S.R. Puttana Kanagal

Singaru borrows money from Taradevi, who runs a brothel, and requites her by acquiring prospective clients. Smitten by Parvathy, who has been forced into the flesh trade, Singaru tries to rescue her.

Naik, Palegar and Dalavayee hail from rich families and live a life of pure comfort. Neela challenges them to move to a far-off place and work like normal people with access to few resources.

Life of theater artistes. The Oedipus complex. The tragic life of a quintessential movie heroine. These are some of the themes handled by ace director Puttanna Kanagal with his characteristic finesse in Ranganayaki. Ranganayaki (Arati) is a popular artiste in a drama troupe owned by her father and brother. When a rich young man (Ashok) falls in love with her and wishes to marry her, she reluctantly bids adieu to her profession. A few years later, when Ranganayaki, by a twist of circumstances, dons the role of the heroine in a play for a day, her husband leaves her, taking with him their young son. Ranganayaki returns to the drama troupe. The audience for theater having dwindled, she accepts an offer to act in a movie, and changes her name to Mala. Twenty years later, a good looking young man (Ramakrishna) befriends Mala, who is an established movie heroine and becomes besotted by her. Mala who is now in her forties, feels maternal affection for the young man. As their relationship evolves, the movie industry becomes abuzz with rumours of an affair. Mala has a chance meeting with her estranged husband. While she has remained unmarried despite her stardom, he has remarried and moved on. Mala wishes to meet her son. Her husband is reluctant, since he has not disclosed her identity to their son. The series of incidents that follow set the stage for the tragic end of the quintessential heroine. The movie, ahead of its times, also deals with the Oedipus complex with a finesse characteristic of director Puttanna Kanagal. —Guest

Wealthy, lecherous Zamindar Thakur Vir Pratap Singh lords over a small region in rural India, mercilessly killing anyone who opposes his rule. He gets the male villagers addicted to gambling and sexually molests the female villagers under false pretenses. When the same happen to Sundariya, which results in her losing her mental balance, her two brothers form a gang which includes three other male members from the village to put an end to the tyrannical rule of the Thakur. —gavin (racktoo@hotmail.com) Tyrannical and wealthy Veer Pratap Singh, rules over a small town--ruthlessly. Whoever opposes him is crushed. He is attracted to women and has a lengthy affair with Sundariya, and even has a secret marriage ceremony with her. When Sundariya gets pregnant, he asks her to abort the child. When she refuses, he shuns her and denies ever having married her or even being intimate with her. Her brothers attempt to get justice, but are dealt with ruthlessly by Pratap Singh's bodyguard, Bhima. Sundariya then must garner support and must find someone who can stand up to Veer Pratap Singh and end his tyranny, in a town with men who have been subdued for eons by Veer Pratap Singh and his men. —rAjOo (gunwanti@hotmail.com)

Dharma Sere is a 1979 Indian Kannada film, directed by S R Puttanna Kanagal and produced by Aarathi. The film stars Aarathi, Srinath, Sathyapriya, Sathyabhama, Jayashree, Baby Nandini, Seetharam, Musuri Krishnamurthy, Nanjundaswamy, Pranavamurthy, Kiran, Dwarakanath, Shivaram, Chandrashekar, Jai Jagadish, Yoganarasimha, Vishwanath Rao, Dikki Madhavarao, Sharapanjara Iyengar and Appurao in lead roles. The film had musical score by Upendra Kumar. Watch the full movie, Dharma Sere, online, only on Eros Now.

Katha Sangama is a 1976 Indian anthology film in Kannada. Based on three short stories, Hangu, Atithi, Munithaayi.

Mallammana Pavada is a 1969 Indian Kannada film, directed by S R Puttanna Kanagal and produced by P L Ramanathan. The film stars Dr Rajkumar, B Sarojadevi, Sampath & Balakrishna in the lead roles. The film had musical score by Vijaya Bhaskar. Watch full movie Mallammana Pavada online, only on Eros Now.

Kalanjukittiya Thankam is a 1964 Indian Tamil film, directed by SR Puttanna. The film stars Sathyan, Ambika, Adoor Bhasi and Thikkurissi Sukumaran Nair in lead roles. The film had musical score by G. Devarajan. Watch the full movie, Kalanjukittiya Thankam, only on Eros Now.