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Tickled to death: Stories from the sets of Thithi

With its cast of amateur actors from the village of Nodekoppalu, Kannada film Thithi is the first of its kind to be screened outside Karnataka. Roshni Nair culls stories of the people behind and in front of the camera

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Ere Gowda and Raam Reddy; Stills from Thithi featuring Pooja SM (as Cauvery), Channegowda and Abhishek SN (as Gadappa and Abhi respectively) and Singri Gowda (as Century Gowda)
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Raam Reddy's fidgety veneer belies his placid approach to the business of film. For the photographer, writer and director who wrote a novel (It's Raining in Maya) at 19, made 12 short films and crafted a feature that has swept 11 awards, commercial gain is a mere bonus.

"If it was up to me, I'd sever the umbilical cord and not look back once a film is released. I believe there's no relationship between an artist and his/her art after it goes public," says the wiry 26-year-old, shuffling in the lounge chair as his coffee goes tepid. "Because it now belongs to the people and takes on a life of its own. Letting go is a better way to live."

Reddy's que sera sera stance is evocative of Gadappa, the protagonist of his much-feted Thithi. Nearly a month post its Bangalore release and seven months after its Asian premiere at the Mumbai JIO Mami Mumbai Film Festival – where it bagged the Grand Jury Prize – Thithi is being screened in Mumbai multiplexes. As it is in Delhi, Pune and Chennai.

With its cast of amateur actors from Nodekoppalu, Mandya district, Reddy's gem of a (subtitled) Kannada film is the first of its kind to be screened outside Karnataka. Thithi kicks off with Century Gowda (Singri Gowda), a tetchy 101-year old whose death minutes into the two-hour run time gives him more glory than he got in his life. Arranging for the expensive thithi (funeral custom) on the 11th day is left to Century's grandson Thamanna (Thammegowda S.), whose vagabond father Gadappa (Channegowda) responds to Century's demise with nonchalance: "No worries. It's fine. No big deal."

When Gadappa isn't wandering, he's smiling beatifically in the worst situations, smoking beedis, drinking Tiger brandy and playing 'tiger-sheep' with village kids. Frustrated with his father, Thamanna, whose teenage son Abhi (Abhishek S.N.) is busy wooing shepherdess Cauvery (Pooja S.M.) hatches a plan to fake Gadappa's death. What follows is a tragicomedy immortalised by a rich character universe, witticisms and refreshing takes on death.

That Thithi's actors are not only from Mandya district but also have shades of their on-screen characters makes the prospect more delicious. Take Kuntappa (Ramanna), the old village drunk who dances whenever there's a procession. "I've known Ramanna for the past 30 years. He's usually drunk by morning itself and starts dancing the moment he hears music, whether it's a thithi or a politician's visit," laughs Ere Gowda.

Ere Gowda, 35, is the beating heart of Thithi, its dialogue and co-script writer, line producer, art and casting director. His story, well-chronicled in the press, is rather filmi; ironic, considering neither he nor Reddy grew up watching films. When Gowda was hired to assist Raam's mother (Padma Shri-winning social worker Anitha Reddy) after stints as a security guard in Mysore and Bangalore, little did he know that his roots in Nodekoppalu would blossom into Thithi. Documenting Anitha Reddy's social work and watching his friend Raam's film collection after the latter returned from Prague Film School had first culminated into the duo's award-winning Telugu short, Ika (Feather). The Nodekoppalu locals in Thithi are people known to Gowda.

"Channegowda is my uncle. And I met Thammegowda while giving out thithi cards after my grandmother died," Ere Gowda shares. "Thammegowda's ordeal in Thithi, of struggling to sell his land, is something he's faced in real life."

In effect, Gowda wrote roles for people who'd already – whether faintly or for most part – experienced Thithi-like situations in their lives.

Ninety-eight year old Singri Gowda's older brother was the original choice to play Century, but passed away during pre-production. It was then that Singri (who climbed coconut trees until 95 and still tends to his fields daily) was roped in by Ere Gowda. "He was one of the most jovial people on set and would yell at the boom guy, 'You came from Bombay but didn't bring me a girl'," Reddy laughs. "Despite shooting for just two hours a day, he did 12 retakes of his death scene – of his own accord."

And Channegowda, adds Reddy, did have shades of Gadappa: he'd left Nodekoppalu for some time, 40 years ago, to live on its fringes with his daughters. "He was one of the first people I met in the village. Channegowda has the eyes of a child; I knew right then he'd be one of my main characters."

Much is written about Thithi being a win for a resurgent Kannada cinema, whose upswing owes much to Mungaru Male (2006), Lucia, Simple Agi Ondh Love Story, U-Turn, Kendasampige and Rangi Taranga. The industry, which was in relative lull after the New Wave era of Karanth, Kasaravalli and Karnad, finally has takers outside the state.

"Films like Fandry and Thithi are important because they help you realise how many untapped stories lie in our villages," underlines Ere Gowda. "Language alone changes every 10-15 villages, with different dialects in Mandya, Hubli, Uttara Kannada and South Canara. Cultural wealth like this must be showcased."

The National Award-winning film that took over three years to make won the prized Golden Leopard (Filmmakers of the Present) and Swatch Best First Feature at the 68th Locarno Film Festival, among other international honours. But the one closest to Gowda's heart is also the one closest to home.

"The Karnataka State Film Award for best dialogue means the most to me," he says over the phone from Bangalore. "Nothing compares to being recognised by the place you call home."

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