Mungaru Male

Mungaru Male
File:Mungaru Male.jpg
Directed by	Yograj Bhat
Produced by	E Krishnappa
Music by	Mano Murthy
Release dates	29 December, 2006
Running time	137 mins
Sprache	Kannada

Mungaru Male (Kannada: ಮುಂಗಾರು ಮಳೆ) (literal translation - Monsoon Rain, Southwest Monsoon in terms of Meteorology) is a Kannada language movie directed by Yograj Bhat featuring Ganesh, Sanjana Gandhi, and Anant Nag in leading roles. The movie is arguably one of the biggest hits in South Indian cinema with box office earnings crossing Rs 40 Crores at the end of six months after its release.

General background

Director Yograj Bhat had earlier dabbled in advertising and corporate films. His previous ventures Mani, starring Mayur and Radhika and Ranga S.S.L.C., starring Sudeep Sanjeev sank at the box office. Disappointed, he began working on the script of Mungaru Male [1]. He had narrated the script to Puneeth Rajkumar who rejected it [2]. "Comedy Time" Ganesh, whose first film Chellata was a moderate success, liked the script and introduced Yograj Bhat to producer E.Krishnappa. Krishnappa agreed to fund the movie. Since Yograj Bhat couldn't get dates from Kannada actress, he signed a relatively unknown actress Sanjana Gandhi.

The film's lyrics was penned by Jayanth Kaikini and music was composed by part-time music director Mano Murthy.

Plot

File:Mungaru2.jpg

A still from song anisuthide yaako indhu

The protagonist Preetam (Ganesh), is a rich, aimless spoilt brat. On a visit to M G Road amidst a heavy wind, he spots a pretty girl, Nandini (Sanjana Gandhi). Whilst staring at her, he inadvertently falls into a manhole. Nandini rescues him from the pit; but in the process loses her heart-shaped watch she had just bought.

Even before Preetam could get acquainted with Nandini, she leaves the place in her car with her friend. Desperate to meet her, he visit the shop to find her address where she had purchased the watch, but in vain returns. He calls up the local FM Radio Mirchi and requests the RJ to notify his lady-love to reach the pit. Before Nandini reaches the spot, he is taken away by his father.

In the meantime Preetam's mother requests him to accompany her to Madikeri to attend a function. Along the way, he discusses his crush with his mother. Suddenly, Preetam's car had a flat tire. While fixing the tire, a lorry spatters water on Preetam's face. He again spots Nandini, travelling in a car, who throws him a hanky and indicates to him to wipe his dirty face. Preetham follows the flying hanky, which lands with Jaanu.

Jaanu [Neenaasam Ashwath], whose been following Nandini, beats up Preetham thinking that he is in love with Nandini. Preetham, unaware that Jaanu has vowed not to allow any one near Nandini, trashes Jaanu and his gang in return.

In Madikeri, Preetam meets Nandini(Nandu) unexpectedly. He identifies himself and expresses his love towards her and offers to tie the watch as an indication for their marriage. Nandini, who is already engaged rejects his request. Still, Preetam vows to marry Nandini if she meets him again.

In the meantime, Preetam discovers that his host in Madikeri, Col. Subbayya (Anant Nag) is Nandini's father, who is pretty much deaf and Nandini's marriage is a just a week away. Dejected, Preetham throws Nandini's heart-shaped watch away and is on his way home to Bangalore. But Nandini calls him over the phone and taunts him to return. Delighted, Preetham goes in search of her watch and brings it back. While searching it, he spots a rabbit, which he calls as Devadas and brings it along with him.

Preetham returns in a hope to impress Nandu's family and convince them in giving Nandu's hand to him in marriage. He gets attached to Col. Subbaiah. He becomes more friendly with her father & mother with his peppy dialogues. He even throws pranks on Subbiah when he is not wearing the hearing aid. This irritates Nandu a lot.

File:Mungaru5.jpg

A still from song kunidu kunidu

Nandini's friends from Mumbai are arriving for marriage and Preetham takes Nandini to the railway station. While talking they didn't initially notice that Devadasa is missing. When they noticed, Devadas is on the railway track and a speeding train is coming. Preetham risks his life and saves Devadas. This impresses Nandini, who had till now only thought lowly of Preetham.

The train from Mumbai is delayed by five hours and Subbayya had mentioned to Nandini to visit the near-by hill-temple. There's a unique tradition on the temple, that women should be carried by their fathers or husbands.

Preetham, unaware that Subbayya had promised Nandini that anytime she visits the temple, her husband would carry her, lifts her and climbs the steps of temple.

