Narayana Nethralaya, Asia’s premier ophthalmological institute, is one of the driving forces behind Akshi (the eyes), the Best Kannada Feature Film at the 67th National Film Awards, with the hospital’s Chairman and Managing Director Dr. K. Bhujang Shetty mentoring and guiding the film. Akshi movie is all about eye donation.
“Akshi is like a booster dose for eye donation and with pride and humbleness, today I share the limelight with this excellent and empathetic film team. The film’s theme is very close to my heart and an important mission of Narayana Nethralaya. I am very happy to be part of this effort to educate the masses on eye donation through the celluloid medium,” said Dr Bhujang Shetty while addressing a joint press meet with the film team on March 30 at the hospital.
Akshi has conceptual connection to the Kannada matinee idol and thespian, late Dr. Rajkumar. So is Narayana Nethralaya’s Dr. Rajkumar Eye Bank, which was inaugurated by the cine icon himself in 1994. In 2006, when the great actor died, his cornea was donated to Narayana Nethralaya. The noble gesture of the legend’s pledge has now come on screen as Akshi. The late Parvathamma Rajkumar also donated her eyes as part of the family’s pledge to ophthalmological care. Over 50% of state’s eye donations are carried through Narayana Nethralaya.
Kannada superstar, Karunada Chakravarthy Dr. Shivarajkumar felicitated the team and appreciated their efforts. “It is extremely satisfying to note that a topic that is so dear to my father has won an award. This an emotional as well as inspirational moment,” he said. He pledged his eyes and fulfilled his father’s wishes.
“Akshi is our effort to bring maximum highlight on eye donation and how society views this issue. The eye donation subject calls for a larger dialogue, we learnt the enormity of it when we began interacting with Dr Bhujang Shetty and his team,” said Akshi film director Manoj Kumar.
Echoing his view, one of the producers of Akshi, N Ramesh said, “We by no means anticipated this national win. Probably, the nobleness of the movie and the sincerity of the production, along with countless goodwill fetched us the award.”
“I congratulate the entire team of Akshi for making our mission a commercial message for mass awareness. I earnestly hope that his film raises awareness and makes eye donation a successful movement,” added Dr. Shetty.
The movie also has late SP Balasubrahmanyam’s connection. “This award is also a tribute to SPB as he had agreed to be part of our challenge to change the perception of the society towards eye donation. This is one of the last few songs that he recorded,” revealed another producer Kaladegula Srinivas.
Dr Bhujang Shetty did not forget to mention the doggedness of screenplay writer Devendra Naidu, who had hundreds of questions to answer a single vision of making the story of eye donation effective for the people to understand. Govinde Gowda and Ila Vitla, the lead actor duo spoke on the challenges of breathing life into the characters.
Others present on the occasion were producer Ravi H.S (Holalu), cinematographer Mukul Gowda, screenplay writer Devendra Naidu, associate directors Meena Raghu and Suneel Raj. The film’s cast Master Mithun. M.Y, Baby Sowmya Prabhu, and Nagaraj Rao were also present.
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