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Had He Been A Phoenix!
The movie begins. But the screen’s still black. Then slowly the blackness starts rising up like a curtain, unveiling the eye-piercing brightness which hits you hard.
Then suddenly you, the viewer, realize that the camera, literally, has taken you for a ride — you are in a car which just moved out of the dark garage into a sunny street, and the rising darkness was the garage’s shutters rolling up.
Just to help you appreciate the intelligence of the above scene, I will have to point you to Alfonso Cuarón’s recent hit Children of Men, where he used this same camera movement for one of the crucial scenes.
A classic example of intelligent story telling by camera - making the camera show the character’s point of view, and, at places, become a character itself.
Accident — a movie prophetically named — was one of the few Kannada cinemas that gained international acclaim. The man who envisaged the scene was Shankar Nag.
The man who would have changed the face of Kannada cinema had he been a Phoenix.
So what’s the movie about?
Deepak (Ashok Mandanna) is the spoilt son of a political power center Dharmadhikari (Ananth Nag).
One fateful night, Deepak with his friend, the son of an advertising agency owner, gets high on Mandrax, and runs his imported car over innocent pavement dwellers (one of THE BEST choreographed action scenes in the history of Kannada cinema), killing all but one of them.
Ramanna (actor/director T.S. Nagabharana), a villager who comes to the city in search of a better livelihood and ends up being a homeless recluse, gets hit by Deepak’s car, bangs onto an electric pole and blacks out. But not before he identifies the trippy driver of that deadly ride.
Deepak sobers up and realizes the *impact* of his night drive, while Ramanna, under medical attention, lies scared and down with PTSD.
Enters Ravi (Shankar Nag), an investigative journo, trying to unmask the culprits to bring them to justice. With help of Inspector Rao (Ramesh Bhatt, Shankar Nag’s protege) Ravi tries to inch his way towards the final truth.
But Dharmadhikari and the ominous power of his official machinery successfully prevents Ravi and Rao. The uncorrupt Rao gets sent away on forced vacation and Dharmadhikari gets another simpleton to stand-in for Deepak and let the legal process superficially succeed.
Dharmadhikari gets his son a visa to US of A, hoping that Deepak shall escape from this self inflicted pain.
Will he be successful? Will Ramanna get his revenge? Will Ravi and Rao be successful in bringing Deepak to justice? Is there a power above and beyond the nefarious politicians? Watch the movie to find out what happens in the end.
All I can tell you is that the gripping climax will surely leave you astounded!
The screenplay of this movie is first rate and was perhaps the first of its kind as far as Kannada cinema is concerned.
Ilaiyaraja’s minimalistic music, powered by his usual amazing foley (sound of typewriter keys clicking and clacking, car-tires revving and screeching, shoe clad feet running, camera clicking and whirring, and most importantly the use of spooky silence to depict the gruesome violence… thalaivaa hatsoff!!!) …
… and the fantastic camera that takes you on that fatal journey with Deepak (the night shots masterly playing with shadows and lights, chaos and confusion, death and destruction) leaves you with long lasting memories of the sharp visuals.
From an acting point of view, Ananth Nag impresses you, captivates you and makes you detest Dharmadhikari with his suave portrayal of the sinister minister. Your blood boils when you hear “Dhamadhikarikki jai” (May Dhamadhikari be victorious).
Shankar Nag’s Ravi is functional — but his viewers, unconsciously maneuvered by his adroit helming of the movie, will leave the movie theater immensely pleased with his performance as an actor and director.
Accident is a fascinating movie which catapulted Shankar Nag into the upper echelons — the elitistic strata, if you may.
One cannot help but wonder that it’s both eerie and ironic that Shankar Nag passed away in an accident too.
