Anti-landlord rebellion meets 'shrew taming' in 1974 Rajkumar hit, released again

In 1974, at the peak of his superstardom, Rajkumar surprised even his diehard fans by launching his singing career atop a buffalo and donning the red robes of a dashing rebel. Sampathige Savaal, a cult classic, has hit the screens again after five decades.

Shot exclusively in Rajkumar's hometown Gajanur in Chamarajanagar, the film is a simplistic rich vs poor social drama in a rural setting. The oppressive landlord Sahukar Siddappa (Vajramuni) and his brash, arrogant daughter Durga (Manjula) are challenged by the swashbuckling Veerabhadra (Rajkumar), the leader of the oppressed.

Though Bhadra’s elder brother Vishwa (Rajashankar) is Siddappa’s faithful worker, the rivalry between the hero and his bete noire deepens with each clash.

1974 is a landmark year in Karnataka's history, as the Land Reforms Act spearheaded by the then chief minister Devaraj Urs disrupted the status quo in production relations, where the tiller became the owner in several places. Though not as successful as in Kerala and West Bengal, the reforms deepened class antagonisms — well reflected in the clash between the hero and the villain.

It was also the time when discontent was brewing against Indira Gandhi's rule, manifesting in the growing popularity of the Angry Young Man trope. While Amitabh Bachchan became the flagbearer of this genre in the 70s, and replaced Rajesh Khanna as the superstar, 22-year-old Vishnuvardhan shot to instant fame as a rebel in the much-acclaimed Nagarahaavu (1972).

Sampathige Savaal is essentially Rajkumar's response to the order of the day. By playing an angry, righteous rebel, throwing sharp one-liners with characteristic ease and peaking in emotional scenes, the matinee idol displayed his versatility and cemented his status as Sandalwood’s unquestioned star. It's remarkable that at 45 (more than twice Vishnuvardhan’s age in Nagarahaavu), Rajkumar displays the same energy and intensity that the character demands.

That said, the plot lacks nuance. By ignoring the caste angle and deeper points of class struggles, the movie fails to effectively convey the conflict that it seeks to portray.

While everyone loves the tale of an underdog challenging wealth, the portrayal has its flaws. Like many commercials of its times, the film's extra zeal to project the hero results in misogynistic dialogues and patriarchal domination, and the heroine’s eventual surrender is reminiscent of the Taming of the Shrew template, where a haughty female lead is eventually subdued. Sadly, this pattern continues in mainstream films to this day.

The film has been a hallmark of mass appeal. During the shooting, the Buffalo that Rajkumar sat on was not available the next day, as a super eager fan had purchased it as a souvenir! The same hysteria is back in action, with hundreds swarming the theatres, bursting crackers and shouting slogans cheering the superstar.

Although Rajkumar had sung a couple of songs in the past, 'Yaare Koogadali' established him as a playback singer and he went on to deliver countless hits, eventually bagging the National Award in 1992 for ‘Nadamaya’ in Jeevana Chaitra.

As a young heroine, Manjula rose to stardom with a spontaneous, spirited performance that draws appreciation to this day. Rajkumar's chemistry with Manjula peaks in the conflict scenes, and is in contrast to their measured and melancholic partnership in Eradu Kanasu (1974) which preceded Sampathige Savaal.

Vajramuni lives up to his sobriquet of Nata Bhayankara (actor terrible) with an intense, power-packed performance. If Rajkumar's role attracts the crowd, Vajramuni succeeds in repelling it.

Balakrishna is effective in his characteristic half-villain-half-comedian role and lightens up scenes through his impeccable sense of timing. With the emphatic ‘Naguvudo aluvudo neeve heli,’ PB Srinivas proves why he was South India's most-sought after singer for decades, while GK Venkatesh produces an enjoyable jukebox with plenty of variety. The restored version has good audio-visual clarity that makes the journey pleasant.

While historically significant for multiple reasons, Sampathige Savaal’s re-release has effectively reestablished Rajkumar's cult status and the eagerness amongst his legion of fans to see their idol on the big screen. Its success may pave the way for more re-releases in the coming days.