with the audience.
KGF Chapter 2 makes headlines: The pan-India biggie KGF Chapter 2, a sequel to the 2018 blockbuster KGF, remained the talk of the town for a variety of reasons despite not being able to hit the screens. The makers unveiled Sanjay Dutt and Raveena Tandon’s looks from the biggie much to the delight of fans. A few websites claimed that the film would release directly on a streaming platform as opposed to in theatres. Yash, however, dismissed the rumours.
Rise of OTT: Digital platforms emerged as an alternative to theatres amid the Covid-19 lockdown. Films such as Law, French Biryani and Bheemasena Nalamaharaja released on Amazon Prime Video, skipping the theatrical route. These films, however, received mixed to negative reviews as the content was not as good as expected.
Shivanna fails to score a hit: Veteran actor Shivarajkumar, who is going through a rough phase on the work front, suffered a major setback when Drona sank without a trace while receiving mediocre reviews. The ‘Hattrick Hero’ will be hoping to revive his career with the eagerly-awaited movie Bhajarangi 2, slated to release in theatres next year. Contrary to perception, the Harsha directed biggie is not a sequel to the 2013 blockbuster Bhajarangi