''Mukhaputa'' () is a 2009 Indian

Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...

-language film written, directed by and starring

Roopa Iyer Roopa Iyer is a film director and actor. Career She played the lead actress in the movie ''Daatu''. She directed and wrote the movie '' Mukhaputa''. In 2013, she directed & produced her bilingual big budget film ''Chandra'' in Kannada and Tam ...

. The film has international

HIV/AIDS research HIV/AIDS research includes all medical research that attempts to prevent, treat, or cure HIV/AIDS, as well as fundamental research about the nature of HIV as an infectious agent and AIDS as the disease caused by HIV. Transmission A body of sc ...

ers and academics as advisors: Dr. Satish, President of HIV Research Association of India, and Prof. Narayan Hosmane, two times Humboldt Award winner of Northern Illinois University, to help authenticate the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment and to dispel the misconceived notions of the terminal disease. The movie, which is produced by Narayan Hosmane, a cancer specialist in the US, his brother, Subraya Hosmane, an industrialist in Mumbai, and Roopa, also stars Sanya Iyer, Ananda Theertha, Sumithra, Chi. Gurudutt, and Badri Prasad in leading roles. Composer

Hamsalekha Gangaraju (born June 23, 1951), professionally known as Hamsalekha, is an Indian film composer and songwriter who works in South Indian cinema, predominantly in the Kannada film industry since the late 1980s. He is also a screenplay writer, d ...

, who has scored music for the film, too makes a special appearance in the film. An award-winning cinematographer,

S. Ramachandra Shivaramaiah Ramachandra Aithal (; 16 November 194810 January 2011), popularly known as S. Ramachandra, was a National Award-winning Indian cinematographer. In 2006, he was honoured with Lifetime Contribution to Kannada Cinema Award at the Ka ...

, is the director behind camera, and Haridas is the film editor of the movie, Shooting schedules, Marketing, Distribution prepared by Media Networks G.

Plot

The film is about the children suffering from

HIV/AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

. The film is set in a small town in South India, where a socially responsible educationally oriented traditional woman adopts a young baby girl, and realizes after several years that the child had HIV at birth. The story centered on the child, and a few of her underprivileged friends of the same age, depicts the challenges faced by the girl, her family and the society – it showcases pre-conceived notions that society infers on patients with HIV, and how children and their family are coping up with life. With very positive messages, the film reinforces the strength needed to "grow against all odds" – the message is applicable to all around the world that are struggling to grow in a biased society for no fault of theirs’

Cast

* Sanya Iyer as Bhavathi *

as Gowri * Ananda Theertha * Sumithra * Chi. Guru Dutt * Badri Prasad * Narayan Hosmane *

in a cameo appearance

Reception

Critical response

BSS from

Deccan Herald ''Deccan Herald'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper published from the Indian state of Karnataka. It was founded by businessman K. N. Guruswamy and launched on 17 June 1948. It is published by The Printers Mysore, a privately hel ...

wrote "First-time director Roopa Iyer weaves a fine, yet robust yarn in the colours of culture, humanity and compassion. Her approach is direct: the supporting characters are forced to look at themselves in their roles as upholders of norms and tradition. Highlighting Hindu culture, Roopa brings in the Vedas, Upanishads and the like dissecting the Hindu way of life effortlessly. However, the film embraces words in place of silence, undoing all the good work" A critic from

Bangalore Mirror ''Bangalore Mirror'' is an English-language daily published by The Times Group in Bangalore, India, as a compact newspaper. It is a deputed newspaper and is the second-largest circulating English daily in the city. In 2020, as part of its COVID ...

wrote "The film has a few touching scenes. But due to the preachy nature of Roopa Iyer’s character and the more-than-necessary focus on her alone, the film loses some of its serious tone.Sania Iyer as the HIV infected child touches a raw nerve. Hamsalekha’s music and S Ramachandra’s camera work are okay but not remarkable".

Awards

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 1578733
Mukhaputa for Cairo Film FestivalKannada film wins award in Ireland
* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20120828095150/http://www.kannadatimes.com/archives/1706 Medical-themed films HIV/AIDS in Indian films Films scored by Hamsalekha 2000s Indian films 2000s Kannada-language films