The lull in Kannada cinema won’t last forever: Meghana

The lull in Kannada cinema is a much-debated topic within the industry and among audiences, but actor Meghana Gaonkar is optimistic about the future of the industry. The actor, who has just signed another film with director Gururaj Kulkarni after The Judgement, says, “There have been so many movies releasing every week in 2025, but not many have fared well. I believe that’s just a phase. It doesn’t mean that people won’t watch our films anymore,” she says.

‘OTT IS A BIG CONTENDER; WE NEED TO WORK HARDER’
While we might have our complaints about no OTT takers for Kannada cinema, we need to realise that the world of cinema is at our fingertips. You can now watch a movie from another part of the world, and learn more about the language and the culture there. Earlier, content was limited to what was available on television and theatres, but now there’s a whole world of cinema waiting to be explored. We need to make content that competes with all of that.
‘KANNADA CINEMA NEEDS TO MARKET ITS FILMS MORE EFFECTIVELY’
OTT allows you to watch a movie from the comfort of your home, but people will always love going to the theatres to watch films. Some movies are just meant to be viewed on the big screen. Take Choo Mantar and Murphy, for example. Choo Mantar did well in theatres, but when it was released on OTT, people who did not watch it on the big screen said they missed out on a great film. The same goes for Murphy. Maybe, somewhere, we are falling short on marketing these movies. We just need to be a little more proactive and decide on what to do, especially because there’s so much entertainment right at your fingertips. As an industry, we need to explore strategies to encourage audiences to choose the theatrical experience over OTT.
‘TODAY’S AUDIENCES ARE SHOWING THEIR INTOLERANCE FOR MISOGYNY IN FILMS’
Information is available to everyone, and people are now aware of what’s right and what’s wrong. Terms like ‘feminism’ and ‘gaslighting’, which were less known a decade ago, are now common and major talking points. It’s not that feminism is a new concept, but rather the understanding about it is now far more readily available. Audiences who may have once accepted crass content in films are now more likely to criticise it as inappropriate.
‘EVEN IN 2025, EQUAL PAY IS FAR FROM BEING A REALITY’
When asked what I’d change about the film industry, equal pay for men and women is always my answer. However, people choose to remain silent due to fear of jeopardising future opportunities. I don’t make too much noise about this, but I silently walk away from a project if I know I am not being paid enough for my craft. That’s my way of standing up to the issue.
‘THERE SHOULD BE MUTUAL SUPPORT IN THE FILM INDUSTRY’
When film industry members support each other, it fosters a strong sense of community. For instance, when 10 people speak about a film rather than just two or three people from that film, it has a huge impact. Even when a superstar mentions a newcomer’s film, their fan base will likely take notice.
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