Allama Prabhu’s vachana inspires a film on movement

Visual artist-turned-filmmaker Babu Eshwar Prasad’s sophomore film ‘Hariva Nadige Maiyella Kaalu’ (A Running River Is All Legs)  is a musing on the act of ‘walking’ which stays virtually true to its title.

The film, which runs for 92 minutes, is a meditation on the act of ‘motion’ that juxtaposes the paradox of human lives. Babu explores this theme of the film through three principal characters — Kumar (played by Shrunga B V), a photojournalist disenchanted with his regular job; Neelu (Menaka Neotia), a salesgirl in a shoe shop with a set routine; and Amaresha (M N Swamy, also film’s editor), an elderly prisoner, finding ways to overcome his solitude. 

These visibly different characters never get to meet each other, but the routineness of their lives, and the way they seek to confront their stillness connect them together.

The film’s title comes from a Vachana of 12th century poet-philosopher Allama Prabhu. “This line from the Vachana ‘Hariva Nadige Maiyella Kaalu’ is a loaded line that encapsulates everything I wanted to say in the film,” said Babu, who screened the film in Bangalore International Centre to a packed house recently.

Except Shrunga, who is a theatre and film actor, rest of the characters are portrayed by non-actors. Authors Chandan Gowda and Sugata Srinivasaraju played interesting cameos in the film. “I like to work with non-professionals because they are natural and resonate with my characters more,” said Babu. 

Cinematographer B R Viswanath’s camera finesse complements Babu’s thoughts. Though the film is about the act of ‘motion’, we hardly find any moving shots. But the still shots highlight the striking juxtaposition of paradox. There is no music as the silence greatly adds to the meditative nature of the film. “The soundscape works as music. In some places, I used natural sounds as music,” Babu clarifies.

Along with human characters, the locations such as KGF’s Cyanide hill, Shettihalli Church, Bababudan hill etc also play an important role in the film. “My three-decade experience with landscape influenced me to use it as the central image in both my films,” Babu noted.

Along with the study of movement, the film is also a meditation of human sufferings and the unrecognised violence of everyday life. There are many legs shown in the film and each represent a layer of our complicated life and there are way too many of that.

*The film will be screened at the National Gallery of Modern Art at 5 pm on December 3.