Voot Select will premiere the Karnataka State Film Award-winning film Ramana Savari (2020) digitally on 22 April. Beginning with Ramana Savari, the streaming platform will showcase Kannada content every Friday.
Directed by K Shivarudraiah, the family drama stars Rajesh Nataranga, Sonu Gowda, Sudha Belawadi and Master Aaron and feature Bharghavi Narayan, Sringeri Ramanna and Gunduraj Murali.
In 2018, the film received the Karnataka State Film Award for Second Best Film and Karnataka State Film Award for Best Child Actor (Male).
Ramana Savari review: Simplistic ending ruins an otherwise charming film
Set in a rural village, the film follows a young boy, Rama, who resides with his beloved mother and maternal grandparents, away from his estranged father. Soon enough, Rama becomes the bridge between his separated parents, after meeting with his father for the first time at a fair. The children’s film is based on a celebrated Kannada short story by K Sadashiva called Ramana Savari Santhege Hodaddu.
Speaking about his experience working in the film, Rajesh said, “When a film is an adaptation of an already-celebrated story, there is a lot of pressure to live up to the expectations of fans. However, being a part of Ramana Savari’s cast has been a fruitful experience for me as it helped me hone my skills as a performer in more ways than one. Now that the film is geared up for release on Voot Select, I’m excited for this heart-warming story to reach a wider audience.”
His co-star, Sonu, added, “Ramana Savari has proven to be a stepping stone in my career because I’ve got to learn a lot, as an actor, on the sets of this film. I am grateful to K Shivarudraiah sir to have faith in me with the portrayal of such a complex character. I really hope that the film garners immense love from viewers as it inches closer to its premiere on Voot Select.”
Actress Sudha Belawadi said she was honoured to have been given the opportunity to bring this heartfelt story to life alongside such a talented star cast. "It was an absolute pleasure sharing the screen space with Rajesh, Sonu, Aaron and all the other cast members. Also, working with the genius K Shivarudraiah has been an unforgettable experience for me,” she said.
K Shivarudraiah stated that in today's times, this story is like a breath of fresh air. "The film will pinch you in the heart with its heart-wrenching moments but will make you smile to your heart! Moreover, it’ll strike a chord with a lot of viewers because the story of this film is also the reality of many families across the country. I’ve been a fan of the short story and adapting it into a film has been an absolute honour for me," he said.
Watch the trailer of Ramana Savari here.