17 Responses to “Had He Been A Phoenix!”
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Where can one see this flick? I am quite eager…
Oh! Accident is quite a rage of a movie in Karnataka even now! Go to any DVD rental library, they will have shankar nag collection and this movie is an must have for Shankar Nag fans. Shankar nag brother of Ananth nag shot to fame with his “Sangiliana” series of movies that hold Box Office records even now. He has a unique hold of audiences of Kannada cinema, mainstream and art house alike. His combination with Ilayaraja have given evergreen superhits like Geetha and Bharjara bete. My kannadiga friends affirm that had he been alive, Rajkumars’ sons would have been doing some other business instead of tormenting cine goers in Karnataka. His unique style of dialogue delivery and high voltage acting is in sharp contrast to his brothers suave and silent portrayals. He made many interesting movies based on the urban middle class including the much acclaimed “Nodi swamy naavu irodhe heege” (Look swamy we are like this only). His style varied from one movie to another. In geetha he was deliberately campy and willing to play second fiddle to tremendous music that raja gave and in Accident and Malgudi days, he controlled the film up front going for stark realistic feel. I am gonna buy essential Shankar Nag and Puttanna Kanagal dvds and vcds. If anyone have good anthology of Puttanna Kanagal (mentor of Bharathiraaja) please send it across.
Long Long ago :) , watched this movie on Doordarshan ’s Sunday’ afternoon Regional Film Program.
Excellent movie. …was reminded of this film during the Salman khan accident episode.
WB, Wonderful article on one of favorite movies of Shankar Nag. I’d watched Accident long back when I was a kid. WB,I didn’t know Nagabharana started with Shankar Nag.
Few days back, I watched another Shankar Nag’s movie “Minchina Oata ” (Lighting Run)(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245284/) directed by Shankar Nag. Since then, I’ve been thinking of writing something on Shankar Nag on PFC.I’m glad someone did. This movie (Minchina Oata) is another example of Shankar Nag doing something based on true stories. It stars his regulars Anant Nag, Ramesh Bhatt, Loknath,and also Priya Tendulkar (she was Anant Nag’s first wife, if I’m not wrong).The story is about 3 petty thieves (Tony, Katte & Thatha played by Shankar Nag, Anant Nag and Loknath) who become famous by stealing cars and selling spare parts, Priya Tendulkar plays Anant Nag’s girl friend and wife, Ramesh Bhatt as police commissioner. Movie was quite realistic compared to the masala movies of 80s.
Shankar Nag was someone who was always a notch above others in Kannada movie industry which is filled with nepotism. His Malgudi Days,who can forget? His movie “Auto Raja” and “Sangliyana 1″ and “Sangliyana 2″ made him famous with the masses also.
Its very unfortunate that Shankar Nag died at the age of 36 in a horrible accident. Its been 17 years since his death, I still watch his old movies and wonder what if he was alive…of course he would have changed the face of Kannada movie industry.
Aditi // Couple of ways to go about it. You can either buy the movie (worth its money, I tell you) or ask and see if it’s available for rent?
V.P.Jaiganesh // Mate, Thanks for your comment. Movies like Moogana Seydu (Mute’s Revenge), Seeta Ramu, Geetha, Shankar Guru, Sangliana I & II were okay. But that’s not true Shankar. It’s not Auto Raja either, in spite of being his biggest hit - so big a hit that even today the autos in Bangalore are painted with his picture and the legend *auto raja*, and people sometimes get a free ride to/from RangaShankara. If you wanna watch the real Shankar Nag, you should be watching him in movies like Ondanondu Kaaladalli, Minchina Ota, Tarka, Utsav. You’re spot on about the comment on *annavura makkalu*. The closest that anyone could come to matching Shankar’s raw animal energy on screen was Upendra, who was smart enough to become Uppi by subtly aping Shankar Nag. BTW, just an FYI… I am still working on that Puttanna draft… and will publish it, someday.
X // Yes, I too was reminded of this movie when I read about Salman’s Landcruiser episode. Thanks for stopping by and reading my post.
Vivek H // Thank you for the kind words. Minchina Ota (The speed of lightning) is one of my favorites. Loved Ananth’s Tony and Ramesh Bhatt’s pipe smoking cop. But I found the narrative to be quite predictable when I watched it the second time, a few years ago. Must be because of it being based on a true story and all that. I remember someone telling me that Shankar personally interviewed the real Katte, Thatha and Tony, who were imprisoned at the Belgaum jail when he was working on the script. But in spite of Ilaiyaraja’s music, and Nag brother’s energetic presence I found the minchu (spark) to be less and the ota (run) to be long. I actually think Tarka (logic) is a good thriller (Sunilkumar Desai’s debut) as far Shankar’s movies go. If you also like Nagabharana’s movies, try Anveshane (the search), Smita Patil’s only Kannada movie.
