Politics enters Kannada cinema

Remember reading the news that Puneet Rajkumar, Upendra, Ramesh and Gurukiran, apart from other leading luminaries of Kannada movies, will participate in the 5th World Kannada Conference of AKKA (Association of Kannada Kootas of America) which will be held for three days at Chicago from Aug 28 to 30.

Now along with these stars more members from the Kannada film fraternity are participating in the three day gala event. Mukhyamantri Chandru, Sai Kumar, Madan Patel, Srinath, Simhaadriya Simha producer Vijay Kumar, director S Mahendar, Shruthi, Dr. Jayamala, Tara, Master Dhanush are some of the guests from the Kannada cinedom who will be participating in the Kannada festival. These are the guests who are approved by the Government of Karnataka.

According to reliable sources, the above mentioned guests are approved by the Government of Karnataka and official information regarding the participants to AKKA will be announced very shortly.

The point to be noted is except Dr. Jayamala who is flying as the president of Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, the rest are all associated in one way or the other with Bharatiya Janatha Party which is ruling Karnataka. Tara had been already been to AKKA meet held in Baltimore in 2006 once. But still she has been named as the Government guest this time also.

Another point to be noted is nearly 15 members from the KFCC had to fly to AKKA conference for expanding Kannada film market to overseas also particularly The United States of America. But only Dr. Jayamala has been selected from the Government to be the official guest in meet. What will Dr. Jayamala do alone there when none of the office bearers of the KFCC will not attend the meet? Is she going there in the Government's expenses just to enjoy how our stars sing and dance there?

This is the question that has to be answered by the Government of Karnataka. Will the Government answer this?

List of other invitees approved from the Government of Karnataka:

Yakshagana – Arpitha Hegde, Kumble Sunder Raj
Music – Rajendra (Nakodu)
Tabala – Ramdas
Harmonium – K N Jayaram
Sugama Sangeetha - Nagabushan Udapa, Ranga Rao (C Aswath troup)
Classical – Padith Parameswara Hegde, Kasaravalli sisters
Janapada – Rangapatri, Raghunandan
Sahithya - Kum Veerabadrappa, R Ganesh, Muddu Krishna murthy, Chandrashekar Kambar, Seetha Chappar, Hiremagalur Kannan
Stage - Yeshwanth Sardeshpande, Mukya Mantri Chandru