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{{short description|2002 Indian Kannada-language film}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox film
| name = H{{sub|2}}O
| image = H2O Official poster .jpg
| caption = Film VCD cover
| director = N. Lokanath<br />Rajaram
| producer = P. Dhanraj
| writer = [[Upendra (actor)|Upendra]]
| starring = Upendra<br/>[[Prabhudeva]]<br/>[[Priyanka Upendra]]
| music = [[Sadhu Kokila]]
| cinematography = [[H. C. Venugopal]]
| editing = T. Shashikumar
| studio = Dhanaraj Films
| distributor =
| released = {{film date|df=yes|2002|03|29}}
| runtime = 134 minutes
| country = India
| language = [[Kannada language|Kannada]]<ref>{{cite web|last1=Riti|first1=M. D.|title=Prabhu Deva in a unique tap dance!|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2001/jan/04prabhu.htm|website=Rediff|access-date=29 April 2016|date=4 January 2001}}</ref>
}}
'''''H{{sub|2}}O''''' is a 2002 [[India]]n [[Kannada]]-language film directed by debutants N. Lokanath and Rajaram. The film was dubbed in [[Tamil language|Tamil]] as ''H{{sub|2}}O Kaveri'' and was produced by Dhanraj under Dhanraj Films. The film's script was written by Upendra who stars in the lead role with Prabhu Deva, Priyanka Trivedi along with Babu Mohan, Sadhu Kokila and Bank Janardhan portraying supporting roles.

The film's plot revolves around the fight between two villages, as the Kaveri water issue became controversial upon its release and did well at box office. The film's cinematography and editing were handled by [[H. C. Venugopal]] and T. Shashikumar respectively. The film was dubbed in Telugu under the same name and it was dubbed into Hindi as ''Dil Ki Dhadkan''. The core concept of metaphorical reference to dispute between two states was used in the 2016 Marathi movie ''Marathi Tigers''.

==Cast==
* [[Upendra (actor)|Upendra]] as Udayashankar
* [[Prabhudeva]] as Vairamuthu
* [[Priyanka Upendra]]
* [[Babu Mohan]]
* [[Sadhu Kokila]]
* [[Bank Janardhan]]
* Ravindranath
* Shankar Bhat
* Pushpa Swamy
* Mandapanda Aiyappa as King, heroine's father in past life

==Production==
The film's script was initially written in 1998 for Dr. Rajkumar and Rajinikanth, who both refused to do the film due to the sensitive nature of the film.<ref name = hin>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/tale-of-love-and-water/article12542780.ece|title=Tale of love and water|first=Muralidhara|last=Khajane|date=3 October 2012|access-date=11 January 2020|via=www.thehindu.com|newspaper=The Hindu}}</ref>

==Soundtrack==
[[Sadhu Kokila]] composed the music for the film. The lyrics were written by Upendra. The soundtrack album was released on 27 May 2001 at [[Kanteerava Studios]], [[Bangalore]].<ref>{{cite news |title=H2O audio release |url=http://www.screenindia.com/20010615/rkana2.html |access-date=22 September 2020 |work=[[Screen (magazine)|Screen]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010711155546/http://www.screenindia.com/20010615/rkana2.html |archive-date=11 July 2001}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! # !! Title !! Singers !! Length
|-
| 1 || "Hoove Hoove" || [[Kavita Krishnamurthy]] || 5:50
|-
| 2 || "Bida Beda Bida Beda" ||[[Hariharan (singer)|Hariharan]], [[Upendra (actor)|Upendra]] || 5:06
|-
| 3 || "Kandavideko Mamsavideko" || [[Shankar Mahadevan]] || 5:53
|-
| 4 || "I Wanna See My Darling" || [[Rajesh Krishnan]], Pratima Rao || 5:22
|-
| 5 || "OK OK OK" || [[Gurukiran]] || 5:49
|-
| 6 || "Dil Ilde Love" || Upendra || 5:43
|}

===Reception===
''H{{sub|2}}O'' was Upendra's return to the big screen after a hiatus of 2 years. Upon its audio release, a record number of audio cassettes and CDs were sold. The film created a new record and went on to do a business of more than {{INR}}1 crore through audio sales. Soundtrack numbers like "I Wanna See My Darling", "Hoove Hoove", "Naa Ninna Bidalare", "Bida Byada", and "Dil Ilde" went on to top the charts.<ref>
{{cite web
|url = http://www.ourkarnataka.com/entertainment/music_review_h2o.htm
|title = Witty words for Upendra-Prabhudeva starrer
|work = [[The Music Magazine]]
|publisher = ourkarnataka.com
|access-date = 2 November 2012
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121102010026/http://www.ourkarnataka.com/entertainment/music_review_h2o.htm
|archive-date = 2 November 2012
|df = dmy-all
}}</ref>

==Themes==
''H2o'' is a triangular love story between a Kannadiga and a Tamilian vying for the love of a girl called ''Kaveri'', it is actually a metaphorical reference for the river Cauvery dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Upendra noted that he compared the issue to Siamese twins "tried to communicate that harmonious living is the only suitable solution to the Cauvery dispute, rather than fighting over it."<ref name = hin/>

==Release==
===Controversy===
The film became controversial due to its content as the activists from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu demanded the film to be banned. Upendra was forced to compromise by dubbing Tamil dialogues in the film into Kannada and vice versa, to appease linguistics sentiments on both sides. Scenes containing flags of political parties were deleted, before its re-release.<ref name = hin/>

