BTS review: A bittersweet tribute to the unsung heroes behind the scenes in cinema

BTS (Behind the Scenes) is an anthology of five films by five new filmmakers where each film talks about the underbelly or the dark side of the film industry.

From aspiring writers, actors and filmmakers to some of the foot soldiers on the set, one gets to see them take the spotlight in this anthology where each story has a bittersweet note to it.

When it comes to cinema, almost everyone can get lured by the stardust. Hence, it is no secret that thousands of people set out to find a glimmer of hope while chasing fame and more importantly a name in show business.

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Something for every viewer

In one of the first films in BTS titled Baanigondu Elle Ellide, the protagonist reports to his father after being reprimanded for not making any money and says, “Anyone can make money but very few can make a name for themselves.”

This pretty much sums up the tone of the people who aspire to find their way from the shadow to the spotlight in this collection of five films.

This unique mix of five films offers something for every viewer. For those seeking high emotional impact, Baanigondu Elle Ellide is a standout. It follows an aspiring showbiz artist who often quotes movie dialogues. However, he’s forced to confront the reality of his life as the son of a brass band trumpet player with limited means. The film highlights how dreams of showbiz are a certain privilege.

The second film of BTS is Cigarettes, Coffee and Lines, which is a clever story that not only gives a peek into the conversations between aspiring filmmakers and writers when coming up with film ideas but is also a clever commentary on the way ideas and stories need to be filtered based on both commercial needs of a film as well as the woke and cancel culture prevalent in the world today. Some topics are pushed to the extreme here and that is worth appreciating.

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An ode to every member of the set

Hero, the third story of BTS placed right before the interval, is a beautiful story of an uncanny hero, an aspiring actor living in a slum. When this person gets a chance to be in a film as a passerby for a shot, how he stands up to that opportunity forms the crux of the story. There are elements that make the viewers laugh and cry with the protagonist.

Blockbuster is the fourth story in BTS and the most unique one. Placed just after the interval, I personally felt it should have been placed before, as people are often distracted post the interval. This abstract tale of a writer trying to overcome his writer’s block set in a magic realism-like setting with black and white filming is worth applause and the lead fantastically carries this story.

SuMoha, the last story in this anthology, is my personal favourite. This story is of a newlywed couple, a touch-up make-up artiste and his wife who works in a factory.

The story is simple and heartwarming and the perfect ode to every member of a film set who slogs all through the day and never gets his or her due. The final scene had everyone in the cinema hall erupting in applause involuntarily and this was testimony to the story.

A laudable effort

BTS is a much more realistic and rooted tribute to cinema compared to some of the other productions that have spoken about the ways of the film industry.

All five films are technically sound and have no flaws in terms of the visuals or audio. Performances by all the actors are praiseworthy and the casting for most of the characters is on point.

Final take

BTS is an anthology that is made by five new voices in Kannada cinema—Sai Srinidhi, Prajwal MR, Kuldeep Cariappa, Rajesh N Shankadh and Apoorva Bharadwaj— and each of them show a lot of promise as storytellers. This is one anthology that is worth that trip to the cinema halls.

(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha Kandula)