Neene Neene and a thousand memories: Puneeth Rajkumar’s Akash returns to theatres

For many Kannada cinema fans, the moment the line “Neene Neene, nanagella neene” begins to play, it brings back a rush of memories — of packed theatres, humming melodies, and the ever-charming screen presence of the late Kannada star Puneeth Rajkumar.Nearly two decades after its original release, the beloved musical film Akash is returning to the big screen. The 2005 film will be re-released in theatres on March 13, just days before Puneeth Rajkumar’s birth anniversary on March 17, giving fans another chance to relive one of his most cherished early hits. The film, which also stars Ramya, is remembered for its soulful soundtrack and simple storytelling that struck a chord with audiences across generations.Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar, producer and wife of the late actor, said the re-release continues a tradition that has grown stronger over the past few years. “We have been re-releasing Puneeth’s films for the last couple of years on his birth anniversary upon fans’ request; which we will hopefully continue in the coming years,” she said. “They want to relive the euphoria of experiencing his films in a movie theatre and catching the first day first show experience. With Akash we have remastered the audio and visuals for fans to re-experience the magic.”A film that ran for 200 days Directed by Mahesh Babu, Akash holds a special place as his directorial debut. The filmmaker said the film’s legacy has only grown with time. “I think it’s right to say that firsts are always the best. Akash was my first film as a director; it has been loved for more than 20 years now and knowing that it is being re-released as part of Puneeth’s birth anniversary celebrations makes me very happy,” he said. Mahesh Babu added that the film’s success was remarkable during its initial run. “It ran for 200 days and is known to be one of the biggest hits and collections for the production house Sri Vajreshwari Combines founded by Parvathamma Rajkumar,” he said. According to the director, the film’s emotional appeal helped expand Puneeth Rajkumar’s fan base beyond mass audiences.“Akash is a film that connects with the middle-class audience. This is a film that brought the family audience following to Puneeth’s career. It had no mass element or commercial elevation to it; it was a simple story of a boy next door that was apt for the audience back then and continues to be relevant even for the Gen-Z,” he said.'Neene Neene was an impulse recording over a single night'Music remains one of the defining elements of the film, particularly the iconic song Neene Neene. Composer RP Patnaik said the soundtrack’s longevity is closely tied to Puneeth Rajkumar’s presence.“The music of Akash is timeless because of Appu’s presence,” he said, referring to the actor by his affectionate nickname. “The entire Rajkumar family was involved in the making of the film, and it was Raganna (Raghavendra Rajkumar) who sat with me for the music. After he okayed it, it would then go to Annavru (Rajkumar) for final approval.”Singer Kunal Ganjawala recalled how the iconic song came together almost overnight. “Akash was my first Kannada film that came to me from Appu from our common friend Prakruti Banwasi. After recording O Mariya, we were having dinner, and Appu came to me with hesitation and said, ‘Appaji (Rajkumar) wants you to sing one more song’, which was Neene Neene,” he said. “I agreed to do it but I said I would come back to record it since I had a flight back home at eleven in the morning. But by the time we finished dinner, I changed my mind and said let's do it now. By six in the morning, we had finished recording it and Appaji approved it. Since then, it has been one of my biggest Kannada hits, and even today I start my concerts with it.”