#ADecadeofParamathma - Five reasons to watch the Yogaraj Bhat classic

It was exactly ten years ago that one of Yogaraj Bhat's most celebrated films, 'Paramathma', made its way into cinema halls. The maiden, also the only, collaboration between Puneeth Rajkumar and Yogaraj Bhat, 'Paramathma' has attained cult status over the years and there are many contributing factors to the film's endurance. Aside from its commercial exploits at the time of the release, there are many facets to the film that have been etched permanently in people's minds, and what better way to mark its glorious tenth-year anniversary than take a look at all the different things that make the film so special.

Another valid reason for Yogaraj Bhat's success as a filmmaker is that he often explored new worlds and sensibilities despite the commercial confines that he was surrounded by. There's the prominent philosophical touch to his subjects that don't necessarily play out in preachy ways but mainly through the central characters that embody Bhat's weird outlook towards societal norms and love. While Diganth's character in 'Pancharangi' functioned more or less as a misfit whose free-spirited ideology stung harsh everyone around him, Puneeth Rajkumar plays a similar albeit slightly more sociable character who, nevertheless, has a unique worldview. And it's this very approach that has enabled Yogaraj Bhat to conceive an endearing story for 'Paramathma' that carries his quintessential quirks - be it the nonlinear structure or the use of music to carry the narrative forward, the film was quite experimental for a mainstream vehicle.

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Yogaraj Bhat has hardly put a foot wrong in extracting credible performances from each of his casts. 'Mungaru Male' and 'Gaalipata' remain instrumental to Ganesh's success as an actor and for him to be still regarded as a serious performer on screen. 'Manasaare' showed that both Diganth Manchale and Aindrita Ray withhold serious talents and 'Pancharangi' only enunciated the case-point for Diganth. In the same way, 'Paramathma' too tapped into the best of Puneeth Rajkumar who, at the time, was in the thick of his best and most experimental phase as an actor. Deepa Sannidhi, who had made her debut only a week before with 'Saarathi' (on 30th September 2011), proved that she can easily match toe-to-toe with Puneeth and the rest of the cast, despite the lack of any experience as an actor. The principal cast, which also comprises veteran actors Anant Nag, Dattanna, and Rangayana Raghu along with Aindrita Ray and Ramya Barna, too shines bright.

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One of the main lures of a Yogaraj Bhat film is the masterful play of words. There's a specific rhythmic quality to Yogaraj Bhat's lines which also carry cryptic, almost metaphorical, undertones, and perhaps this is essentially why the film seems fresh and nuanced despite the age. Yogaraj Bhat also served as one of the two lyricists on the film, writing four out of the six songs, and be it the very idiosyncratic Yaavanig Gothu or the mellifluous Hesaru Poorthi, his penchant for blending the colloquial with the poetic language is quite apparent throughout.

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Right from 'Mungaru Male', Yogaraj Bhat has owned the reputation of being a superb "visual" storyteller whose films boast of the most beautiful imagery. By traversing various vibrant spots of Karnataka, Yogaraj Bhat and his cinematographers have rendered some of the most stunning visuals of recent times. While S. Krishna stood behind the lens for 'Mungaru Male' and 'Drama', newbie Santosh Rai Pathaje captured the world of 'Paramathma' in a marvelous fashion and accentuated the film's impact.

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