Sharapanjara

 
Sharapanjara () is a 1971 Indian Kannada language film directed by Puttanna Kanagal, based on a novel by Triveni of the same name, and starring Kalpana and Gangadhar in lead roles. This film is considered one of the best Kannada movies ever made. Triveni's novel was richly visual and Puttanna not only stayed faithful to the novel on screen but also retained most of the novel's dialogues and credited Triveni for them.
The film won the award for Best Feature Film in Kannada at the 20th National Film Awards in 1972. It also won three awards at the 1970-71 Karnataka State Film Awards including the award for First Best Film.
The film was later remade in Telugu as "Krishnaveni" (1974) starring Vanisri.
Plot.
The film revolves around the issues of a woman's chastity, the acceptance of mentally ill by society and unfaithful spouses. The story starts with the chance meeting of the heroine Kaveri (Kalpana) and the hero Satish (Gangadhar). Satish falls in love with Kaveri who is educated, sophisticated, beautiful and hails from a loving family and they get married with the blessings of their parents. They form a picture-perfect couple. They build their dream house, have a son, buy a car and are generally prosperous. When Kaveri conceives for the second time, the doctor express concern over her health. During the post-partum period, she is triggered by memories of abuse as a teenager leading to her symptoms of post-partum psychosis, for which she seeks treatment at an in-house mental healthcare facility. After recovery, when she is discharged from the hospital, and returns home, Satish treats her with callousness. Kaveri faces scorn from her family, neighbours and society in general, as well, owing to the stigma around mental healthcare. Kaveri, eventually discovers that her husband, Satish, has been having an extra-marital relationship with a female colleague. Unable to bear it all, Kaveri's distress causes her post-partum psychosis symptoms to relapse. Kalpana's performance as a woman dealing with trauma was widely acclaimed by critics.
The movie dwells on two social issues. One, the male ego and entitlement. Kaveri's husband spurns her because of her past incident. And uses it as an alibi to be unfaithful to her. Two, the social acceptability of mentally challenged people. The general treatment Kaveri receives from her servants, her cook, her family members and neighbours depicts how the society lacks the sensitivity that is so much needed for people like Kaveri.
Soundtrack.
The soundtrack composed by Vijaya Bhaskar was well received by the audience. Songs like "Sandesha Megha Sandesha" and "Uttara Dhruvadim Dakshina Dhruvaku" are still popular.
Reception.
The film was a big hit and ran for one year in Karnataka in about three theatres. The character Kaveri portrayed by Kalpana is one of the strongest and widely acclaimed characters in Kannada cinema. The movie gave impetus to Kalpana's career.