Koli Esru

Koli Esru is a Kannada drama film based on the story Huchheeri Esarina Prasanga by K T Chikkanna. Akshatha Pandavpura, Apeksha Nagaraj Chornahalli, Natana Manju, Prakash Shetty and Dakshayani N feature in lead roles. The full is jointly produced by Vanaja Vaman Rao, Sujatha Gopinath, M.G.Satya Prasad, Gouramma, Harish Komme, Mahesh Togata, Prathap R Mendon, Dileep Shetty, Vandana Inamdaar, Venu Hennur, Geetha Surathkal, Dr. Radhakrishna Ural and Prakash P Shetty under the banner Apron Productions.

The film was released in theatres across Karnataka on 26 January 2024.

Plot
Based on a short story by K T Chikkanna, the film is set in the 1980s. Koli Esru is the story of a poor Huchheeri who makes tremendous sacrifices and undergoes great difficulties just to give her beloved ten-year-old daughter a taste of chicken curry.

Deprived of motherly love at a tender age, Huchheeri is married off by her step-mother to a drunkard, separating her from her loving father and idyllic village.

Huchheeri's daughter informs her of chicken curry being prepared at the Chieftain's home. Huchheeri cooks some rice in hopes of getting some chicken curry to fulfill her daughter's craving just once. Since she had lost her mother at a very young age, she would undergo any hardship to make her ten year old happy. But, will she be successful?

The narration of events that happens in a span of 24 hours in Hucheeri's life is a larger story of both traditional and modern women's struggles who have had to fight injustice just to survive in spite of patriarchal and societal pressures.

Cast

 * Akshatha Pandavpura as Huchheeri
 * Apeksha Nagaraj Chornahalli as Lachhu
 * Natana Manju as Gende Kala
 * Prakash Shetty as Hucheri's Husband
 * Dakshayani N as Chikkirid

Film festival selections

 * New York Indian Film Festival
 * Indo German Film Week
 * Indian Film Festival of Melbourne
 * International Film Festival of Irinjalakuda
 * International Film Festival of Thrissur
 * Ajanta Ellora International Film Festival
 * Ottawa Indian Film Festival
 * Bengaluru International Film Festival
 * Nitte International Film Festival