The New Wave in Kannada Cinema: From 2006 to Present Day

Abstract

Kannada cinema, also known as Chandanavana or Sandalwood, is the Indian film industry based in the state of Karnataka where motion pictures are produced in the Kannada language. As of 2019, the Kannada film industry based in the city of Bengaluru produces more than 200 films each year. Kannada films are released in more than 1250 single screen and multiplex theaters in Karnataka and most of them are also released across the country and foreign countries also.

A new wave in Kannada cinema is happening on screen which contrasts conventional film style of Karnataka. A visible layer of difference between urban and rural identity and new perspectives of nationhood is being seen in Kannada cinema. The formulas of films are shifting and it can see from the presentation of the character in the marketing of the film. This paper tries to understand the characteristics and outline the Kannada new generation (new wave) cinema.