What explains Darshan’s popularity?

His portrayal of Kannada freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna won Darshan the state award.

Darshan got his first big break with PN Satya’s ‘Majestic’.

The star perhaps enjoys the biggest fan base in the industry. 

With cinema halls closed for more than three months because of the pandemic, movie buffs are missing the big screen experience. In Kannada, the film that is most anticipated this season was Darshan’s ‘Roberrt’, helmed by the promising Tharun Sudhir.

Unconditional support from fans is something the big stars enjoy. The legendary Rajkumar never forgot to thank his ‘abhimani devarugalu’ (fan gods). Can a hero go without a hit for 11 years and still create a buzz when the next is coming up? Yes, as you can see in the case of the Telugu star Pawan Kalyan.

Today, Darshan’s popularity in the Kannada film industry is unparalleled. Social media is replete with his pictures, video interviews and film clips. He is the most bankable star as far as producers are concerned. 'Roberrt' is among the big films that would rather not skip the movie halls to go directly to a streaming platform.

His 28-film career is far from perfect. But it’s a career that began with a bang. The son of famous Kannada cinema antagonist Thoogudeepa Srinivas, Darshan rose to fame with PN Satya’s ‘Majestic’ (2002). It told the story of an orphan lured into crime, and gave Darshan ample room to show his abilities.

Very soon, he perfected the template of a hero for the lower middle class. From the moment he walked in, he owned films like ‘Ayya’ and ‘Kalasipalya’. Prem’s ‘Kariya’, which worked for its gimmicks (presence of real gangsters) and songs, catapulted him to stardom.

Darshan’s physicality is tailor-made for commercial action films. With broad shoulders resting on strong arms, his towering 6-feet, 3-inch figure makes for a captivating screen presence.

“In a lot of his movies, he plays a young man from a disadvantaged background. Yet, he isn’t afraid of anyone or anything. He just bulldozes his way through. That’s the man his fans want to be,” says Shreedutta Chidananda, a huge Darshan fan.

Costume dramas

With the right body language and razor-sharp dialogue delivery, Darshan superbly anchored ‘Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna’ (2012). In ‘Kurukshetra’ (2019), which suffered from poor production values and shoddily executed war scenes, Darshan was the saving grace. It is only because of these films that you see a semblance of variety in his career.

Earlier, fans queued up for his films to see him mouth punch lines. The catchy hero-introduction songs and mannerisms were catalysts to his superstar-like image.

After 2010, in the second phase of his career, Darshan’s films were built on repeated plots and storylines. They didn’t succeed like his earlier films. Yet, his staunch followers didn’t hesitate to open up their wallets for his ventures. The success of ‘Sarathi’ showed his fans’ sympathy for a star back on screen after a personal controversy. With a bland story, the film wouldn’t have survived if not for the controversy.

It is possible to make intelligent and engaging commercial films without compromising on the ‘mass’ touch. In ‘Chingari’ (inspired by the Hollywood film ‘Taken’), director A Harsha crafted a stylish thriller with the right twists and turns. Those who thought ‘Chingari’ would spur directors to make bigger and better ‘masala’ films for Darshan were in for a rude shock.

Shoddy script-writing

‘Airavatha’, from A P Arjun, perhaps had everything going for it. A title complimenting the hero’s tall build, Darshan was back donning a policeman’s uniform, under a young director brimming with confidence after delivering two massive hits (‘Ambari and Addhuri’). Making a mockery of the positive predictions, ‘Airavatha’ triggered a crisis for Darshan films. The story ranged from tedious to idiotic, causing a splitting headache. From then on, wretched screen-writing ruined ‘Jaggu Dada’, ‘Ambareesha’, ‘Chakravarthy’ and ‘Tarak’. Without the script’s backing, his performances hung loose.

Not for everyone

Darshan is not a star embraced by all audiences. Blood and gore and expletives keep family audiences away, with a handful of films like ‘Gaja’ (2008) being the exception. The actor doesn’t have the subtlety needed for romance. He is far from natural in the genre. Directors could have created chemistry between Darshan and Rakshitha. But their scenes together were confined to the objectification of the actress.

Industry insiders feel the actor’s persona outside his films influences youngsters to emulate him. Many are impressed by his helping nature, especially towards people within the fraternity. His story of struggle — from light boy to superstar — is an inspiration to many.

Darshan must break out and try something new. There is no denying that his contemporaries have starred in films with better stories. In the commercial milieu, repeating the formula isn’t a problem. It’s all about how you sell the same template in a more engaging way.

Darshan’s age now shows on his face. Perhaps it is time to do fewer but more mature films. He returned to form somewhat with three films last year (‘Yajamana’, ‘Kurukshetra’, ‘Odeya’). Fans know the best is yet to come.

When ‘Roberrt’ is out, theatres across Karnataka will erupt with enthusiasm. The posters and the promotional videos have the style element missing in earlier Darshan films. For the sake of his fans, one hopes it won’t disappoint.