When I first saw Dr. K. Ramesh Kamath active on social media about 6 years ago, I had the least imagination that he was the same Ramesh Kamath who had graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, specialising in Sound Recording! There was a reason, and that reason was, Dr. Kamath prefixed the title 'Vastu Yogi' to his name. I don't have the habit of getting too personal with people, or asking directly about their past, but when Dr. Kamath became my friend on Facebook, I slowly developed a doubt that this could be the same Ramesh Kamath whom my brother Krishnakanth had been telling me about, in 1972! Dr. Kamath's wife Kiranmayi Kamath was already in my friend list, and when she asked me one day about the whereabouts of my brother who was a friend of Dr. Kamath in Mysore during his medical studies, I could complete the jigsaw puzzle and be affirmed about who Vastu Yogi Kamath was!
I was overjoyed to have him as my facebook friend for two reasons.
1. In 1972 as soon as I completed SSLC and was thinking about future studies, my brother Krishnakanth told me about the promising job oriented course at FTII Pune, with which his friend Ramesh Kamath had graduated.
2. I was not allowed to join FTII then, but I worked for a Bank for 22 years and in the Eighies when I saw the first Saraswat Konkani film 'Jana Mana' directed by Ramesh Kamath on Doordarshan, I developed great respect for him. He had become a film director from sound recordist already in 1980!
Dr. Kamath also fondly remembered his hey days in the early Seventies when he along with Dr. P. Dayananda Pai the famous Konkani tycoon and philanthropist, had played my late father Kudpi Vasudeva Shenoy's Konkani drama 'Dolyaan Khelu' in Mysore during the Ganesha Festival.
So, my urge to meet Dr. K. Ramesh Kamath(Vastu Yogi) in person multiplied when I interacted with him on Facebook for over 6 years, but we never had a chance to meet in spite of me visiting Bengaluru and him visiting Mangaluru often!
Then one day I received a private message from him, explaining about his plans to make the second and 'last Konkani film of his life', this time with a theme suited for children, a simple story with a message for meaningful living. He also said, name of the movie 'Aa. Vai. Jaa. Saa.' may sound odd, but it had meaning wihin and that is the main theme of the movie. He was already through with the story and script, he had chosen a few actors already and was scheduled for shooting during the end April this year at Udupi, Kallianpur and surrounding places. He also asked me whether I am interested in doing a role, he sought my assistance with media contacts and I assured him the best of my support and also gave him contact addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of those media friends whom I knew personally. That was the least I could do for him or our mother tongue Konkani. Acting part remained a suspense for me, as Dr. Kamath does quick thinking and he went full swing with the shooting schedule as he had planned it, and before I could think or wink, he started updating about the progress of the film shooting, editing, dubbing and other technical aspects!
Well, Dr. Kamath is a dedicated person who leaves no stone unturned when it comes to film making. He employed a good technical crew, camped in and around Udupi and completed the work amazingly faster than expected, using the latest technology, that is Drone camera for aerial shots. He also went for digital editing and mixing, audio dubbing done in Mangaluru and Bengaluru and post processing done entirely in Bengaluru.
When the North American Konkani Convention was held in Atlanta in early July this year, Dr. Kamath had the previlege of screening the preview of the film Aa. Vai. Jaa. Saa. there and he called it World Premier. He was honoured with accolades there by the organisers and the delegates, and his dream of taking Konkani film to global level was thus fulfilled!
What a way to start!
Then the film certification by the censor board was a cakewalk, as the movie had zero violence, no masala, no rape, no fights, no romantic scenes, rather no stereotype scenes that one may expect in Indian Commercial Cinema! This is more like a documentary film with a good message rather than a commercial formula.
Thus Dr. K. Ramesh Kamath's dream came true, and the film was set for release in Mangaluru first. Dr. Kamath booked Bharath Big Cinemas for three free shows on August 9, 10 and 11 apart from a special Grand Premier on August 6. All the shows have been sponsored by Konkani entrepreneurs and philanthropists who always supported any activities undertaken by Konkani scholars.
Dr. Kamath called me and personally invited me over phone, and thus I had the honour and privelege of watching the movie on August 6 as guest at the Grand Premier, and it was also the first time that I met Dr. Kamath in person!
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| Left to right: Dr. Ramesh Kamath, Gopinath Bhat, Kudpi Raj and Kemthur Kamath |
That was more than graduation for me from FTII when those words came from a great scholar Dr. Kamath's mouth, and he was candid in his expression. His broad smile and energy levels amazed me! His simplicity blew me off! One dream of mine to meet my role model was fulfilled. Next remained the herculean task of reviewing his film!
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| With Dr. Ramesh Kamath, Nagendra Rao, Pramod Kamath, Kemthur Kamath and Karthik Shenoy |
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| Dignitaries on the dais before the show began |
Review of Aa. Vai. Jaa. Saa.:
Aa. Vai. Jaa. Saa. is produced by Film India Productions, led by a youngster Ms. Mallika. Film India Productins is a film production company registered at the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce. Though Aa. Vai. Jaa. Saa. is the first Konkani film produced by Film India Productions, Ms. Mallika has the experience of working as production incharge of Kannada films like Prema Kavya, Sanjeyalli Aralida Hoovu and Muttina Pallakki.