Once back from the temple, they go near a river, when its starts raining. An old couple near-by takes both Preetham and Nandini inside their hut and offer them warm clothes and warm-drinks.

The old-man persuades Preetham to drink, so as to escape from the chill & cold weather. Preetham says he's a good-boy and wouldn't drink, though he is in two minds. Nandini changes into a make-good dress , given by the old-lady of the hut. She offers Preetham a cool-drink. Preetham, when he sees Nandini is that attire, is caught by emotions. That is when the old-man jokes saying many years ago, he too had came to this hut and was bewitched by the old-lady's charms.

Preetham, who was in two minds about expressing his love to Nandini, can no longer control his feelings. He grabs the whole bag of alcohol, go out in rain and starts drinking. In a pure cinematic moment, he dreams of singing and pleading to Nandini. However, when Nandini walks towards him, offering an umbrella, he is under a state of intoxication and tells Nandini that he'd better stay away from Nandini to remain a 'decent Boy", rather than to propose to or elope away with her.

He's drunk and can't drive. Nandini drives back with Preetham in the car thinking deeply about Preetham.

Nandini is now in-love with Preetham and is in a dilemma as its her wedding in a few days. Preetham then prepares to elope with Nandini. Nandini requests him to take her to the top of Jog Falls. She expresses her love towards Preetam, standing at the edge of the waterfall. Preetham then ties her the heart-shaped watch and vows that he'll never leave her hand.

Preetham mentions to his mother that the girl whom he was searching from Bangalore was Nandini and he is in love with her. His mother slaps him, advices not to create problems in Nandini's life and her family. By this time Nandini's mother senses that she in love with someone else and is planning to elope on the marriage day. She asks Preetham to help

File:Mungaru8.jpg

A still from song kunidu kunidu

Preetham, still hell-bent on marrying Nandini, takes her father, Subbayya for a morning jog to discuss his marriage with Nandini. But Subbayya has a heart ailment, and tells Preetham that he's expected to die anytime and his only aim in life is to get Nandini married off to Gautam. He asks Preetham to help him in reaching his goal. Preetham promises that he will be there for him. Preetham also learns that Subbayya's life was saved by Gautam (Digant) and Subbayya had promised Gautam to give Nandini's hand in marriage.

Now heart-broken and bound by the promise he made to Subbayya, Preetham stays aloof from Nandini, avoiding her whenever he meets her. This provokes a shocked Nandini to question him. In an effort to ensure Nandini hates him, he answers her that he's not enthusiastic to marry a girl, whose is ready to run away with someone, when her marriage is within a week. Feeling cheated, Nandini slaps him hard and rushes back to her room.

On the night before the marriage, Preetham sensing trouble if he stays with the marriage party and drives away from the house without taking Devadas. He then starts drinking the whole night in a road-side bar.

He finds a man, asking the bar-owner for directions to Subbayya's home, introducing himself as Gautham. Dejected Preetham ignores the conversation. When Jaanu tries to kill Gautham, Preetham saves Gautham. Preetham then convinces Jaanu that only Gautham is the best person to marry Nandini.

Next day, he drops Gautham to the marriage house, just in time for the marriage. He then declines to attend Gautham's marriage. Goutham asks for the heart-shaped watch as a remembrance but Preetham does not agree to give it. Preetham then leaves.

Meanwhile, on the wedding day everyone is searching for Preetham, but he is nowhere to be found. His mother is the only one who know the truth about his love, and is worried of his whereabouts, but does not show her worry.

With a sigh in his eyes, Preetham watches the arch proclaiming "Gautham weds Nandini". As he is leaving, he spots Devdas and takes it with him. He drives towards Bangalore, all the while expressing his disappointment to Devadas, only to find that Devdasa is dead.

In a cinematic finish, Preetham buries Devadas on the top of Jog-Falls, while Gautham is shown marrying Nandini as per Kodava customs.

The film ends proclaiming "Preeti Madhura, Tyaaga Amara" (Love is sweet, Sacrifice is eternal).

Cast

"Comedy Time" Ganesh - Preetam

Sanjana Gandhi - Nandini

Ananth Nag - Colonel Subbayya

Sudha Belwadi - Kamala

Padmaja Rao - Bablee

Diganth - Gautam

Neenasam Ashwath - Jaanu

Crew

Director - Yograj Bhat

Producer - E. Krishnappa

Cinematography - Krishna

Editing - Deepu S. Kumar

Story - Preetham Gubbi

Dialogues - Yograj Bhat/Preetham Gubbi

Lyrics - Jayanth Kaikini, Yograj Bhat, Kaviraj, Shiva

Choreography- Harsha

Art - Ismail

Music - Mano Murthy

Singers - Sonu Nigam, Udit Narayan, Hemanth Kumar, Kunal Ganjawala, Shreya Ghosal, Priya Hemesh, Stephen & Sunidhi Chauhan.

