Unions to the rescue of award-winning film 'Thaayi'

Bangalore, Aug 20 (IANS) A number of trade unions in Karnataka have come together to promote and arrange the screening of director Baragooru Ramachandrappa's award-winning Kannada film "Thaayi", which failed to hit theatres despite a copy being released 20 months ago.

Based on Maxim Gorky's Russian classic "Mother", the film has won two National Awards and a State Award. But so far it has not been screened in a single theatre in the state. Theatre-owners have refused to screen it because they felt it wouldn't do well at the box-office.

The behaviour of theatre-owners forced Ramachandrappa to take the help of unions, mainly those led by the Left. They have responded positively in view of the film's theme.

Ramachandrappa has modified the original story to mount an attack on globalisation and project it as a process that widens the rich-poor gap and hits the workers' interest.

Ramachandrappa said: "I have told the producers of the film to seize this opportunity and market the film."

According to Kannada actor Sundarraj, also associated with the film, it may be screened soon in Bangalore.