Why '666 Operation Dream Theatre' is the most anticipated original Kannada film
Kannada cinema has been going through a dull phase of late. A serious cineaste cannot sense much activity, unlike in the Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu film industries. When thinking of the most exciting and innovative filmmakers working presently in Kannada, only a few names come up: Rakshit Shetty, Rishab Shetty, Raj B Shetty, Hemanth Rao and Nithin Krishnamurthy are the ones that immediately come to mind. What about the rest?
It has been two years since we got the superb Hostel Hudugaru Bekagiddare, the directorial debut of Nithin Krishnamurthy (what's he doing next?), and Hemanth Rao's two-part Sapta Sagaradaache Ello - Side A & Side B.
Things seem to be looking up for the industry, though. Kantara: Chapter 1 is on the way. And Hemanth has been gearing up to get the cameras rolling on his next, 666 Operation Dream Theatre. To me, it's the most anticipated title on the list. I'll tell you why in a bit.
The early promos have been very enticing. We have seen the first-look poster of its lead actor Dhananjaya in a retro avatar, aside from a beautifully done title promo that hints at a vintage-coded espionage action thriller that echoes classic detective and spy fiction from India and abroad.
On Wednesday, the makers revealed another first-look poster of superstar Shivarajkumar in a look that recalls old Rajkumar's CID 999 films as well as the heroes from numerous detective stories of yore, set mostly in the 1960s to '70s. Hemanth has recently mentioned his love for CID 999 as a compelling factor for making 666 Operation Dream Theatre.
In a chat with The New Indian Express, Hemanth said, "We studied Dr. Rajkumar’s films for tonal inspiration. But the beauty is, Shivanna has his signature style. We weren’t trying to replicate Annavaru (an affectionate name by which fans address Rajkumar). Instead, we asked: what if that genre returned today — how would Shivanna naturally embody it? He carries an uncanny resemblance to Annavaru at times, which is a huge compliment, but the space he occupies is uniquely his own.”
Produced by Dr Vaishak J Gowda under the banner of Vaishak J Films, the film's technical team members include cinematographer Advaitha Gurumurthy ("Agnyathavasi", "Sapta Sagaradaache Ello - Side A & Side B") and composer Charan Raj ("Side A & Side B"). Vishwas Kashyap, who worked on the excellent Aachar & Co., is handling production design. Costume designer Inchara Suresh, who has worked in Aachar & Co and Humble Politician Nagraj, is also part of the team.
The fact that Hemanth has already proven himself to be a gifted writer of original and inventive thrillers like Kavaludaari — the 2019 film was remade in Telugu and Tamil — and on Sriram Raghavan's Andhadhun (Hemanth was one of the co-writers of the film's National Award-winning screenplay) make 666 Operation Dream Theatre a most promising pick. And when you combine Hemanth's talent with that of a strong creative team, the excitement is naturally doubled.
Notably, in the same year that Kavaludaari came out, Kantara star Rishab Shetty starred in a retro-flavoured detective film, Bell Bottom: The Adventures of Detective Divakara, directed by Jayatheertha. A reference to CID 999 can be found in this film too, since its hero has an obsession with classic mystery and spy stories, one of which happens to be the Rajkumar classic, Goa Dalli CID 999.
With production commencing in July, 666 Operation Dream Theatre is eyeing a 2026 release, in Kannada and Telugu. Now, let's wait and see if the film will do justice to our expectations.
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