The Times of India, Jul 12, 2025, 01.01 PM ISTCritic's Rating: 3.5By Susmita Sameera
1st Day 1st Show is a heartfelt tribute to the behind-the-scenes chaos, passion, and emotion that go into bringing a film to life. Centred around the big-budget Kannada film Captain Karnataka, the story unfolds just one day before its theatrical release. Rather than focusing on the lead stars, it follows the unsung heroes who make the magic happen, especially the assistant directors.
We’re introduced to the film’s key players: lead actor Jai, actress Laila (Reshma Lingarajappa), producer Kunigal Srinivas (BM Venkatesh), and director Rohith Ingalagi (Rohith Srinath). But the spotlight shifts to the associate directors—Giri (Girish) and Loki (Aniruddha Sastry)—whose seemingly simple task turns into a full-blown crisis.
The film kicks off with a parody-like tone, offering a satirical yet realistic look at pre-release madness—last-minute demands for special mentions, pressure from distributors, meme pages, pre-release events, and the emotional strain on everyone involved. Amidst this chaos, Giri and Loki are sent to Chennai to upload the final cut of Captain Karnataka to UFO and Qube.
While the producer gives them money for a flight, the manager separately hands them just enough for a cab ride. Hoping to save money, they decide to take a bus instead. But things spiral out of control when they arrive in Chennai and realise the bag carrying the hard drive has gone missing. With just hours left before the film’s release, returning for a backup is no longer an option, pushing them into a desperate race against time to recover the lost drive.
As the story progresses, the film transitions smoothly from comedy to emotion, revealing the deeply personal commitment each team member has toward the film’s success. A powerful metaphor compares a film’s release to a woman in labour—while there’s celebration and anticipation, there’s also anxiety, pain, and relentless effort behind the scenes.
Stylistically, 1st Day 1st Show is packed with cinematic tributes. From the opening credits featuring yesteryear hero intros to voiceovers by legends like Rajkumar, Vishnuvardhan, Shankar Nag, Ambareesh, and others, it’s a nostalgic treat for Kannada cinema lovers. One of the standout moments is a climactic tribute sequence where Giri channels action icons like Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, Shivrajkumar, Sudeep, Jackie Chan, and even recreates Shah Rukh Khan’s iconic entry from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham—all seamlessly integrated.
The pre-climax “Mariyamma” song stands out as a high-energy, massy track that blends raw emotion with celebration, lifting the narrative to a powerful crescendo.
The film also touches on the harsh realities of piracy. But at its core, it's about the people who give their all—often without recognition—just to see a film make it to the big screen. While the director, producer, and lead actors walk the red carpet, it’s the assistant directors who remain the emotional backbone of the process, driven by passion, dreams, and a deep love for cinema.
1st Day 1st Show isn’t a film for everyone. Its industry-specific references may go over the heads of general audiences. But for filmmakers, aspiring artists, and true lovers of cinema, it’s a deeply relatable and entertaining experience. Though it has its dips, good visuals, creative storytelling, realistic performances and an impactful background score elevate the film.
Not for all—but a must-watch for anyone who breathes cinema.