Shivakumar has written a neat tribute to Shankar Nag in "The Hindu". Though Shankar Nag passed away 25 years before, still, he is an icon in Karnataka. In particular, if you have been to Bangalore, there's the least chance that you might have missed an autorickshaw with Shankar Nag's picture decorating the auto's front-side glass. Besides, his evergreen classic songs Jotheyali, Santhosange haadu Santhosange, Kelage nimageega.. still, being actively played on FM channels and marriage halls.
Being from Tamilnadu, my personal experience with Shankar Nag movies are nil. Apart from his classic Malgudi Days, I haven't seen any of his movies. I wish to see his movies though(in future). But, just seeing Malgudi days, I can clearly conclude that he was up above the normal film-makers in Kannada industry. Years before, during my childhood days I had seen the Swami and Friends Episodes. Again, after moving to Bangalore, one fine day, just to rekindle my Doordarshan day nostalgic memories, I bought a DVD and saw a handful of episodes. The second time viewing made me realise the Shankar Nag's brilliance in Direction.
Even most of the mainstream Indian movies weren't matched the class of Malgudi Days. I would like to quote this with an example of Swami and Friends Episode 1.
The Context:
When Swami asks an irksome question to his prejudiced teacher, he would receive a tweak in his ears as a punishment from his teacher. When he complains this to his father, he writes a letter to the principal asking to take an action on the guilty teacher.
1. The teacher intentionally mocks the Hinduism practice and praises the Jesus, thus irritating the Swami. Hence, he asks a tricky question to the teacher about Jesus.
2. The teacher not expecting such a question from a kid tweaks his ear for having insulted him among the other students.
3. Swami takes this incident to his father.
4. Father writes a letter to the principal.
5. Father reads the letter before Swami and asks him to give it to the principal.
6. Swami delivers the letter to the principal before going to the classroom.
See, how beautifully all the above scenarios are filmed in the Serial. Shankar Nag does this in just 3.19 minutes.(From 1.57 to 5.16) The Camera slowly zooms in towards the Ganesh idol, we hear the teacher's voice in the background as we are taken to a flash-back shot with teacher mocking the hinduism idol practice. Then Swami asks a question only to get his ear tweaked; as he cries in pain we see immediately the next shot with the letter fully composed and signed by Swami's father. In between, his mother asks for a pittance and finally when his father starts reading the letter, the shot has already moved to the next as Swami starts walking to the school with the letter in his hand, with audience hearing his father's voice reading the letter in the background. The timing is also beautiful as the letter completes exactly when Swami reaches the Headmaster's room.
What a film language Shankar Nag has pulled off, that too in a Television Serial. Besides, the excellent selection of artists, perfect locations to depict the pre-independence India - Agumbe - Karnataka, authentic houses, soulful Title Score(L.Vaidyanathan) has elevated a regular TV serial into a classic.
But how sad, that an artist in his prime, losing his life in a gruesome accident.
Being from Tamilnadu, my personal experience with Shankar Nag movies are nil. Apart from his classic Malgudi Days, I haven't seen any of his movies. I wish to see his movies though(in future). But, just seeing Malgudi days, I can clearly conclude that he was up above the normal film-makers in Kannada industry. Years before, during my childhood days I had seen the Swami and Friends Episodes. Again, after moving to Bangalore, one fine day, just to rekindle my Doordarshan day nostalgic memories, I bought a DVD and saw a handful of episodes. The second time viewing made me realise the Shankar Nag's brilliance in Direction.
Even most of the mainstream Indian movies weren't matched the class of Malgudi Days. I would like to quote this with an example of Swami and Friends Episode 1.
The Context:
When Swami asks an irksome question to his prejudiced teacher, he would receive a tweak in his ears as a punishment from his teacher. When he complains this to his father, he writes a letter to the principal asking to take an action on the guilty teacher.
1. The teacher intentionally mocks the Hinduism practice and praises the Jesus, thus irritating the Swami. Hence, he asks a tricky question to the teacher about Jesus.
2. The teacher not expecting such a question from a kid tweaks his ear for having insulted him among the other students.
3. Swami takes this incident to his father.
4. Father writes a letter to the principal.
5. Father reads the letter before Swami and asks him to give it to the principal.
6. Swami delivers the letter to the principal before going to the classroom.
See, how beautifully all the above scenarios are filmed in the Serial. Shankar Nag does this in just 3.19 minutes.(From 1.57 to 5.16) The Camera slowly zooms in towards the Ganesh idol, we hear the teacher's voice in the background as we are taken to a flash-back shot with teacher mocking the hinduism idol practice. Then Swami asks a question only to get his ear tweaked; as he cries in pain we see immediately the next shot with the letter fully composed and signed by Swami's father. In between, his mother asks for a pittance and finally when his father starts reading the letter, the shot has already moved to the next as Swami starts walking to the school with the letter in his hand, with audience hearing his father's voice reading the letter in the background. The timing is also beautiful as the letter completes exactly when Swami reaches the Headmaster's room.
What a film language Shankar Nag has pulled off, that too in a Television Serial. Besides, the excellent selection of artists, perfect locations to depict the pre-independence India - Agumbe - Karnataka, authentic houses, soulful Title Score(L.Vaidyanathan) has elevated a regular TV serial into a classic.
But how sad, that an artist in his prime, losing his life in a gruesome accident.
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