Prema Baraha Explained

Prema Baraha
Director:Arjun Sarja
Producer:Niveditha Arjun
Starring:Chandan Kumar
Aishwarya Arjun
Music:Jassie Gift
Cinematography:H. C. Venugopal
Editing:Kay Kay
Studio:Sree Raam Films International
Country:India
Language:Kannada
Tamil

Prema Baraha, titled Sollividava in Tamil, is a 2018 Indian romantic drama film written and directed by Arjun Sarja. It was produced by his wife Niveditha Arjun under his home studio of Sree Raam Films International and made simultaneously in Kannada and Tamil languages. The film stars Chandan Kumar and Aishwarya Arjun with different ensemble casts for the two versions. Jassie Gift composed the soundtrack and score. H. C. Venugopal was the director of photography and Kay Kay edited the film. The two versions of the film were released worldwide on 9 February 2018. It had a grand opening and became a commercial success at the box office of Karnataka, but had a decent run in Tamil.

Plot

Sanjay (Chandan Kumar) and Madhu (Aishwarya Arjun) are two journalists from rival news organizations who do not have the best equation. However, when the two of them are forced to work together while covering the Kargil War, a bond is forged between them.

Cast

Actor (Kannada) Actor (Tamil) Role
Sanjay
Madhu
Madhu's aunt
Seenu
Army man's father
Ram
Sanjay's friend
Sanjay's friend
Subhendar Ganesan
Seenu
Narayana
Apartment president
Madhu's friend
Bonda Mani
Jeet Raidutt Jeet
style="text-align:center;" Traffic police officer
Special appearance in "Jai Hanumantha"/Flight captain
special appearance in "Jai Hanumantha"
Tamil version

Production

In December 2015, Arjun announced that he was set to produce and direct a bilingual Kannada and Tamil romantic film featuring his daughter Aishwarya Arjun in the lead role. He had initially narrated three stories to his daughter, who was most satisfied with a script on two journalists falling in love during the Kargil War of 1999. While he was working on the screenplay, Arjun spent a week in the studios of Asian News International and went through all the material they had on Kargil.[1] [2] Kannada actor Chetan Kumar was signed on to feature as the lead actor in the project, thus making his debut in Tamil films.[3] In May 2016, Chetan Kumar backed out of the project, unhappy with his characterisation in the film, and was replaced by another Kannada actor, Chandan Kumar.[4] For her particular role, Aishwarya Arjun carefully observed the style and characteristics of Barkha Dutt who worked as a journalist during the 1999 conflict.[5]

The film was launched in May 2016 with promotional stills from a shoot released shortly after.[6] [7] The film's first schedule was completed in July 2016 with Suhasini and K. Viswanath also joining the cast. It was then shot in Dharamsala, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kerala, Mumbai, Switzerland, and Italy. In August 2017, the Tamil title was changed from Kadhalin Ponveedhiyil to Sollividava.[8] The Kannada title of Prema Baraha is derived from Arjun Sarja's song Prema Baraha Koti Taraha from the film Prathap (1990).[9]

Soundtrack

Prema Baraha
Type:soundtrack
Artist:Jassie Gift
Released:2017
Recorded:2017
Genre:Feature film soundtrack
Label:U1 Records (Tamil)
Divo (Tamil/Kannada)
Producer:Jassie Gift
Prev Title:Chicken Kokkachi
Prev Year:2017
Next Title:Jani
Next Year:2017

Jassie Gift has composed the score and songs for the film, with Divo releasing the soundtrack in Kannada and U1 Records in Tamil. The heroine introduction theme included in the album was composed by Aruldev. The title track is based on the song "Prema Baraha" from the Kannada film Prathap (1990).

Kannada version
Tamil version

Critical reception

Kannada version

A critic from The Times of India wrote that "Watch this film if you're a fan of the stereotypical commercial fare, replete with comedy, sentiments, action and romance".[10] A critic from Deccan Chronicle opined that "Unfortunately, the brilliant actor Arjun Sarja falls short in deploying the right force and making use of the right kind of ammunition for this kind of lovely mission".[11]

Tamil version

A critic from The Hindu said that "What lets the film down is Arjun's unfocussed writing, un-missable lectures on nationalism and using stock Kargil war footage liberally instead of staging the war".[12] A critic from The New Indian Express stated that "On the whole, it's just a run-of-the-mill romantic film which has almost no redeeming factors".[13]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: As a director, I should be open to directing all genres: Arjun Sarja- The New Indian Express. 5 February 2018. 10 February 2018. 12 June 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142749/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/kannada/2018/feb/04/as-a-director-i-should-be-open-to-directing-all-genres-arjun-sarja-1768357.html. live.
  2. News: The "message" in a film is as important as the characters, says Arjun - The Hindu. The Hindu. 7 February 2018. Ramanujam. Srinivasa. 10 February 2018. 30 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180330051954/http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-message-in-a-film-is-as-important-as-the-characters-says-arjun/article22680073.ece. live.
  3. Web site: Arjun Directs Daughter Aishwarya . 3 October 2016 . 19 August 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160819094958/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/kannada/Arjun-Directs-Daughter-Aishwarya/2015/12/07/article3164582.ece . dead .
  4. Web site: Prema Baraha by Arjun Sarja . 26 January 2018 . 24 June 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160624014918/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/kannada/Prema-Baraha-by-Arjun-Sarja/2016/05/16/article3434353.ece . dead .
  5. Web site: Challenging role for Aishwarya in Solli Vidavaa. 30 January 2018. 29 January 2018. 30 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180130013215/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/kollywood/300118/challenging-role-for-aishwarya-in-solli-vidavaa.html. live.
  6. Web site: Prema Baraha launched . 3 October 2016 . 30 September 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160930123934/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/kannada/Prema-Baraha-launched/2016/05/24/article3447668.ece . dead .
  7. Web site: Arjun's big effort for his daughter – Tamil Movie News – IndiaGlitz.com . 22 May 2016 . 20 March 2023 . 16 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220316094618/https://www.indiaglitz.com/arjun-directing-and-producing-in-kadhalin-pon-veedhyil-for-daughter-aishwarya-tamil-news-159424.html . live .
  8. Web site: Kadhalin Pon Veedhiyil is now Solli Vidava . 12 June 2017 . 26 January 2018 . 17 August 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170817205326/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2017/jun/11/kadhalin-pon-veedhiyil-is-now-solli-vidava-1615494.html . live .
  9. Web site: Prema-Baraha-by-Arjun-Sarja . 16 May 2016. newindianexpres . 5 October 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161005111711/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/kannada/2016/may/16/Prema-Baraha-by-Arjun-Sarja-904316.html . live .
  10. News: Prema Baraha Review : Watch this film if you're a fan of the stereotypical commercial fare . .
  11. Web site: Prema Baraha movie review: War & love for a song! . 10 February 2018 . 14 October 2022 . 15 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220915232905/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/100218/prema-baraha-movie-review-chandan-aishwarya-arjun.html . live .
  12. News: Sollividava review: Love in the time of Kargil war . The Hindu . 10 February 2018 . Naig . Udhav . 14 October 2022 . 14 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221014073038/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/sollividava-review-love-in-the-time-of-kargil-war/article22712361.ece . live .
  13. Web site: 'Sollividava' movie review: A wannabe Dil Se . 14 October 2022 . 14 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221014073039/https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/review/2018/feb/09/sollividava-movie-review-a-wannabe-dil-se-1770943.html . dead .