Darshan Thoogudeepa’s latest film, Kaatera, hit the big screens in December last year. Directed by Tharun Sudhir, the movie has minted over $9.6 million (approx.) in worldwide collection. Along with Darshan Thoogudeepa, the film also features Aradhana Ram and Jagapathi Babu in key roles.
The film kicks off in the year 1989 when the Forensic Team comes across plenty of skeletons in a site near the village of Bheemanahalli. Almost the same time, the villagers are preparing to welcome the person who was wronged many years ago. Mahadevanna, a well-known face of the village, wants to make sure that his brother-in-law comes back to town.
For this, they take the help of a famous lawyer, which leads to receiving parole for 10 days while companied by a police constable. As the story moves forward, the viewers are introduced to an aged man who is sitting inside a bus. When both the constable and the old man are on their way to the village, they are attacked by a large group of armed men. But both manage to escape. Afterward, the old age man exposes himself to be Kaatera and reminisces the story of his life.
Kaatera was the most prominent blacksmith in the village and was surrounded by farmers, who were unfairly treated by the landlords to gain tax. Kaatera was well-familiar with caste-based discrimination that existed and was to be followed by society. He also belongs to a lower caste. On the other hand, Prabha, a daughter of Brahmin, was an educated woman who didn’t believe in the caste system and treated Kaatera as a human and not as someone who belonged to a particular community. Also, Prabha had been in love with Kaatera since childhood.
Did Kaatera kill 107 people?
Meanwhile, the lead forensic doctor, along with her team, uncovers 107 skeletons of people who had been brutally slaughtered. The police officers are not inclined to further investigation into the crime that happened twenty years ago. So, they request the lead doctor to write off all death as a natural death, but she refuses to do so.
The story moves back in time when Kaatera and Prabha were all set to marry. Soon before this, Kaatera got to know that a large group of combatants were plotting to destroy him and his village. The mob contained an army of 108 skilled swordsmen, and he eradicated them all. But, spared only one man out of everyone who was a youthful man. After killing them all, Kaatera felt regret. Moreover, Kaatera was also responsible for the green revolution. He was close to forming a political party for the welfare of the people, which exasperated Devaraya and Kala Gowda.
Who killed Prabha?
Aside from this, Prabha was killed just hours before her wedding. Out of rage, Kaatera killed Devaraya and decided to take the law into his own hands. He believed that Devaraya was one of the reasons for his disappearance from his wedding, which resulted in Prabha’s murder. For this, he was convicted and given life imprisonment, and years later, he is back in town for the Hole Mari festival.
Villagers are excited to have an old Kaatera back in town to take part in the festival. As Prabha’s death impacted him a lot, he decides not to sacrifice a bull. While attending the festival, Kaatera gets to know the reason behind Prabha’s death.
Paddu, Kaatera’s brother-in-law, was an educated man who used education as a tool to make himself superior. Also, he killed Prabha as she chose to marry someone outside of their caste. He believed that his sister dared to ruin the family’s legacy. Kaatera, out of wrath, also kills his brother-in-law with the weapon meant for beheading the bull.
In the end, Kaatera pays tribute to his deceased wife, who was trying to bring change in the villagers’ lives. He also requests the villagers, including Kale Gowda, to step ahead and treat each other as humans. Kaatera also drops his weapons as a symbol to establish peace in the society. The movie ends with Kaatera back to prison, with the hope that the villagers would take his words seriously.
