Kariya (2003)

Kariya grew up separated from his mother and was raised in the Bangalore underworld, where he became one of the most feared enforcers in the city. Hard on the outside, he still carries a deep longing for the mother he lost, and when he falls for a young woman, played by Abhinayasri, he starts to question the life of violence he has chosen. His enemies, however, are not ready to let him walk away. Kariya was an early hit for both Darshan and director Prem, and it helped establish Darshan's rugged mass-hero image. The film is known for its raw depiction of Bangalore's rowdy culture and for Gurukiran's music, and it enjoyed an unusually long life in theatres, returning for re-releases years later. It is a key title of the Kannada underworld genre of the early 2000s.