My memories of Dr. C Aswath (29 December 1939/2009)

On a Wednesday morning in September 2008 I went to Saratoga in California where Dr. C Aswath was staying with his niece. I was there to take him to Stanford University for my itsdiff radio program for which I was to interview him. I was meeting him for the first time. It was 6.15 in the morning. He was ready and waiting in front of the house wearing warm clothes and a shawl around his shoulder. Seeing me in regular clothes he asked 'nimage chali agolva?" ("aren't you cold?") I said I am used to the weather here and that SSeptember was still summer for us. He sat next to me in my car and as we drove to Stanford University we talked about Kannada films and music. The conversation we had in the car, helped me overcome any anxiety I had about interviewing him.

After we reached the studio we got the microphones tested and got ready to start the interview. After putting on the headset he just got completely involved. He was very kind and forthcoming in talking with me. It was a great opportunity for me to talk with him about his early life, his various interests and his thoughts about the present and future state of Kannada Sugama Sangeetha. When we played his song 'jali barinalli', it was so thrilling to see him join in and sing along joyfully with the pre-recorded song. The interview lasted a little more than an hour and was very well received by the listeners. Many listeners telephoned during the interview and enthusiastically talked with him over the air. (There is a link to audio/video recording of the interview at the end of this article.)

After the interview, as we headed back home we chatted more about music and films. I thanked him for kindly agreeing to the interview. He too expressed pleasantries and I dropped him at his place and went back to my regular work. Many of my friends and listeners had emailed me saying they enjoyed listening to Dr. C Aswath.

But something that left a deep impact on me happened just three days later when I met him at the Kannada Koota function in Palo Alto, California. That day a crowd of more than one thousand were treated to a wonderful experience of listening to his musical performance . The crowd cheered when he sang his then recent hit 'tappu maadadoru yaaroure" from the movie Mata. But when he danced to its rhythm the crowd went wild. After the program I went to meet him. He greeted me with such warmth and affection, I felt he had known me for a long time. He put his arm around my neck and told me "Madhu my sister called me and told me that the interview came out very well because you knew a lot about me".

Today is a good day to for me to recollect those memories of Dr. C Aswath.
Here is the web page which contains the audio recording of the full interview . Please click here and scroll to the bottom  

Below are two short video snippets of the interview.

Allide Nammane illi bande summane - A beautiful movie

Title: Allide nammane, illi bande summane (Kannada 2011)

Starring: Sriraj, Saurav Babu, Yagna Shetty, Reena Mehtha, Dattanna, Padma Kumuta,Amarnath Gowda, Tumkur Dayanand Yamuna Srinidhi, Dr Thani, Shivashanker. Adam, Mike, Chris, Caroline, Chanice Baylor, Jason Curt Miller, Shoran Wright and Antwoine Steele

Story, screen play and dialogues: Sourav Babu
Direction: Gopi Peenya
Music: Gurukiran
Editing: Kempraj

Photography: PKH DOss

Produced by: Sorav Babu

Verdict: It is a beautifully crafted movie about aspiring software engineers who come from rural India to the USA. It wonderfully narrates the awkwardness of fresh NRIs, their challenges and triumphs. It also juxtaposes this with the hard truths of life in US. Very heartfelt and realistic script, written by an NRI brings authenticity to the movie. Sharp editing allows for a lot more story to be told within 2 hours. The movie shines with very natural acting and mature direction. For me, the the movie scores a 9 out of 10.

This is the story of typical Non-resisdent Indians (NRIs). Even though there have been earlier Kannada movies on the subject of NRIs and their issues, this movie is unique in that it is a story written by an NRI. It is narrated from the NRIs' point of view. It is for this reason that I think the makers of this movie have very much succeeded in presenting an authentic story. Another highlight of this movie is that it is very realistic while not ignoring the entertainment aspects.

I heard quite many people during and after the movie say "this looks so much like our story". This fact that an audience identifies itself with a movie is possible only when the movie has at its core a very real and authentic expression. I felt the writer Gourav and the director Gopi Peenya have tried to give an honest and heart felt expression and they have succeeded. All the more notable becuase it is a maiden venture for each of them.

The story is that of a typical Indian who ends up being an NRI. Kenchappa Babu is from a village in Karnataka, India. He is the son of a farmer. He comes over to US on an H1 visa and in search of contract jobs. He comes across Sudarshan another software engineer with similar background and they soon develop a strong friendship. These story revolves around the lives of these two characters.

