The 15-minute short film Darshana revolves around the concept of Lord Shiva, and hence, a special screening was arranged for the media on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri. Actor and former minister Kumar Bangarappa’s son, Arjun Bangarappa, has stepped into the world of cinema by producing this film, just like his father. His friend Nithish Vinay Raj has taken on the responsibility of writing and directing the film.
The story follows an atheist young man who, while riding a Bullet motorcycle through a forest road at night, encounters a group of miscreants. At that moment, an unknown man rescues him and forcefully takes him to a temple. The next day, when he revisits the same place with a friend, the mysterious man is nowhere to be found. Realizing that it was divine intervention, he surrenders himself before the Shiva Linga, offering a heartfelt prostration, marking the film’s conclusion.
Speaking about the project, the director shared that after completing engineering, he narrated a one-liner to Arjun, who was so impressed that he immediately decided to fund the film. The film conveys the idea that even if one doesn’t believe in God, performing good deeds in life ensures divine protection in some form. Darshana has already won awards at film festivals in Pune, Mumbai, and Aurangabad. It was also selected among the top 100 short films at the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy competition, out of 6,000 entries. The film, though a short one, has been made with the grandeur of a full-length feature. The scene where a Shiva devotee opens his eyes underwater took six hours to capture, shared Nithish Vinay Raj, recalling his filmmaking experience.
Lavanya Bangarappa, speaking on behalf of her brother, mentioned, “Since my brother is out of town, I am here. Our family has always been involved in the film industry, and we are continuing that legacy. He is preparing to act in films in the future. This short film was made to understand everything that happens behind the scenes.”
The cast includes Shlok Sahni, Sridhan, Chetan S., Manoj Gowda, Dattanna, Sai Sudarshan, Kundar P.S., Alen, and Gagan Gowda. The film features music by Harshavardhan Raj, cinematography by Harshith B. Gowda, editing by Deepak C.S., and action choreography by Ravi. Darshana is available for viewing on the Renukamba YouTube channel.
