Rooted in the German Expressionist Movement, the style film noir emerged in the United States against the backdrop of the Great Depression which lasted from 1929 to 1933. The noir films usually had a cynical attitude and presented stories of crime. The films were largely associated with the black-and-white visual style and had low-key lighting (technique of using just the key light to create stark contrasts, also called chiaroscuro effect).
Neo-noir was an attempt at revival of the noir. Although the two genres are stylistically the same—replete with low-key lighting, unbalanced framing, Dutch angle, blurry boundaries between good and bad— a distinct feature sets them apart. Neo-noir was rooted more in the French New Wave which emerged in the 1950s.
Quite a few Indian films have been made in neo-noir style, and the Kannada film industry too is trying to push boundaries with the genre. Here’s a list of five Sandalwood neo-noir films that were appreciated by the critics and audiences.
The neo-noir crime anthology marked Rakshit Shetty’s debut in the industry in 2014. From the onset, the actor-filmmaker has proved his mettle. The film revolves around one incident: a murder during Krishna Janmashtami in Malpe, near Udupi, and five people recounting it from their own perspective. Rakshit appears alongside Tara, Kishore, Achyuth Kumar, Rishab Shetty and Yagna Shetty. The film managed to stay afloat at the box office reasonably well, and critics were impressed with the direction and enthralling performances of the cast. Watch this film on MX Player
The KM Chaitanya directorial received positive responses from audiences and critics alike when it released in 2017. The neo-noir horror film starring Sharmeila Mandre and the late Chiranjeevi Sarja showcased parallel storylines—of a single mother based in Bengaluru and an artist based in London—merging into one and resolving the horror-inducing suspense towards the end. The camerawork of this film is brilliant. It manages to spook the audiences and keep them on the edge. If you are someone that loves a good scare, this is the film for you. This film is a remake of 2015 Tamil film Maya. Catch this film on Jio Cinema.
The multi-starrer by debutant Narthan is an action-packed film. The film narrates the story of police personnel on an undercover mission in a lawless land, Ronapura, run by a local don Bhairathi, essayed by Shiva Rajkumar. Sriimurali essaying the character of Ganna, the undercover officer, realises bewildering things about his nemesis throughout the 160 minutes of its running time. The film ends with a surprising action sequence involving Shiva Rajkumar and Sriimurali. The grim background score lends it a darker touch. The neo-noir film was a commercial success. This film is available on ZEE5 for streaming.
Kavaludaari is a neo-noir thriller starring Rishi, Anant Nag, Achyuth Kumar, Suman Ranganathan and Roshni Prakash. The film revolves around a dissatisfied Shyam (Rishi), traffic police, who wishes to be transferred into the crime department. Things take a bizarre turn when he unofficially starts investigating a case. During the course, he unearths the long-buried secrets of an influential politician. This slow-paced whodunit managed to woo the audiences. The soundtrack of the film, by Charan Raj, was also well received. Among the limited films in the genre, the Hemanth M Rao directorial manages to hook the audiences with the gripping narrative, most of it sporadic. It steers clear of conventional storytelling ways seen in Sandalwood films. Watch Kavaludaari on Voot.
Written, directed and produced by Arvind Kamath, the neo-noir mystery thriller first released in June at the London Indian Film Festival. The theatrical release, however, was on November 27, 2020. Arishadvarga stars Anju Alva Naik, Avinash, Samyukta Hornad, Mahesh Bung, Nanda Gopal, MG Sathya and Sripathi Manjanabayalu in prominent roles. This film too offers multiple accounts of a murder from various characters — a gigolo, an aspiring actor, a film editor married to a producer, a thief and others. Except for a bunch of scenes, the film otherwise is fairly well-lit which is a deviation from what noir films usually have. The film managed to connect with the audiences. The film is still being screened at theatres in multiple cities.