Hebbuli Cut turns a trendy hairstyle into a bold statement: Bheemrao
Set to hit theatres on July 4, Hebbuli Cut showcases fresh talent from North Karnataka and is presented by actor Sathish Ninasam under his Satish Picture House banner. The trailer was launched recently.
'In Hebbuli, the director presented the 'Hebbuli Cut' as an iconic style,' says Bheemrao, a young director from Raichur. 'But in North Karnataka, many from oppressed communities are denied access to salons offering this very haircut. The contrast was striking — a trending style on one side, and deep-rooted inequality on the other. I decided to build a film around this irony.'
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Director Bheemrao's Hebbuli Cut begins with the shot of a flower floating on water. The calming scene gets cut short when a bike runs over it. If you want to know what to expect at the end of the movie, the scene is a warning. Hebbuli Cut tells the tale of Vinay (Mounesh Nataranga), who wishes to lead a life like the floating flower, unruffled by the harsh realities of the world. Like all school-going children, especially in small towns, he has simple desires, such as getting a hairstyle like superstar Sudeep in the 2017 action thriller Hebbuli. The actor's hairstyle was a craze among students in 2017. So much so that an upset headmaster from a Bagalkot-based school wrote a letter to a salon owner requesting him to avoid shaping students' hair in that fashion. Perhaps, back then, nobody imagined a scenario where a boy would be denied the trendy hairstyle because of the family he belonged to. Bheemrao's film is inspired by true events. Written by Ananth Shandreya and Bheemrao, Hebbuli Cut is told from the point of view of Vinay, son of a cobbler (Mahadev Hadapad). The film, set in Chandrabanda village, in the North Karnataka-Telangana border, isn't as gritty as you would expect in a movie based on caste disparity, because the director consciously tracks the innocent journey of Vinay, marked by unfiltered emotions and yearning for social acceptance. Hebbuli Cut (Kannada) Director: Bheemrao Cast: Mounesh Nataranga, Mahadev Hadapad, Uma YG, Mahantesh Hiremath Runtime: 110 minutes Storyline: A school-going boy's simple desire of getting a trendy hairstyle is undone by caste disparity Several scenes subtly portray the divide between the haves and the have-nots. For instance, Vinay's privileged friends plan to go to Bengaluru to enjoy their summer holidays, even as Vinay remains quiet, as he doesn't have such options to choose from. ALSO READ:School headmaster in Karnataka requests salon owner to refuse Hebbuli hairstyle to students In pursuit of cracking a heavy subject, Bheemrao and team ensure the making isn't compromised. The short yet stylised fight sequence between Vinay and his classmates inside the classroom is harmless fun. Navneeth Sham's vibrant music is one of the biggest strengths of Hebbuli Cut—a dream-like song sequence, where Vinay imagines living happily with his crush, is a soothing number that's beautifully shot as well (Deepak Yaragera is the cinematographer). Vinay struggles to arrange the hefty amount needed for the hairstyle and convince the barber (Mahantesh) to take him inside his salon as a customer, as he does for so many others in the village. The cruel end to the story is inevitable, but Bheemrao doesn't pin-point his statement, as the climax is hard-hitting enough to convey the film's message. The performance from the lead cast, including Uma YG who plays Vinay's mother, is one of the pillar's of Hebbuli Cut. Hebbuli Cut touches upon a topic that's considered risky in Sandalwood. The Kannada film industry has shied away from the subject of caste, citing lack of audience support. Producers rarely come forward to invest on such themes. Bheemrao's film takes the road less travelled and the authentic world-building of his socially relevant story makes his film special. Hebbuli Cut is currently running in theatres
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Hebbuli Cut movie review: Rarely has a mere haircut in cinema symbolised the deep-rooted caste discrimination in Indian society as poignantly as Bheemarao's Hebbuli Cut. Vinay or Vinya (Mounesh Nataranga) dreams with all the innocence in the world of sporting the same hairstyle as his idol Kichcha Sudeep in the film Hebbuli (2017), and only so that he can impress a girl in his class. The girl (Ananya MK) belongs to an upper caste household in the village of Chandrabanda in Karnataka's Raichur district, while Vinya is the son of a cobbler, whose profession is disreputable in people's eyes to a dehumanising level. The girl's brother, Gowda, is the real power-wielding figure in the village and his caste privilege ranges from revving his Bullet on the streets to refusing to sit in the same chair as a person of lowered-caste, unless it has been dusted clean first. 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It is here that director Bheemarao's simplicity (aided by Deepak Yaragera's cinematography) in capturing the many fine details of the narrative doubles as inventiveness, because Hebbuli Cut might seem lacking flair in some portions, but it never feels pretentious or contrived. This approach allows for several lesser-known actors, who possibly emerge from the very region the story is set in, to lend a sense of groundedness to the narrative. Rafeeq (Punith Shetty Allama), the hotshot mechanic of the village, is Vinya's close friend and aide, and their camaraderie feels refreshing and unforced in spite of the age gap and them belonging to different faiths. Mahadev Hadapad as Vinya's father Mallanna delivers another natural performance after Photo (2023) with Uma YG impressing with her portrayal of the role of the kid's mother. 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While the breezy screenplay holds our attention till the very end, it occasionally has a stop-start rhythm that leaves certain key arcs in the story (Vinya's growth into self-reliance, for instance) slightly underdeveloped. Barring these missteps, Hebbuli Cut has lots to offer in terms of perspective as it bats defiantly for the underdog, and still manages to be thoroughly entertaining. It's also a showcase of the Kannada Film Industry's rich pool of talent that is unafraid of representing the world it emerges from, in all its innocence and injustice. Hebbuli Cut movie cast: Mounesh Nataranga, Anany Niharika, Mahadev Hadapad, Uma YG, Vinaya Mahadevan, Mahantesh Hiremath, Sarvesh Gouduru Hebbuli Cut movie director: Bheemarao Hebbuli Cut movie rating: 3.5 stars
