Mumbai: After winning much international acclaim and a successful theatrical release in Karnataka, Raam Reddy’s National Award Winning debut feature, Thithi, is now set to hit the screens in major cities, across India on June 3.
The critically acclaimed Kannada language film will release with English subtitles.
Produced by Pratap Reddy and Sunmin Park (acclaimed producer of “The Others” starring Nicole Kidman), Thithi was screened in over 12 prestigious international and national film festivals and won 13 awards.
Thithi bagged two top awards –-Pardo d’oro Cineasti Del Presente Premio Nescens” (Golden Leopard, Filmmakers of the Present Competition) and “Swatch First Feature Award” for the best debut feature— at the Locarno International Film Festival where it had its international premiere in 2015. The film made its Asia premiere at Mumbai Film Festival (MAMI), 2015 and won the Jury Grand Prize in the international competition. The film recently won the 2016 National Award for Best Feature film in Kannada and also won three awards at the Karnataka State Film Awards 2016 – Best Film, Best Dialogues and Best Supporting Actress. The film was also selected for 2016 New Directors/ New Films.
The film started its journey at the prestigious Work-in-Progress Lab (WIP) at the NFDC Film Bazaar, 2014 where it was declared the Best WIP Fiction Feature.
Written by Ere Gowda and co-written by Raam Reddy, Thithi is a dramatic comedy about how three generations of sons react to the death of the oldest in their clan, a man named Century Gowda: a locally renowned, highly cantankerous 101-year-old man. Set in a small village in Karnataka, the three storylines intertwine before converging at Century Gowda’s ‘thithi’ — the final funeral celebration, 11 days after a death.
The film was released by Suresh Movies in Karnataka on May 6 and has got a tremendous response in its home territory that has been unprecedented for a film of its kind. The film not only received rave reviews but has also won over the audience and is running mostly houseful in urban centers.
Ecstatic about the Pan-India, Raam Reddy says, “Thithi has seen amazing organic growth and has grown from strength to strength. It began with international acclaim and support from legends like Francis Ford Coppola. National support and praise from people like Anurag Kashyap and other top national industry leaders has been incredibly encouraging. On may 6th, the film was released in Karnataka to wide critical and commercial acclaim. Now in its third week, Thithi is still running housefull in urban centers and I couldn’t be happier with the response. Hollywood and bollywood have dubbed Thithi a universal “world film”. After seeing the unprecedented response to Sairat, running with English subtitles for national audiences, I can’t wait to see the response to Thithi nationally.”
Film Synopsis
After the death of Century Gowda, a highly cranky 101 year old man, the film follows the humorous exploits of his elderly bearded son, Gadappa, his materialistic middle-aged grandson, Thamanna, and his confident pubescent great grandson, Abhi, up until Century Gowda’s “thithi”, the final funeral celebration 11 days after a death.
Shot in the Mandya district of Karnataka, Thithi is a dramatic comedy co-written by Eregowda, who spent most of his childhood in the village that the film was shot. Furthermore, Thithi entirely comprises a cast of non-professional actors who are mostly farmers from the area, lending a deep authenticity and unique breed of insider humour to the film. In addition, the young crew comprises collaborators from Holland, USA, as well as FTII graduates and many locals from the village.
About the Director:
Raam Reddy, 26, is a graduate of Economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi and Prague Film School. Previously, he has directed a critically acclaimed short film called Ika (Feather), and published a magic-realism novel titled It’s Raining in Maya.
