By Violet Pereira, Team Mangalorean

Mangalore:  'Sompa' a Tulu film by Namratha Hegde has hit the silver screen with a big bang at Big Cinema located in Bharat Mall, here on September 13.  

Before the screening of the film, there was a formal inaugural function held at Bharat Mall. The senior JD(S) leader Amarnath Shetty inaugurated the programme by lighting the traditional lamp along with other dignitaries.

Addressing the gathering  JD(S) state vice president Amarnath Shetty  said that there is a harvest in Tulu movies. We need to support our mother tongue. Today Namratha Hegde has produced a movie in Tulu.  She needs every one's blessings as well as support to make the movie "Sompa" a successful one. 

Film Producer and Director Richard Castelino addressing the gathering said that, it is a proud moment for all of us because Namratha Hegde came up with an Tulu movie "Sompa".  She needs immense support from the people of Dakshina Kannada.  He also said that the media is the only medium for any movies to accomplish good ratings and  success.  Media has given wide publicity in the past and most of the films have succeeded running shows for over hundred days.  He congratulated Namratha and wished her to produce more and more films in Tulu and other languages too.

Senior journalist Manohar Prasad speaking on the occasion said, "Namratha was born and brought up in Dubai and she has completed her MBA in Dubai.  With her educational qualification she could have gone to the USA and earned lot of money, but her love and respect towards her mother tongue inspired her to act and create a Tulu movie".  He even said that the lead actor Ajathashatru who looks like Jeetendra,  is acting for the first time in Tulu movie and the movie 'Sompa' will be a huge success, no doubt about it, he assured.

The  movie Sompa, is about the three men who are facing serious family problems and are not able to find any solution to solve them. While they are still working on ways to solve their problems, a person comes in to their lives, becomes their God father and helps in resolving their problems . This is a must watch family movie for all Tuluvas and also non Tuluvas as it contains a Hindi song. He also said that  Namratha came up with the idea of producing Tulu movie targeting the youth, I gladly accepted. There is comedy, humor, thrill and romance in the movie and it is a total pack of entertainment.

Actors Aravinda Bolar, Tamma Laxman, Sadashiva Amrapurkar Mumbai, Ravi Surathkal, Jeevan Ullal, Manoj Attavar, Prabhakarxhm Shetty Mumbai, Surendra Hegde, Krishnaraj Shetty, Chandravathi, Vasanth, Shashiraj Kavoor, Shobha Shetty, Pradeep Alva, Rajesh Kenchana Kere, Nagesh Dambel, Rajesh Alape and Chandrahas Kadri will be also feature in the movie.

In the technical team we have, Rajan Lalpuri - Photography, Iqbal Darbar - Music, Script - Ajathashathru, dialogue - Rajan Lalpuri and Sashiraj Kavoor, Choreography - Pappukanna, Art direction Tamma Laxman and Asif Khan. The singers Dr Nitin Acharya and Dr Sushila Rao from Mangalore.

Namrata Hegde,  Ajathashathru, Geeta Hegde  and Tamma Laxman were also present.

Ram Shetty, story writer, producer and director of the film, said that “It was my dream of many years to make a Tulu movie. But as I was fully occupied in Bollywood, I could fulfil my dream today. I made this film because of my great respect towards my mother tongue, not out of any commercial intention.”

Machendranath Pandeshwar, dialogue writer of the movie, was felicitated on the occasion.

Lead actor in the movie, Shivadhwaj, lead actress Paki Hegde, music director V Manohar, Ajith Kumar Rai Maladi, Rohith Shetty Nagriguttu, M Sanath Semitha, , Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy presidentUmanath Kotian, entrepreneur Vijaynath Vittal Shetty,  Tamma Lakshmana, art director Sanat Kumar Shetty, Adyar Madhava Naik, Divakar Naik, Jagadeesh Shetty Sarvani, Jayaram Sheka, Shivaraj Shetty, Purushottam Bhandary and Deepak Shetty were among others were present on the occasion.

Dakshina Kannada on Friday, September 14. The film will be released in Mangalore, Moodbidri and Puttur, said the producer of the movie Namratha Hegde.

Namratha further said, "Tulu Film 'Sompa',  was scheduled to hit the silver screen during the third week of August 2012, but because of the film title 'Rampa', there was some objection from the family members of Ramappa Poojary. Now finally we are ready to release the film on September 14". On the request of the family members and relatives of Ramappa Poojary, we have changed the title,from 'Rampa' to 'Sompa'.