What impressed me most was that the writer and the director have shown excellent restraint in how they want to tell the story. The first half of the movie shows the struggles and triumphs of a newly arrived NRI. Here there was a big risk of turning it into cliched jokes and crude display of the material comforts of NRIs. Instead the movie has some genuinely funny moments and goes about briskly showing the initial excitement of an American life. As many NRIs can attest to, this is just one part of American life. The second half brings up the serious and difficult parts of life which NRIs have to face in America. Here too the film very consciously avoids sentimentality. In its place we see real heartfelt emotions.

The editing is so brisk that it would not be an exaggeration to say that not a single frame exists that should not have been there. Just when you start fearing you are in for some sequences which will spoon feed what is obvious, the movie spares you that misery. Instead the story goes far ahead trusting that the audience are intelligent enough to fill in the unseen parts. For example when Kenchappa Babu gets married, I was so relieved that I did not have to live through a movie wedding scene. Instead we get to see the more important life of the newly married couple in US. Similarly, we see this in the later half too . Without revealing too much of the story, I liked the way the concluding scenes were briskly shown without pulling the audience through cliched sequences.

The dialogues are appropriately funny and touching. Many acting talents in this movie have fresh faces and their performances are equally fresh. Sourav Babu, Sri Raj, Dattanna, Padma Kumta and Yajna Shetty have performed so well that it does not look like acting at all. The expression that go through Yajna Shetty and Sri Raj's faces, when they do text-chat for the first time is arresting. The scenes towards the end involving Dattanna, Padma Kumta and Yajna is stunning to say the least. And to top it of all, do not miss Jaggesh and Komal dancing through the streets of downtown Chicago.

This movie brings in a freshness to Kannada films that is very welcome. Not only that, it shows that life is both sweet and bitter and the movie ends with a very powerful message.

Gulabi Talkiesu (Kannada Movie 2008)

Title: Gulabi Talkiesu (Kannada 2008)
Story: Vaidehi
Director: Girish Kasaravalli
Starring: Umashree, MD Pallavi
Awards: State Awards for Best Movie & Best Director.
National and State Award for Best actress (Umashree)



Gulabi Talkiesu tells the story of Gulabi a burkha clad Muslim woman in the fishing community in the western coastal region of Karnataka. Gulabi is a very useful member in her community since she is a midwife and helps out by delivering babies. As a result she is greatly needed by the community which has both Hindus and Muslims. Gulabi is fond of movies and she never misses an opportunity to watch a movie in the theatres. She enjoys the magical and dreamy experience provided by the movies.

One day she helps in delivering the baby of a local women and as a token of gratitude the woman lets Gulabi have her TV. And she also helps in setting up a dish antenna on the sea shores near Gulabi’s house (which is almost a hut). This changes Gulabi’s life. Not only does she start watching and enjoying the serials and movies that appear on the TV, but she also attracts the women folk from her fishing community to her own movie house. Both Hindu and Muslim women start gathering in her home to watch the TV. Hence the name ‘Gulabi Talkies’, talkies being a colloquial name for a movie theatre in India. This starts a whole chain of events including some domestic altercations in some of the families.

In the background there is also the story involving the livelihood of the community, namely fishing. The community has been working together and sharing the fishing resource equitably until the arrival of Suleman Barri who is rumored to be rich with gulf money and owns a big fishing boat. He upsets the ecosystem by fishing beyond his fair share and thus starts eating into the livelihood of the local fisherman. He also steals the employees from established locals. The other fisherman are unable to stop Suleman Barri. The issue soon takes on a communal tone. The ongoing Kargil war between India and Pakistan becomes an excuse for the ill-treatment of Gulabi and other members of the Muslim community.

This is the backdrop on which the story proceeds. The movie is based on the story written by prominent Kannada writer Vaidehi. It is a great education for those who are not familiar with the western coastal region, its society and its fishing trade. In addition one gets to hear dialogues spoken in the charming local Kannada dialect which is the common language spoken by both the Hindus and the Muslims.

Umashree’s performance as Gulabi is adorable. She rightfully received the National and State awards for best actress for her performance. Others in the cast including M D Pallavi give very natural performances. I felt I was seeing real people of the western coast and not actors.

Girish Kasaravalli who is known for his directorial abilities gives this movie a feel of authenticity and captivates the audience with a very interesting narration. The locales are beautifully captured. The movie brings home the fact that vested and political interests whip communal feelings and sow discord among the members to advance their personal interests.