Shooting Locations

The film was mainly shot during the rainy season, especially in places like Sakaleshpura, Jog falls and Gadag.

Songs

Untitled

SL.No	Song	Artist
1	Onde Ondu Sari	Kunal Ganjawala, Priya Hemesh.
2	Mungaru Maleye	Sonu Nigam.
3	Kunidu Kunidu Baare	Udit Narayan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Stephen.
4	Anisuthide	Sonu Nigam.
5	Suvvi Suvvali	Hemanth Kumar.
6	Ivanu Geleyanalla	Shreya Goshal. (Tune similar to Mungaru Maleye)
7	Araluthiru	Shreya Goshal. (Tune similar to Anisuthide).

The songs lyrics are well written and have a poetic touch with them. Jayanth Kaikini and others have done a splendid job in scripting those. Mano Murthy is superb with the music. Almost all the songs are chartbusters and topping lists for almost a year and will remain as one of everlasting musical bonanza in the time to come. The songs are shot at scenic locations of Malenadu and Kodagu.The historic scene from song Kunidu Kunidu top of Jog falls add to the majesty of the song.

• Lyrics: Kaviraj, Yograj Bhat, Jayanth Kaikini, Shiva
• Music: Mano Murthy

Reception

Box Office

The film opened to a good response among the audiences and is on a record breaking spree. The film completed 100 days in 108 cinema halls all over Karnataka. In remaining parts of Karnataka it is shown 504 times a day ever since the release. The film is expected to garner Rs. 60 crores (US $12million) at the box office. The film also been released with 150 prints all over Karnataka . It is the only film that is running to packed houses on weekdays in PVR Multiplex . The remake rights of the movie were acquired by Mr Suryaprakash Rao of SP Entertainers India Private Limited for Rs. 1.5 crores for Tamil and Telugu combined. Mungaaru Male has finished 175 days and is still running houseful, is even the most successful Kannada film till date beating the earlier money-spinner Jogi. It is running to packed houses in more than 25 centres, surpassing 100 days. The film's earning has crossed 50 Crores.

Reviews and critiques

The film received lukewarm to average reviews. Rediff.com awarded three-star (meant quite good) rating and praised its cinematography, technical values and acting only of Ganesh and Anant Naag, but opined that the story was flawed.Nowrunning.com felt that the film lacked a credible story line and gave too much importance to music and song picturisation. Kannada portal Thatskannada.com praised the film for its content, narration and usage of rain as a metaphor for love. Indicine.com[3] gave it Four stars.

This film caught the fancy of all in Bangalore and around. Huge crowds of Tamil and Telugu speaking people watched and enjoy the movie everyday making it one of the rare Kannada films to be appreciated by one and all in the Post Raj Kumar era.

Awards

The film has been won the best Kannada film award for the year 2006-07 given by Government of Karnataka.

Trivia

• Bhat's earlier ventures Mani and Ranga SSLC sank at the box office,

• Ganesh, was involved in the script making stage and was curious to act in the movie. He got the director Bhat to meet his acquaintance E Krishnappa. Since Krishnappa knew Ganesh (both hailed from Adakamaranahalli, Nelamangala), he agreed to finance the film.

• Anisutide Yako Indu, the most popular song in the movie was composed and written through to and forth SMS co-ordination between music director Manomurthy and lyricist Jayanth Kaikini. Manomurthy is a resident of California whereas Jayanth Kaikini stays in Bengaluru. While the crew was busy shooting in Byakrolli, near Sakaleshapur, Jayanth was touring North Karnataka. Per requests by Yogaraj Bhat to improvise the lyric, there arose need for SMS exchanges.

• This is Ganesh's second film as a hero, the first being Chellaata, which was a moderate success.

• E Krishnappa also proposed the title Mungaaru Male. In fact, Krishnappa thought Mungaaru Male was an idiom used by farmers and would jell with the subject.

• The making of Mungaaru Male was published in the Kannada weekly magazine Sudha. Written by Yogaraj Bhat, it caught popular imagination.

• Krishna, the camera man was a part-time photographer, prior to the film. His camera work was praised by one and all and is considered as the highlight of the film.

• The success of the movie and the enormous cash surplus generated by the movie, caught attention of I.T authorities and it was reported that IT Department raided the producers offices.

• The script writer of the movie Preetham Gubbi has announced the movie Mungaru Male-2, causing chagrin to the producer E. Krishnappa over using the title.