Duration – 156 minutes, Category- emotional journey, Rating – 3.5/5

Title – Katha Sangama, Producers – HK Prakash, Pradeep NR, Rishab Shetty, Directors – Shashikumar, Chadrajith Belliyappa, Karan Ananth, Rahul PK, Jamadagni Manoj, Kiran Raaj and Jai Shanker, Cinematographers – Gomatesh Upadhya, Aravind Kashyap, Ruthwik Rav, Deepak, Sandeep, Raghunath, Venkatesh Anguraj, Saurav Pratik, Sanyal, music directors Das Mod, Gagan Baneria, Vasu Dixith, Agnaath, Girish Hatur, Nobin Paul and Vasuki Vybhav, Cast – Kishor, Yagna Shetty, Raj B Shetty, Amrutha Nayak, Babu Mrudunika, Prakash Belawadi, Sowmya, Jagan Murthy, Vasu Dixith, Pramod Shetty, Balaji Manohar, Rishab Shetty, Haripriya, Pranav, Raghavendra, Biresh P Bande, Nidi Hegde and others.

Of course it is rare but contents are not rarest! Except the first and last, other are mediocre in this short film festival of seven in ‘Katha Sangama’.

The effort of each team in deriving something is visible but they are not box office materials or heart touching. There is good work in cinematography and music. In other areas something was missing to hold the attention. Each of the seven in a row had seven versions for discussion something would have fallen out strong. However the effort of coming nearly 50 plus artists and technicians in this 156 minutes cinema is admirable.

Interestingly the 20 minutes duration of short films are not connected at the end. It is Rainbow Land, Sathya Katha Prasanga, Girgitle, Uththara, Paduvarahalli, Sagara Sangama and Lachchavva in a series appear on silver screen.

Rainbow Land is a cozy family story of Kishor, Yagna Shetty and a cute child, Sathya Katha Prasanga is the last day at work of long government service person and he had not seen outside world. He is given a glimpse of outside world by tattoo artist, then it is Girgitle the love story of a jobless person who follows wrong step to win his love, Uththara is a social concern discussion of a social media savvy and a professor in a locked room, Paduvarahalli set in 1900 backdrop. A barber almost tries to kill the Indian British official for his ills; Sagara Sangama is a bit eye opener. It is not the look that is important but the good heart it showcases and finally comes ‘Lachchavva’ a woman from Hubballi very innocent lost in the huge Bengaluru. She is not able to tell whether she stays in Basavanagudi or Banaswadi. That is another eye opener.

The cinematography of all seven short stories are delectable and the music is also very apt. The film gives a tribute to doyen director SR Puttanna Kanagal in the beginning.

In case there is a new opening for the ‘short film festival’ competition there is enough stuff in this ‘Katha Sangama’.