Post-Interval Blues: Kannada Cinema and the Curse of the Second Half

ANot like Christopher Nolan D The Dark Knight Trilogy, which was set-piece heavy, Matt Reeves’ batman, A reboot of the popular franchise, using a small amount of action. During a screening of the Robert Pattinson-starrer at a theater in Bengaluru, the crowd went berserk when the screen went blank for a moment of pause before the film’s first big action sequence. Thanks to the Indian concept of interval, the theater operator had to stop the movie at a time he felt was right.

We can’t help but feel a sense of urgency when a Hollywood film pauses for a break. The reason? Films are made as a single entity. Hollywood filmmakers are under no pressure to divide their films into two parts. In contrast, Indian directors hate the burden of writing two endings for a movie. One reaches the intermission point, popularly called the ‘interval bang’ and the second is the film’s climax. Commercial filmmakers modify the traditional three-act structure by writing an elaborate interlude episode in addition to setup, conflict, and resolution.

The stress of taking a break

Social media has made the midpoint an essential part of a commercial film. For highly-anticipated films, fans publish reviews of the first and second half, treating the movie as two films combined. However, the post that gets the most attention on social media is the one about the break. So much so that the quality of a film is measured based on the excitement you feel at intervals, fueled by a shocking twist in the plot or an adrenaline-pumping sequence.

Kannada short film midwayWhich recently won two National Awards (Best Debut Director and Best Editor), is an interesting take on two halves of a film. The movie is about two poor men who are crazy about movies in the 1970s.

Also read:70th National Film Awards Rishabh Shetty on his big win: A film can change everything

What happens when they can afford a movie ticket? One sees the first half, the other sits in the second half! Destiny lands them in the film industry. Will their way of watching films in theaters help them thrive in a cut-throat world?

Director Dinesh Shenoy’s whimsical conclusion to a unique concept works brilliantly within the film’s universe, but the reality is a different picture. At the halfway mark, are the filmmakers deviating from the core idea of ​​the film to keep the audience intrigued? Are we seeing films that start off strong and then lose their way after the break?

The curse of the second half is an old problem, even the biggest Indian filmmakers across industries are finding it difficult to tackle this challenge. In 2024, the issue has become a significant hurdle for Kannada writer-directors. Several interesting films fail to be perfect because of an uninspiring second half.

Post interval

Pepe, Starring Vinay Rajkumar of Dr. Rajkumar Parivar, The actor was supposed to give a ‘mass’ image. It does, to an extent, with some high moments. After setting up his film like an epic – involving two groups divided by caste and privilege – director Srilesh Nair has put his hand up. In the second half, continuous action sequences kill our curiosity. What’s the point of watching the hero kill a thousand people, when you’ve already stopped caring about the characters in the film? Pepe One of the fundamental elements of writing is forgotten: evoking emotion from the audience.

The director hesitated to take the story forward, as he planned a sequel. The first part is always about setting up the story. How do you convince the audience for the sequel after you lost their faith in the first installment?

A still from ‘Laughing Buddha’. | Photo credit: Rishabh Shetty Films/YouTube

Laughing Buddha From the movie Rishabh Shetty Portraying the fitness issues of our police officers, they are mocked for having pot bellies. in the second half, Laughing Buddha A comedy-drama becomes an investigative thriller. The jokes dry up, and the narrative stretches. Many such films start with one idea and end with another. His advantage, however, is film Conclusion on a high, and that’s a big plus. As audiences, we tend to retain the visuals of what we see during a film’s finale (remember the Rolex in Vikram?)

The demands of commercial cinema often force filmmakers to compromise their stories. Bhima, Directed by Duniya Vijay, it shows the harmful effects of drugs in the slums of Bangalore. After a breezy first half with many theater-worthy moments supported by Charan Raj’s brilliant score, the crime drama goes downhill. Vijay takes the idea of ​​a social message very seriously and the film becomes very explanatory. Moreover, playing to the gallery, he takes the tried and tested route of a man saving the system.

In family drama, A quirky comedy made by newcomers, we see a half problem hitting the film, albeit in reverse. it is Sandalwood has one of the best second parts this year An unorthodox middle-class family tries to eliminate a horrible don in a hilarious experience. Said, why leave the best things so late? It was as if the director had a fantastic gap block but definitely failed to get there, resulting in an underwhelming first half.

Also read:‘Family Drama’ Movie Review: This dark comedy comes into its own in a hilarious second half

A still from ‘Family Drama’. | Photo credit: Special Arrangements

Waiting in line for our tubs of popcorn, we form ideas about a film after watching it until the middle. How do filmmakers ensure that audiences stay invested in the film throughout its runtime? Solid writing helps us extract the maximum potential from unique ideas. Perhaps an engaging screenplay can strengthen the overall output.

According to Javed Akhtar, author of the great Salim-Javed duo, a good screenplay raises curiosity in the right places and knows when to slow down. Knowing when to jump into the narrative and when to stop conflicting. Easy to say, but when one of our best writers has a lesson, it doesn’t hurt to practice.