P. Sheshadri
Mookajjiya Kanasugalu (Visions of Mookajji) is a movie based on the Jnanpith Award winning novel of the same name by K Shivaram Karanth. Mookambika, a victim of child marriage, is widowed even before she attains puberty. The solitude resulting from the customs of those days to be confined by four walls coupled with her innate sensitivity helps her develop the power of extra-sensory perception. She tries to question with her rationale, the barbarism of the civilized society and is labeled a lunatic for doing so and is punished. She chooses silence as a mark of her protest. Thus, Mookambika eventually comes to be known as Mookajji (literally meaning mute, old woman) The movie deals with how she, now in her 80s tells stories about antiques excavated by Subraya, her great-nephew and a history student, through her "dreams" which deal with a wide array of themes from evolution of culture, concepts of God, religion, relationships, humans and their sexuality, etc.
Govinda Shetty doesn't accept globalization which brought the countries nearer. Because even he was a part when India also accepted these which resulting in the gradual change in the lifestyle by popping up Malls and Marts.
The story happens in around early forties. A young freedom fighter Shivaramu, lost in jungle while he travels to a place near subramanya, meets two villagers called Deranna and Bhatya. They advice Shivaramu to stay in the house of Gopalayya, a Brahmin living with his wife Shankaramma in Kelabailu. The couple treats Shivaramu well and asks him to stay for couple of more days. They express that their son Shambhu had left them years back. They treat Shivaramu as their own son. During the stay, Gopalayya narrates the story of his past. Recalls his hardworking days of making a beautiful crop field beside mountain. Shivaramu slowly gets clear introduction to the legendary personality of Gopalayya. Shivaramu gets more curious at his attitude of fighting against nature to build his dreams in a place called Katumule.
Atithi is an attempt to examine the 'other face' - flashes of humanity - of a young man totally immersed in the cult of terrorism. Strange as it may sound, we also see flashes of violence (at times) that trickle into the thinking of another man with total belief in non-violence as the ultimate truth of life.
