Title – Veera Kambala, Producers – Arun Rai Thodar, Dr. Vinitha Vijaya Kumar Reddy (AR Productions), Direction – S. V. Rajendra Singh Babu, Cinematography – R. Giri, Music – Kadri Manikanth, Cast – Adithya, Prakash Rai, Ravishankar, Radhika Chethan, Naveen D. Padil, Gopinath Bhat, Bojaraj Vamanjoor, Usha Bhandary, Veena Ponnappa, Geetha Surathkal, Swaraj Shetty, Divya, Srinivas Gowda and others.
Whenever the stalwart director of national repute S. V. Rajendra Singh Babu takes up direction, it is obvious that there will be something special. This film, Veera Kambala, made in Kannada and Tulu, is also very special because no one has delved into the deeper roots of the divine aspects of the people of Tulu Nadu — the celebration of Kambala, which is a part of their life and culture.
With over 50 years of experience in cinema direction, S. V. Rajendra Singh Babu’s strong visualization is seen in many parts in this film. The entry of a don, in fact, shifts the interest of the film right at the beginning. The presence of an international-level don at the Kambala festival, guarded by the police commissioner, is unexpected from such a stalwart director. However, the emotional content of Veera Kambala is very interesting. The deft direction of the reputed director is seen at many places, and the entry of a few characters is well presented.
The 700-year history of the Kambala celebration, which is part of the culture of the Dakshina Kannada region, has been stopped for the last 68 years because of the vengeance between two families — Manjittu Gottha and Miththa Bailu. The Manjittu Gottha family, finding something strange within the family and outside the locality, decides to restart the sacred Kambala.
The real momentum of the film starts here. As the two families adhere to the instructions of a divine personality, political hurdles become a major obstacle to the Kambala celebration. Former MLA Rukmayya brings a stay order on the conduct of Kambala. A court battle follows with the entry of two eminent lawyers played by Prakash Rai and Ravishankar.
Not happy with the judgment, Rukmayya even approaches the Supreme Court, but by then the celebration has been fixed to appease the divine powers. As the buffalo race of Kambala gets ready, we get to see the various details of the event. It is indeed a stiff competition. How this Kambala becomes Veera Kambala and how peace and harmony are restored form the grand theme of this film.
Among all the actors, Adithya, in the role of former don Muthappa Rai, has delivered an exemplary performance. His dialogue delivery and makeup are very appealing. Naveen Padil as Karna is very impressive. The performances of Shobaraj, Gopinath Bhat, Prakash Rai, Ravishankar, Swaraj Shetty, Divya, Geetha, Bhojaraj, Usha Bhandary, and producer Arun Rai Thodar are neat and convincing. The characters of Chandu and Venu (one of them being Srinivas Gowda, the real Kambala racer) have also done a pretty good job.
The preparation of the buffaloes for this film is another new aspect for the audience to learn about. R. Giri’s cinematography is tremendous. The Kambala race is beautifully captured. Music by Manikanth Kadri is another strong factor of this film. The musical scores as well as the background music are very satisfying. This is a film to watch without fail. Kambala is undoubtedly a part of Karnataka’s culture and heritage.
