Wikipedia

Gantumoote

Gantumoote (transl. Baggage) is a 2019 Indian Kannada language coming of age drama film written and directed by Roopa Rao and produced by Rao and Sahadev Kelvadi. Having previously directed short films and web series', this is Rao's debut feature film.[1] Set in the 90s in Bangalore, this film follows the life of Meera, a high school teenager and her first tryst with love and the story that ensues.[2] It had its world premiere in New York Indian Film Festival on May 11, 2019, and later released in India on October 18, 2019, and in USA on November 8, 2019.[3]

Gantumoote
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRoopa Rao
Written byRoopa Rao
Produced byRoopa Rao
Sahadev Kelvadi
StarringTeju Belawadi
Nischith Korodi
CinematographySahadev Kelvadi
Edited byPradeep Nayak
Music byAparajith Sris
Production
company
Ameyukti Studios
Release date
  • 18 October 2019 (2019-10-18)
Running time
1:55:00
CountryIndia
LanguageKannada

Gantumoote won the Best Screenplay Award at the New York Indian Film Festival, being the first Kannada film to do so.[4][5] It received critical acclaim upon release.

Plot

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An intense coming off age, high school drama set in Bangalore in the 1990s (Pre-Internet Era). A relatable story of a sixteen-year-old girl and her subtle journey from the life that she thinks exists just like in the movies to the actual life that unravels to her. A tale of struggles with understanding herself, the changing world, educational pressures, bullying, competition over marks – all of it wrapped up in transcending journey of first love.

Cast

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  • Teju Belawadi as Meera Deshpande
    • Yukti as young Meera
  • Nischith Korodi as Madhu
  • Bhargav Raju as Dheeraj
  • Sharath Gowda as Raju
  • Spoorthi Gumaste as Rashmi
  • Anushree Kashyap as Sajida
  • Sri Ranga Kothur as Babu
  • Chandana. M. Rao as Jyothi
  • Varsha as Sowmya
  • Shreya Hiremath as Madhu's sister
  • Kashyap as Abdul
  • Akshay Prasad as Mohan
  • Surya Vasishta as the Math teacher
  • Prathima Vajra as the English teacher
  • Pruthwi Banawasi as the principal
  • Chandrashekar as Madhu's father
  • Satish Kumar as the auto rickshaw driver
  • Namith Gowda as Prajwal
  • Roopa Rao in a cameo appearance

Soundtrack

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The soundtrack and background score was scored by Aparajith Sris, and the audio was released on 23 September 2019. The music was recorded and produced at KrishT Inn Tunes in Bangalore, and mixed and mastered at Tarang Studio. The backing vocals were given by Sri's, Deepak Seth, Eesha Suchi and Surabhi Soman.[6]

Tracklist
No.TitleLyricsArtist(s)Length
1."Beesuva Gaaliyu Ninnusirane"Kavya SriGurupriya4:06
2."Naavu Hadinaaru Namadashte Kaarubaru"Roopa RaoGunzilla (Shivarjun)3:30
3."Ee Dharani Naachide Pasham"Kavya SriRakesh Kumar, Shruthi G. Rao3:30
4."Nanage Neene Geleya"Roopa RaoChirantan Bhabhra, Aparajith Sris4:48
5."Chellidaru Malligeya"FolkloreShivamurty .M, Mahesh (Chilakawadi)6:20
Total length:22:17

Reception

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Gantumoote received positive reviews from critics.

Karthik Hebbar of The Hindu called it "a precious gem", further appreciating it by remarking "the real beauty of the film though is in the narrative. The unabashed, unapologetic journey of a girl finding passion and exploring it without inhibition. The camera here gazes at the male body through the female gaze. It is her stare, her pursuit and her passion in play here. The cinema understands and disrobes the real world through this very unique feminine gaze..."[7]

Baradwaj Rangan of Film Companion called it "exquisitely directed and enacted" and praised the director, saying that "Rao manages something very difficult. She holds a series of moods throughout, and the places she chooses to linger on are unusual. She is more interested in character than event, and she practically holds up an X-ray of Meera’s soul. Her framing is unfussy, and yet, there’s quiet beauty in the images of, say, Meera and Madhu against the backdrop of a stone wall. These are little snatches of visual poetry, as is Teju Belawadi’s face."[8]

Theres Sudeep of Deccan Herald said, Gantumoote is a must-watch. It is not every day that you see a film getting a standing ovation as the end credits roll. Gantumoote is such a film."[9]

A Shraddhaa of New Indian Express said the film "does justice to the film’s tag line —baggage — and comes with its own sets of emotions and nostalgia, which take the audience to the good old days." and reviewed, "The subject of innocence and romance requires a certain dose of boldness to be portrayed on screen, especially in Sandalwood, since there are only a few movies that have crossed the limit to project the feelings in a natural manner. Given an A certificate by the censor board, Roopa Rao’s romantic tale, Gantumoote, does cross the conventional barriers, and kisses and cuddles become an innocent part of the story, never becoming vulgar."[10]

Harish Mallya of The News Minute called it, "a rare gem in Kannada cinema [...] Though it looks like a school romance story at the onset, the treatment is very fresh and unique for Kannada cinema." He further noted, "The challenge in making a film like this is that you do not have anything new that can be told. It should turn out to be a collection of experiences. Watching the film, it clearly shows how carefully the team has chosen the moments and has captured those in the most realistic manner, devoid of any glorification and glamour. The charm lies in the simplicity which is apparent all over the film."[11]

Festival Selections

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Nominations and awards

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  • Nomination: Best Film in Critics Choice awards 2020 (Mumbai)
  • Nomination: Best Film Critics awards 2020 (Karnataka)
  • Best Screenplay: NYIFF 2019
  • Nomination: Best Film in OIIFA 2019
  • Finalist: International Women Film Festival 2019
  • Nomination: Best Debut Director- Telugu (South Indian International Movie Awards)

Accolades

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Gantumoote created history by becoming the first ever Kannada film to win the Best Screenplay Award at the New York Indian Film Festival.[12]

References

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  1. ^ S, Srivatsan (21 April 2020). "10 regional south Indian gems you can watch on Netflix and Amazon Prime: 'Gantumoote' to 'Ee Ma Yau'". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  2. ^ Gantumoote, archived from the original on 10 December 2019, retrieved 19 May 2020
  3. ^ Gantumoote (2019) - IMDb, archived from the original on 26 August 2024, retrieved 19 May 2020
  4. ^ "Why Kannada film Gantumoote should be on your must-watch list". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  5. ^ "Award for Best Screenplay at NYIFF 2019 | Gantumoote | Ameyukti Studios". YouTube. Archived from the original on 26 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Gantumoote (Kannada) - Official Jukebox | Teju Belawadi, Nischith | Roopa Rao | Aparajith Sris". Youtube. Archived from the original on 26 August 2024.
  7. ^ Hebbar, Karthik (31 October 2019). "'Gantumoote': This Kannada coming-of-age film is a precious gem". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 19 December 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  8. ^ "Gantumoote Movie Review By Baradwaj Rangan". Film Companion. 25 October 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  9. ^ "Movie review: 'Gantumoote' is a must-watch". Deccan Herald. 22 October 2019. Archived from the original on 26 August 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  10. ^ "'Gantumoote' review: Roopa Rao's film is a baggage of romance and innocence". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 21 September 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  11. ^ "'Gantumoote': Why this small Kannada film must get its due recognition". www.thenewsminute.com. 20 October 2019. Archived from the original on 20 October 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  12. ^ "Gantumoote wins Best Screenplay Award in New York - Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
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