Childhood is often remembered in fragments: a school uniform, a game after class, a friendship that once seemed inseparable. Amartha, directed by Vinay Preetham and Guru Hegde, builds its story around that familiarity, exploring how friendships and emotions evolve as people move from school years into adulthood. The film is set to hit screens on September 18.
The film centres on eight principal characters, each portrayed at two stages of life. Child artistes who closely resemble their adult counterparts were chosen to make the transition between the timelines feel natural.
For Vinay Preetham, who previously directed Madammaki and Naanu, Adhu Mathu Saroja, the appeal of Amartha lies in the familiarity of its emotions. “The reason I was drawn to this story is that it exists in everyone’s life in some form. It could be something we have experienced ourselves or something we have observed among our friends. Even if an incident has not happened directly to us, there is always someone we know who has gone through something similar. That makes the emotions very relatable,” he says.
The childhood portions are not merely extended flashbacks but are integral to understanding the friendships and emotional bonds that shape the characters later in life. “We wanted to present childhood within a mainstream format rather than treating it purely as an art-house subject,” says Vinay.
Shinoy V Joseph and Pancham Jeeva compose the music, with Shridhar V Sambhram, Rakesh Acharya and Balram Balu handling the background score.
“For older audiences, the recreation of 1980s school life offers a return to a world of uniforms, games and friendships before smartphones and digital life became part of everyday existence. For younger viewers, it becomes a glimpse into a very different kind of childhood,” he adds.
The two-director structure emerged from the writing. Guru Hegde, who wrote the story and screenplay, joined Vinay in directing the film, while also producing it with Dr Kanyana Sadashiva Shetty. After 25 years in the industry, Amartha marks Guru’s first film as producer and director. “We have made the film with conviction, and I hope Amartha connects with people and brings back memories of the time they grew up in,” he says.
The film stars Srinagar Kitty and Meghana Raj Sarja, along with Usha Bhandari, Krithi Shetty, Mohan Sheni, Sunil Nelligudde, Nagaraj Bhat, Chetan Vijay, Asha Sujay, Ila Vitla, Shruthi Nayak, Shailashree Mulki, Roopa Varkadi and Vajradheer Jain.
While Guruprashanth Rai is the cinematographer