Films in other languages dubbed into Kannada are all set to hit the screens. Earlier attempts to release Tamil films dubbed into Kannada failed because of the protests by anti-dubbing activists. Things have changed now with Friday’s release of Commando, which is Ajit’s Vivegam dubbed into Kannada. The 2017 Tamil action thriller was written and directed by Siva with Vivek Oberoi, Kajal Aggarwal and Akshara Hassan.
In last March a feeble attempt was made to release Satyadeve IPS, a dubbed Kannada version of Ajit’s 2015 box office hit Yennai Arindhaal. Though attempt succeeded in few taluk headquarters, the film could not be released in Bengaluru. The release of Commando is significant because Kannada film industry had so far refused to allow dubbing of other language films into Kannada.
The Kannada film industry lost a prolonged legal battle in 2014 at the Competition Commission of India and had to allow the screening of dubbed films. However, the release of dubbed Kannada films was stopped following the protest by Kannada activists, especially Kannada Okkuta, an umbrella body of Kannada organisations led by Vatal Nagaraj and film producer and Kannada activist Sa Ra Govindu.
There was an attempt to release Dheera, a Kannada version of Ajit’s Aarambham. The move of the pro-dubbing lobby was supported by Kannada Film Chamber of Commerce, a parallel body of Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce but it met the same fate like Satyadev IPS.
Enthused by the recent attempts to release dubbed Kannada versions of other language entertainment products, Harivu Creations dared to release Commando.
The attempts to usher dubbed entertainment content from other languages into Kannada began with pro-dubbing activists writing to the management of all Kannada entertainment channels asking them to air dubbed serials, films and other content. With most of Kannada entertainment channels today being part of larger network of national entertainment channels, the Kannada entertainment industry had apprehensions over dubbed teleserials. They feared that the development would impact the ailing Kannada entertainment industry with workers, artistes and technicians losing their jobs.
Kannada Grahakara Okkuta, an organisation propagating the need of making quality entertainment content in other languages available to Kannada audience was at the forefront of the legal battle to allow dubbed content in Kannada. The organisation wrote the letter to television heads and also quoted the judgements of the Competition Commission of India and Supreme Court that said there can be no ban on dubbing.
There has been an unofficial ban on dubbed content in Kannada for many decades as a protectionist measure in favour of the local industry. However, industry bodies such as Karnataka Artistes, Technicians, Workers Federation (KATWF) and Karnataka Television Association feared such a move will be misused by national television networks to ‘dump’ dubbed content and save expenditure by discontinuing production of local content.
Some filmmakers, who are opposing dubbing tooth and nail, have billed dubbing a cultural issue. When a channel began airing Hindi serial dubbed into Kannada in 2011, activists and artistes barged into the office of the entertainment channel and protested.
Recently Kannada Grahakara Okkuta began a Twitter campaign appealing to people to tweet with the hashtag #MowgliInKannada demanding the Hollywood film be dubbed into Kannada. The Bharatiya Janata Party has expressed support for dubbing.
A few days ago Banavasi Balaga demanded that the classic soap opera Malgudi Days by late Shankar Nag in Hindi in the 80s which was aired by Doordarshan be dubbed into Kannada. Again this Kannada organisation took to social media with the hashtag #MalgudiDaysInKannada. The organisation cited dubbing of Malgudi Days in Telugu, Marathi and Bengali, besides few other languages. The social media campaign got support from Shankar Nag’s Fans’ Association. Noted actor Ramesh Bhat, Associate Director of the serial in the 80s vehemently opposed the move and said the serial should not be dubbed into Kannada on principle. It is better to reproduce the serial with Kannada actors and crew.
The Kannada entertainment industry fears that the success of Commando will open the doors to sub-standard serials and films in Kannada. Though Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) cannot oppose the move openly fearing legal hurdles, it is making every attempt to throttle the idea.