Dr. K. Ramesh Kamath, the director of the film is a graduate from FTII Pune, and his earlier Konkani film 'Jana Mana' released in 1980 has won hearts of Konkani critics the world over. That film was also recognised as the first Sarawat Konnkani film produced. After 36 years he has directed the third Konkani film, his second. Second one was 'Ujwaadu' produced by Mitra Media under the partnership of Dhananjaya and Anuradha Padiyar, directed by Kasargodu Chinna which won National Award for a regional language film.
Theme: Theme of the film is simple. It is based on the Four 'S' principles of life, AAdhyatmik(Spiritual), VAIjnanik(Scientific), JAAtyatit(Secular) and SAAmajik(Social). Abbreviations of these four principles for a meaningful living Aa. Vai. Jaa. Saa. complete the title of the movie!
The story revolves around four brilliant, talented students of a school in Kallianpur, Udupi. The school conducts extra-curricular activities from time to time, to make the students all rounders in every respect. The four students, a Hindu, a Muslim, a Christian and a Dalit win a fancy dress competition with their own themes Aadhyatmik, Vaijnanik, Jaatyatit and Saamajik. They are recognised by the patron of the school, Sathya Swami, who has an ashram where he preaches values of life through his own principals 'Aa. Vai. Jaa. Saa.' and he adopts the four children and makes them develop the art of self realisation and serving humanity by using their respective passions combined to bring peace and harmony which is need of the hour in present day uncertainty where people fight among each others in the name of religion, blind belief, hatred, jealousy and misery.
He takes them to his ashram and through a magician explains them the importance of those four principles, quoting examples of noted people who helped build a strong India. He also teaches them to lead the path of tolerance for each others' religion caste and social status. Thus they become role models for their school, and during subsequent picnics they learn many things, they also try and rehabilitate their arrogant or misled parents! How well they succeed in bringing changes in the society using Dr. Kamath's formula inculcating the four 'S' elements Aa. Vai. Jaa. Saa. is to be seen on the big screen to be understood fully.
Cultural arts of undivided Dakshina Kannada district such as Yakshagaana and Puppet Show(Uppinakudru Bombeyaata) have been exhibited in the film. A trip to 'Snehalaya', charitable home for the destitute run by Joseph Cresta has been highlighted. Beauty of nature, forest, sea, beaches and and St Mary's Island have been captured with drone camera, and the cinematographer has done a wonderful job. Witchcraft, darshana and perils of alcoholism have been cleverly touched, educating the younger generation about the social awareness they should develop. A Kannada moral story that I had read in my late father's Ondaanemaale book named "Eejalu Tilidideye?" about a scholar visiting a village, crossing the river while testing the boat operator about his qualifications has been well enacted by Gopinath Bhat, veteran stage and film actor. Muslim donating blood to save a Hindu Brahmin priest has been meaningfully picturised.
Dr. Ramesh Kamath has acted as the sutradhar 'Sathya Swami', and has done full justice to his role. The four children played by Sarthak Shenoy, Shreyas Kamath, Samarth Shenoy and Spandana V. Pai have acted very well. Rest of the main actors, Vasudha Prabhu, Zita Usha Fernandes, Karthik Shenoy, Dinesh Prabhu(He was the hero of Dr. Kamath's earlier film Jana Mana as well), P.R. Nayak, Dr, Mahesh Shenoy, Chempi Ramachandra Bhat, Sathish and Santhosh Kullappa Pai, Om Ganesh Kamath, Joseph Cresta and others have done justice to their roles. There are many first timers who have acted or contributed their voices, but they have done that honestly and without any monetary expectations. That is highly commendable.
Though the film has few minor technical glitches like voice dubbing synchronisation at places, considering the fact that it is a low budget movie spending just Rs.25 Lakhs and also the no profit motive by the producers and the director, the movie is worth watching. The theme being mainly communal harmony and social integrity through scientific outlook, is worth considering for a National Award, and I hope and wish the team success in this direction.
The film runs for 73.22 minutes and has one main theme song sung by Shankar Shanbhogue, Mahalaxmi Shenoy, Ankit Kundu and Abhinav. Background score is by Diwaan Giridhar and MM Yashas.
Story, Screenplay, Lyrics, Direction: Dr. K. Ramesh Kamath
Assistant Director: Karthik Shenoy
Production: Mallika, Film India Productions
Cinematography: Ramesh Koira
Editor: Arun P Thomas
Art Direction: Swamy
Costume Designers: Vinutha Kiran, Kemthur Kamath
Sound recording/Mixing(DTS): Abhinath
Sound Dubbing: Shinoy V Joseph, CAD Media
Publicity Design: Sanjay Chapolkar
Colour Grading and DI: Mathew