===Critical reception===
The film received highly positive reviews upon release. Critics applauded the way Upendra had managed to narrate a sensitive matter like the Kaveri River water dispute in a commercial way.<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/kannada/review.php?id=11203710&ctid=5&cid=2427
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050121140233/http://sify.com/movies/kannada/review.php?id=11203710&ctid=5&cid=2427
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=21 January 2005
|title=H2O
|publisher=sify movies
|access-date=2 November 2012
}}</ref>

===Box-office performance===
''H{{sub|2}}O'' completed 50 days of run in 28 theatres across [[Karnataka]] and also went on to complete 75 days of run in [[Bangalore]], despite controversies and release in excessive number of theatres playing spoilsport. ''H{{sub|2}}O'' was a 'Semi Hit' at the box office.<ref name = ra>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.angelfire.com/stars/upendra/rajaram/interview/Rajaram_English.html |title=H2O Director Rajaram Interview |publisher= |date= }}</ref><ref name="P Vasu Interview">{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-south-interview-with-p-vasu/20120125.htm |title=P Vasu Interview |publisher= |date= }}</ref> Although a commercial success,<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-south-two-kannada-films-will-fight-it-out-this-weekend/20110707.htm
|title=Two Kannada films will fight it out this weekend
|last=Lakshminarayana
|first=Shruti Indira
|publisher=Rediff|date=7 July 2011
|access-date=2 November 2012
}}</ref><ref name="P Vasu Interview"/> it turned out to be the least running film of Upendra till then in terms of long run by completing only 75 days of run. This was very less compared to his previous films like ''[[A (Kannada film)|A]]'' (1998), ''[[Upendra (film)|Upendra]] (1999)'', ''[[Preethse]]'' (2000), all of which had completed more than 175 days of run. Unlike other Upendra films of that time, ''H{{sub|2}}O'' could not get a long run at the box office mainly due to negative controversies and temporary ban on the film.

However, irrespective of its under-performance, the distributors and exhibitors made huge business from ''H{{sub|2}}O''.<ref>
{{cite news
|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/09/02/stories/2004090201750100.htm
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041112121704/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/09/02/stories/2004090201750100.htm
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=12 November 2004
|title=Behind the curtains
|work=[[The Hindu]]
|date=2 September 2004
|access-date=2 November 2012
}}</ref> Even though the distributors of ''H{{sub|2}}O'' earned huge profits and the film's collections were on par with other hit films of that time,<ref name = gan>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.gandhadagudi.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6961&start=465 |title=H2O – Kannada film discussion |publisher= |date= }}</ref><ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.dhoperchop.com/content/0911609-upendra-and-priyankas-upcoming-kannada-comeback-movie-srimathi-2010
|title=Title unknown
|publisher=dhoperchop.com
|access-date=2 November 2012
}}</ref> it was termed as a flop by the media because of the film not reaching expectations. Producer Dhanraj went on a strike against Upendra demanding free call-sheet from him, stating that he had suffered huge losses from the movie.<ref>
{{cite news
|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/05/28/stories/2002052800410402.htm
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040705212039/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/05/28/stories/2002052800410402.htm
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=5 July 2004
|title=H2O travails continue for Dhanraj
|work=[[The Hindu]]
|date=28 May 2002
|access-date=2 November 2012
}}</ref>

However, ''H{{sub|2}}O'' continues to remain in the 'Hit' status among some section of the media and box office analysts.<ref name = gan/> Rajaram, one of the directors of the film, mentioned in an interview that "''H{{sub|2}}O'' had a successful run at the box office, although the product couldn't reach the mass properly baked, for so many other reasons".<ref name = ra/> In an interview with [[TV9 (Kannada)|TV9]] in 2011, Upendra denied that ''H{{sub|2}}O'' was a failure. According to Upendra, the film got extra ordinary openings and collections at the box office, but could not get a long run beyond 75 days due to excessive release, mass distribution and controversies playing spoilsport. Upendra explained that a major chunk of ''H{{sub|2}}O'''s profits went to the distributors and exhibitors instead of the producer due to mass distribution and flawed marketing by the producer.<ref>
{{cite web
|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtNJ7o71NUg
|title=Upendra explains that H2O was a decent hit
|publisher=[[YouTube]]
|access-date=2 November 2012
}}</ref>

The core-concept of the movie was re-used in the controversial 2016 Marathi movie ''Marathi Tigers'' - which incidentally was a triangular lovestory between a Marathi and a Kannadiga vying for the love of a girl called ''Seema'' (which literally means ''border'')- thereby metaphorically referring the border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.zeetalkies.com/reviews/marathi-tigers-movie-review.html|title=Marathi Tigers Movie Review Zee Talkies latest Movie Reviews online at ZeeTalkies.com|website=www.zeetalkies.com|access-date=11 January 2020}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Upendra}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:H2O (2002 film)}}
[[Category:2000s Kannada-language films]]
[[Category:2002 films]]
[[Category:Kannada-language films]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Kaveri River]]
[[Category:2002 directorial debut films]]
[[Category:Kannada films remade in other languages]]

H2O (2002 film) - Revision history

Babakigadi123: quick cleaned up formatting to improve readability after review

>SdkbBot: /* top */General fixes, removed erroneous space