There is a certain weight that comes with filming history at the very place where it unfolded. For director Naganna's Karnatabalam Ajjeyam, that meant taking the cameras to Navalgund on July 21, the day the region observes Farmers' Martyrs' Day, and blending cinema with a real-life commemoration.
The film marks the acting debut of Dhyan Yogeeshwara, son of MLA CP Yogeeshwara, while the actor-politician himself plays a farmer from North Karnataka. Instead of staging a protest sequence on a closed set, the makers chose to film during the actual Farmers' Martyrs' Day observance, capturing Yogeeshwara and MLA NH Konaraddi raising slogans alongside farmers and activists.
Currently being shot across Badami, Pattadakal, Aihole, Nargund, and Navalgund, the film draws from the socio-political realities of North Karnataka, weaving together the region's agrarian struggles with its rich historical legacy.
Yogeeshwara said the film explores the hardships farmers endure while highlighting the irony that a land once ruled by the mighty Chalukya Empire continues to grapple with agrarian distress. He added that Karnatabalam–Ajjeyam unfolds across two timelines and also touches upon the long-debated Mahadayi water dispute, positioning the film as both a commercial entertainer and a tribute to Karnataka's farming community.
With nearly 30 per cent of the shoot completed, the team plans to continue filming in Navalgund before wrapping up the current schedule. The makers are eyeing an early 2027 release around Sankranti.
Produced by MPMG Film Factory, the film features music by V Harikrishna, cinematography by Shekhar Chandra, and a screenplay by MS Ramesh, Vishwa, and Gururaj Desai. Miss Universe India Manika Vishwakarma and Miss Universe India Runner-up Rekha Pandey play the female leads, while Jagapathi Babu and Laya are part of the ensemble.
