NEW DELHI: Hombale Films, the production house behind blockbuster Kannada films, made a significant mark at the 70th National Film Awards, securing four major honors for the year 2022.
The films ‘Kantara’ and ‘KGF Chapter 2’ have emerged as shining examples of Kannada cinema’s rich cultural heritage and high-quality filmmaking.
The Yash-starrer ‘KGF Chapter 2’ received two prestigious awards, including the National Film Award for ‘Best Kannada Film’ and ‘Best Action Direction.’ The film has been widely praised for its engaging storyline and intense action sequences.
Meanwhile, actor-director Rishab Shetty was awarded ‘Best Actor in a Leading Role’ for his outstanding performance in the film ‘Kantara.’ The movie also won the award for ‘Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
Commenting on the big win, Vijay Kiragandur, the founder of Hombale Films, said in a statement, “Bridging tradition and innovation, ‘Kantara’ and ‘KGF Chapter 2’ stand as powerful symbols of Kannada cinema’s cultural depth and cinematic excellence. This recognition belongs to all of us Yash, Prashanth Neel, Rishab Shetty and the entire team of KGF and Kantara.”
“We are grateful to all, that we could see the light with these amazing movies. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to GoI and the Jury for this recognition. Again we thank our audience, whose love and support have been our greatest strength,” he further said.
Starring actor Yash in the lead role, ‘KGF Chapter 2’ is a sequel to the 2018 Kannada language film ‘K.G.F: Chapter 1’ which made waves across the entire country.
The Prashanth Neel-helmed period action film was acclaimed for its cinematography, background music, and its infamous ‘Violence! Violence! Violence!’ dialogue which was on everyone’s lips for a long time. It was a major success across India, becoming the highest-grossing film of the year by the end of its run.
The sequel also stars Sanjay Dutt, Raveena Tandon, Prakash Raj, Malavika Avinash, John Kokken and Saran. The pan-India was released in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada languages.
On the other hand the 2022 action thriller Kantara was both written and directed by Rishab Shetty. In the film, Rishab plays dual roles, including a Kambala champion who clashes with a principled forest officer named Murali, portrayed by Kishore. The movie also features performances by Sapthami Gowda, Pramod Shetty, and Achyuth Kumar. (ANI)