WB, You are right about Minchina Oota. I felt the same too. But, looking at most of the crap being produced by Kannada industry, I can watch any movie directed by Shankar Nag, which showed real talent of Shankar Nag. And music was not by Ilaiyaraja, some other person. Upendra showed some promise in his initial movies, but he has lost it. And about ‘annavara makkalu’, better not write about them [-x, because I don’t want them to be known here on PFC. Thanks for suggesting those movies. But, its always tough to get hold of such good old Kannada movies for me here in US.
So far I’ve watched Puttanna Kanagal’s few movies, “Saakshatkaara” (realization) in which Pritvhi Raj Kapoor acted along with Raj Kumar and “Nagara Haavu”, which was Vishnuvardhan’s debut. I’ll be waiting for your detailed article on Puttanna Kanagal. :)
Vivek H // Hmm… I don’t know why but I still remember it as Ilaiyaraja (who scored the music for Michina Ota). I could be wrong though. Would that be L.Vaidyanathan then?
Procuring Kannada movies outside Karnataka is a painful process. I know. I depend on friends back home to mail me the DVD/VCDs I seek. I suggest that you make a list and get them all when you go to India the next time.
Saakshaatkaara! The only thing I remember about that movie is Jamuna singing “Olave Jeevana Saakshatkara, Olave Mareyada Mamakaara”. Aagh… been a long time since I have watched a Kannada movie mate. I’ll go home and watch Hamsa Geethe again.
WB, Music for Minchina Oata is scored by Prabhakar Badri. Just now I checked the cd. I’ve never heard of him.
In India, when I’d access to such good movies, never came across them. Now in US, I get to know about them, but tough to get. And please keep writing on Kannada movies.
went around hopping for accident in bangalore. not much luck!!8-|8-|all i could get hold was only anandha bhairavi by girish Karnad. thats a good movie too.
Vivek H // Thanks for that! I will of course be writing more about Kasturi Kannada.
Jaiganesh // You might wanna contact the company stores: Sri Ganesh Video, 121, SP Road, NKK Complex, BLR. Tel: 22228258
cool. thanks wb for the info.
If possible can you do a write up on B.R.Banthulu?
the director of school master?
VPJ // You’re welcome mate! I can definitely do a write up on B.R (Buduguru Ramakrishnaiah) Panthulu (BTW, it’s Panthulu, which means teacher in colloquial Telugu). IMNSHO, Baghban is heaviliy inspired of his School Master and his Kattabomman is a never before never again kind as far as Tamil cinema goes.
he also did the first sci fi movie in south india. It was originally done in Telugu with Sivaji ganeshan playing a guest role of a scientist who invents a flying saucer for inter planetary travel. Some children board it and find a planet that supports life. In thamizh it was called Kuzhandhaigal Kanda Kudiyarasu (Republic founded by Children). it was called “Pillalu Techina Challani Rajyam” in Telugu. His movies had significant scope for child artistes. His son and daughter too tunred out to be directors. His daughter B.R.Vijayalakshmi was the first woman film director and cinematographer and she did couple of movies. Currently she is into serials. his son , I forgot his name made a flop movie “Eera veizhi kaaviyangal” (Teary eyed masterpieces) with some awesome songs by Ilaiyaraja and then was not heard of. Sivaji ganeshan shared a special friendship with him and he agreed to appear in tiny guest roles in his movies.
He has made around 50 movies and most of them are super hits including MGR’s Aayirathil oruvan, NTR;s Dhaana veera sura karna and his comedies are out of the world - Bale Paandiya and Sabaash meena with Sivaji and Chandrababu rocks even now.
After having googled his filmography, I feel it is time todo a write up of his classic comedies in Thamizh.
Jaiganesh,
Eera Vizhi Kaaviyangal was made by B. Lenin, son of famous director A. Bhimsingh.
VPJ // Daana Veera Soora Karna is NTR’s own. BRP was not involved, and he’d passed away by then. NTR produced, directed, and played 3 roles (Karna, Duryodhana, Krishna) in that movie. It’s the first movie where Duryodhan had a duet song, a super hit song!
Thanks zero and wb!
now i stand crrected.
No Jai, thank YOU for reminding me of the legendary BR Pantulu. :)