Ulidavaru Kandanthe

Movie Details:

Cast & Characters:

• Rakshit Shetty as Richard Anthony aka “Richi”
• Kishore as Munna
• Tara as Ratnakka
• Achyuth Kumar (credited as Achyuth Rao) as Balu
• Rishab Shetty as Raghu
• Sheetal Shetty as Regina
• Yagna Shetty as Sharada
• Dinesh Mangalore as Shankar Poojary
• B. Suresha as Richi’s father
• Pramod Shetty as Dinesha
• Raghu Pandeshwar as Shailesha
• Arun Prakash Shetty as Sudhi
• Master Sohan as Democracy (Satisha)
• Gowrish Akki
• Master Akshay
• Master Lohith
• Baby Kavya
• Chandrakala Rao

Storyline:

Set in Malpe, a coastal town in Karnataka, the film unfolds during the Krishna Janmashtami festival. The narrative employs a non-linear storytelling technique, reminiscent of Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon, where different characters provide their viewpoints on a central murder case. This structure allows for a rich exploration of themes such as perception, truth, and morality within the context of local culture.

About Movie:

Ulidavaru Kandante is a Kannada neo-noir gangster film written and directed by debutant Rakshit Shetty. The film features Shetty in the lead role alongside Kishore, Tara, Achyuth Kumar, Rishab Shetty, and Yagna Shetty in supporting roles. It revolves around five interconnected stories that explore a murder incident, with each character narrating their perspective on the events.

Ulidavaru Kandante premiered to generally positive reviews from critics who praised its direction, performances—particularly by Rakshit Shetty and Sheetal Shetty—and its cinematography. The film was notable for being the first Kannada film shot entirely using sync sound technology. Despite initially being a box-office bomb, it later garnered a cult following and is considered a significant work in Kannada cinema, contributing to the “New Generation Cinema” movement initiated by films like Lucia (2013).

The film has been dubbed in Hindi as Balwaan Badshah and remade in Tamil as Richie (2017), starring Nivin Pauly. Its authentic portrayal of Tulu Nadu culture and innovative narrative style have solidified its status as a cult classic within Kannada film culture.