No film can rise above its story: Writer-director Ranjani Raghavan at Mangaluru Lit Fest
Mangaluru (Karnataka) (PTI): Actor, writer, and filmmaker Ranjani Raghavan on Saturday underlined the centrality of storytelling in cinema, asserting that no film can rise above its story, regardless of scale or technique.
Speaking at the Mangaluru Lit Fest, Raghavan said, "Cinema often gets trapped in superficial aesthetics. As long as there are values and honesty in storytelling, an emotional connection is possible."
Growth, she added, happens only when one is willing to question oneself and put in sustained effort.
Raghavan, who primarily works in Kannada films, participated in a session titled 'Imagination, Storytelling and Camera', where she reflected on her journey and spoke candidly about the creative and commercial challenges of filmmaking.
Explaining the process, Raghavan said imagination comes at little cost, but writing demands discipline.
"A story must be written, rewritten, shared, and refined repeatedly. This stage requires time and mental effort. Once filming begins, costs rise, and business concerns come into play. Filmmakers must keep the audience in mind without compromising the core idea," she said.
Raghavan is also well known for her roles in the TV series 'Putta Gowri Maduve' and 'Kannadathi', and is the author of the book 'Kathe Dabbi'.
Looking back on her career, she said she had little initial interest in directing.
"As an actor, I did not question the director’s vision. Later, when I began writing and working as a screenwriter, the urge to direct grew naturally. Direction came to me through observation, editing, and understanding visual language," she said.
Raghavan emphasised that preparation is everything. "For any film, the story is non-negotiable. You cannot bypass it. What you can do is enrich it. I constantly ask myself whether the story is relevant today and whether it can be told in an engaging, entertaining way. Only when I find convincing answers do I move forward," she said.
Addressing contemporary cinema, she observed that characters and gender representation are evolving. "Women are no longer portrayed as divine; they are allowed flaws, independence, and mistakes—just like men. Masculinity and femininity coexist within individuals, and cinema must reflect this reality, honestly," she said.
She also acknowledged the growing influence of digital platforms, noting that storytelling today extends beyond cinema halls to reels and short-form content, where authenticity often resonates more strongly than spectacle.
Senior actor and writer Poornima Suresh, active in Kannada and Konkani theatre, television, and cinema, also spoke at the session, saying that imagination is the lifeblood of writing.
"Life experiences shape stories. When expressed honestly and artistically, they become universal," she said, adding that men and women experience life differently, and both perspectives deserve space in storytelling.
The eighth edition of the two-day Mangaluru Lit Fest, organised by the Bharat Foundation, began on January 10 at the TMA Pai International Convention Centre.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Was in 'forced marriage' with Cong; Gowda hits back at Kharge
Bengaluru (PTI): Former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H D Devegowda on Wednesday claimed that he was in a "forced marriage" with the Congress but had to "divorce" the national party because it was an "abusive relationship".
He was reacting to a statement made by the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge while bidding farewell to retiring members.
Kharge, who is also AICC President, recalled his association with Devegowda, who he said served as the Prime Minister and held several important positions.
"I have known Devegowda for a long time ---54 years-- and have worked with him. But I do not know what happened. He fell in love with us, but married Modi sahab (Prime Minister Narendra Modi)," Kharge said in Rajya Sabha, visuals of which were aired in local media. The analogy made the Prime Minister, who was present in the Rajya Sabha, laugh.
Taking to social media platform 'X', Devegowda, the JD(S) patriarch said "my dear and longtime friend, Mallikarjun Kharge, made a light-hearted comment in Parliament today about me having been in "love" with them (Congress) but "married" Modi Ji (BJP) eventually. He also said he did not know the reason as to why I did so."
Devegowda said he was not in the House when Kharge spoke as he had to leave for Bengaluru to be present for Ugadi celebrations on Thursday.
"If I were to respond to my friend in the same language of marriage, I would like to say that I was in a "forced marriage" with the Congress but had to "divorce" them because it was an abusive relationship," he said, in a statement on 'X'.
He sought to remind Kharge that in 2018 Congress had sent its leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and offered Kumaraswamy the chief minister's post. "I did not consent to this."
"I told in everybody's presence that Kharge should be made Chief Minister. Siddaramaiah was also there. However, Azad insisted on Kumaraswamy's leadership. But after all this song, dance and a wedding what did they do in 2019? They dumped us. How many Congress MLAs defected to the BJP and who sent them across is now common knowledge," he said.
Devegowda said that if Congress had acted against the person who instigated defection that day, "today my friend, Kharge, would be in a better position as AICC President."
"So to put the record straight, I did not desert the Congress alliance. It is they who walked away. They left me with no choice but to "divorce" them and seek a more stable alliance," he claimed.
