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When Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali was released on September 5, it met with push back from some critics who felt that perhaps Rakshit Shetty the producer let director Chandrajith Belliappa indulge too much in his idiosyncrasies.
To be fair to them, the film is perched precariously on a string of wispy verses and hipster-ish dreams. A tony restaurant that could sell its signature dishes for Rs 20 is one among the many progressive ideas floated by Chandrajith Belliappa in his film.
First full-length feature film
But perhaps the confidence with which he anchors these alternative viewpoints despite this being his first full-length feature film made it possible for the film to be steered into a more popular zone.
Qualities I have within and qualities I believe in probably did seep into the film subconsciously, but there was no push to preach, insisted Chandrajith Belliappa.
Incidentally, Chandrajith Belliappa debuted as director with one of the seven anthologies in Katha Sangama in 2019, made as a tribute to filmmaker Puttana Kanagal and produced by another giant of the Kannada film industry, Rishab Shetty.
Chandrajith Belliapa admits that he did wear his heart on his sleeve for Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali.
Since it is a love story, some specific qualities that I may be looking for in the partner that I want to spend my life with may have coloured the girl's character. The way I want to treat her defined the character of the male lead, Belliappa told PTI.
Wispy or not, more than a month later, when most Kannada films wrap up after one week in theatres, Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali is still going strong, proving critics wrong.
It also proved that the magic of propping up everyday emotions at a larger-than-life scale, thus transporting us to a world far away from our mundane worries, still mesmerises people.
To his credit, Chandrajith Belliappa has not simply plucked these 90s trends and staged them out of context in his film.
The iconic advertisement
Case in point is his handling of his adoration of the iconic 1994 Cadbury advertisement, which turned a chocolate bar into a symbol of celebration when a girl broke into an ecstatic jig during a cricket match, inspiring many with its powerful storytelling. Chandrajith Belliappa is obviously one of the advert's biggest fans.
But when he stages the sequence in his film, he sets his own compelling context thus arming what could have been a would-have-been moment' with emotions so powerful that the climax transcends its cliche trap.
Looking back, I realise that I should approach certain scenes differently. There are a few scenes where emotions had to land, but it didn't land strong enough, I would want to work on that aspect. But I would not want to change anything about the pacing of the film, because this story had to breathe in a certain way, said Chandrajith Belliappa.
The context of changing times and awareness is also reflected in the simple choices that his characters make in the film.
What worked in the 1990s romanticising of stalking, for instance are being increasingly called out in our times.
In a nod to these changing ideologies, despite adhering to the classic '90s template, ITI' male lead steps back when the heroine expresses her discomfort of his pursuance.
To move the story forward, Chandrajith Belliappa fast forwards his setting by a couple of years and introduces a chance meeting.
Throughout the film, we see such powerful messaging.
But Chandrajith Belliappa said these were not intentional.
It was something that came from within organically. Maybe, it is something to do with the way I lived my life, the kind of books that I read and the kind of people that I surround myself with, said Chandrajith Belliappa.
That people took a particular note of these instances shows how far we must go as a society, added Chandrajith Belliappa.
Tell me, why should choosing to set the story amid a women's football match be appreciated especially for that? I did it because, why not? The moment you try to treat it specially, then you are drawing lines. Only the day these kinds of distinctions stop, the real progression comes, said Chandrajith Belliappa.
For him though, said the director, changing society is not the end goal. It is about telling the world the stories that move him and make it as visceral an experience as possible, no matter what the genre is.
In fact, I don't want to slot myself in any bracket. If at all, I consider myself as old school, my cinema grammar aligns with how we used to treat cinema in the olden days, added Chandrajith Belliappa.
He is also aware that luck was on his side.
Simply put, I was in the right place at the right time. I was fortunate to have Rakshit Shetty handholding me, said Chandrajith Belliappa.
ALSO READ: Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali Movie Review: If You Believe In The Magic Of Love, Then Do Not Miss This Fine Wine Of A Film
The Seven Odds
A full-time writer and a part of Rakshit Shetty's famed The Seven Odds writing team since 2016, Chandrajith Belliappa has been associated with other Paramvah Studios' successful projects like Kirik Party and Avane Srimannarayana.
I don't know if the industry welcomes us with red carpet. But the Paramavah ecosystem offers a lot to learn as a filmmaker, added Chandrajith Belliappa.
The fact that Paramvah was willing to bet Rs 8 crore on a film that the audience may not embrace right away, is something that he will forever be grateful for, said Chandrajith Belliappa.
I guess the hustle will always be there, but. Probably for the next film, with the goodwill we earned now, it will become a bit easier. If you ask me, the hustle must be there. Only then you will tune into yourself and emerge with determination, he said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxX1mzjTOsY