Chandrajith Belliappa has an unwavering belief in the enchanting power of cinema, a belief that was put to the test with the release of his directorial debut, **Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali**. This relationship drama, released on September 5, faced a tough box office environment. It started quietly, with little initial buzz and faced the real threat of an early exit from theaters. However, through strong word of mouth, the film gradually found its audience and gained traction.
Chandrajith’s journey to becoming a filmmaker has its own twist of fate. In 2015, while working as a software engineer, he sent a link to a story he had published on his blog to actor-filmmaker Rakshit Shetty. The story, titled “Dew drops, Sunshine and a Blade of Grass,” so impressed Rakshit that he invited Chandrajith to join his writing team.
The film **Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali** is Chandrajith’s cinematic adaptation of the same story. The film, produced by Rakshit Shetty’s Paramvah Studios, stars newcomers Vihan Gowda, Ankita Amar, and Mayuri Nataraja. It explores the fragility of relationships and the human difficulty of letting go of the past. Released during the Ganesh Chaturthi weekend, the movie had to compete with big-screen juggernaut **The Greatest of All Time** (Goat), starring Vijay.
Chandrajith provided insight into his strategy during this tough competition: “We were very clear that we would start with fewer screens; it’s all about demand and supply. If I plan to go with 200 shows on the first day, will my film attract that many people in the opening week? I don’t think so. Hence we went with just 40 screens. But thanks to the response from the initial audience, it got strong word of mouth, and the show count increased. In those limited screens, the film reached cinephiles who wrote about it on social media,” he explains.
The narrative of the film unfolds across multiple timelines, including a college episode, brought to life with vibrant cinematography by Srivathsan Selvarajan. “I wanted the episode to look like a 90s Bollywood movie. When you think of your college life, it won’t be completely realistic in your memory. It will have some texture of the films you have seen. For instance, in Karan Johar’s *Kuch Kuch Hota Hai*, colors are used to celebrate college life. I intentionally avoided a niche treatment to those scenes,” Chandrajith reveals.
Urban love stories hold a unique place in Kannada cinema, making **Ibbani Tabbida Ileyali** a noteworthy addition to the genre. Chandrajith explains his influences: “I loved Mani Ratnam’s **Alaipayuthey**, and I am a big fan of **Vaaranam Aayiram** and **Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa**.
. In Kannada, I love Yogaraj Bhat’s romantic dramas like **Mungaru Male** and **Paramathma**. The style of conversation between couples was fresh in those movies, and it influenced me a lot.”
Voice-over narration plays a significant role in Chandrajith’s film. An avid poet, he integrates poetry as a narrative tool throughout the film. “I was blown away by *Forrest Gump* and the protagonist’s voice-overs worked brilliantly in that movie. I feel that kind of narration has a strong impact on the viewers. Apart from *Forrest Gump*, Korean films *The Classic* and *Daisy* have shaped my cinema grammar,” he shares.
As a child, Chandrajith was an avid reader. The collection of short stories **The Last Leaf** by O. Henry inspired him to write stories. He is a huge fan of the movie **Lootera** (2013), starring Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha, which was inspired by **The Last Leaf**. He confides, “I watch **Lootera** once every year. It’s very close to my heart. The soundscape of **Ibbani** and the way nature is depicted in the film is a hat tip to **Lootera**.”
Terminal illness as a motif, though common in films, holds personal significance for Chandrajith. “Of course, there have been movies such as *Me and Earl and the Dying Girl*, *Walk to Remember*, and *The Notebook*. However, the idea stemmed naturally in my head, and I didn’t want to dismiss it just because people might call it a done-to-death trope. A senior actor from the film industry criticized the film, saying it’s become a trend to treat cancer lightly in movies. However, a cancer survivor, who is also a cancer warrior, wrote a beautiful post about my movie on social media. I am happy looking at the positive side of it all,” he explains.
Audiences, especially family viewers, have showered praises on the film, appreciating its structure of chapters. “I intended to provide people the feel of reading a bedtime story. I think I have managed to do so. I wanted to create a visceral experience for the viewers,” Chandrajith concludes.
Published – September 25, 2024 05:52 pm IST
Kannada cinema / Indian cinema
