{{No plot|date=February 2025}} {{Short description|2024 Indian romantic drama film}} {{Use Indian English|date=August 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox film | name = Kaagada | image = Kaagada poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = Ranjith Kumar Gowda | producer = Arun Kumar A | writer = Ranjith Kumar Gowda | screenplay = | story = | based_on = | starring = {{plainlist| * Adithya * Ankita Jayaram * Neha Patil * Bala Rajwadi }} | narrator = | music = S. Pradeep Varma | cinematography = Venus Nagraj Murthy | editing = Pavan Gowda | studio = Amma Cine Creations | distributor = | released = {{film date|2024|7|5|df=yes}} | runtime = 149 minutes | country = India | language = Kannada | budget = <!--Must be attributed to a reliable published source with an established reputation for fact-checking. No blogs, no IMDb.--> | gross = }} '''''Kaagada''''' ({{translation|Letter}}) is a 2024 Indian Kannada-language romantic drama film written and directed by Ranjith Kumar Gowda. The film stars Adithya, Ankita Jayaram, Neha Patil, and Bala Rajwadi.
The film follows the interfaith romance between Shivu, a Hindu boy, and Ayesha, a Muslim girl from a rival village. The story is set in a 2005 rural backdrop. They use letters as their way to communicate.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sharadhaa |first1=A. |title='Kaagada' movie review: An inter-religious love story evoking old-school teenage romance |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/kannada/2024/Jul/06/kaagada-movie-review-an-inter-religious-love-story-evoking-old-school-teenage-romance |access-date=1 August 2024 |work=The New Indian Express |date=11 July 2024 |language=en |archive-date=1 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240801111506/https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/kannada/2024/Jul/06/kaagada-movie-review-an-inter-religious-love-story-evoking-old-school-teenage-romance |url-status=live}}</ref>
''Kaagada'' was released on 5 July 2024.
== Cast == * Adithya as Shivu * Ankita Jayaram as Ayesha * Neha Patil * Bala Rajwadi
== Production == This film is the second film of the director Ranjith Kumar Gowda, who earlier directed ''Apple Cake'' (2018).<ref>{{cite news |title=Teaser Of Director Ranjith's Kaagada Released! |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment-news/kannada/teaser-of-director-ranjith-s-kaagada-released-article-110635694 |access-date=1 August 2024 |work=Times Now |date=2 June 2024 |language=en |archive-date=2 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240602142243/https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment-news/kannada/teaser-of-director-ranjith-s-kaagada-released-article-110635694 |url-status=live}}</ref> Ankita Jayaram, who is known as a child artist for acting in the TV series ''Bhoomige Bandha Bhagavantha'', makes her debut as a lead actress with this film.<ref>{{cite news |title=Teaser Of Kannada Film Kaagada Promises An Adorable Romantic Drama |url=https://www.news18.com/movies/teaser-of-kannada-film-kaagada-promises-an-adorable-romantic-drama-8913659.html |access-date=1 August 2024 |work=News18 |date=1 June 2024 |language=en}}</ref> Aditya makes his debut, having previously featured in a few short films.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kannada Film Kaagada To Release On July 5 |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment-news/kannada/kannada-film-kaagada-to-release-on-july-5-article-111277415 |access-date=1 August 2024 |work=Times Now |date=26 June 2024 |language=en |archive-date=30 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240630080004/https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment-news/kannada/kannada-film-kaagada-to-release-on-july-5-article-111277415 |url-status=live}}</ref> The cinematography was by Venus Nagraj Murthy, and the editing was handled by Pavan Gowda.
== Soundtrack == The soundtrack of the film was composed by S. Pradeep Varma.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kaagada (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) |url=https://gaana.com/album/kaagada-original-motion-picture-soundtrack |website=Gaana |access-date=1 August 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
{{track listing | headline = Track listing | extra_column = Singer(s) | title1 = Howda Irabahuda | length1 = 4:00 | lyrics1 = V. Nagendra Prasad | extra1 = Chethan Naik | title2 = Alla Subhanalla | length2 = 3:08 | lyrics2 = V. Nagendra Prasad | extra2 = Harsha Ranjani | title3 = Padagale Irada | length3 = 4:15 | lyrics3 = V. Nagendra Prasad | extra3 = G. Kalyan, Arpitha Venu | title4 = Kaagada Kaagada | length4 = 2:16 | lyrics4 = Sandeep Kumar | extra4 = Chinmai Athreyas, Sandeep Kumar | total_length = 13:39 }}
== Reception == Y. Maheswara Reddy of ''Bangalore Mirror'' rated the film three out of five stars and wrote that "Had the director reduced the run time of the movie by 10 to 15 minutes, the movie would have been a good entertainer. It is worth a watch for family audiences."<ref>{{cite news |title=Kaagada Movie Review: A Complicated Love Story in Sandalwood |url=https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/reviews/kaagada-movie-review-a-complicated-love-story-in-sandalwood/articleshow/111522967.cms |access-date=1 August 2024 |work=The Times of India}}</ref> Shashiprasad SM of the ''Times Now'' gave it two-and-a-half out of five stars and wrote, "''Kaagada'' is not spectacularly different from earlier films on the same topic, the rural drama, wrapped in an adorable teenage love story with a purpose, makes ''Kaagada'' a one-time watch."<ref>{{cite news |title=Kaagada Movie Review: A Teenage Love Story Spun Around Hindu-Muslim Conflict! |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment-news/reviews/kannada/kaagada-movie-review-a-teenage-love-story-spun-around-hindu-muslim-conflict-review-111507072 |access-date=1 August 2024 |work=Times Now |date=5 July 2024 |language=en |archive-date=15 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240715150801/https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment-news/reviews/kannada/kaagada-movie-review-a-teenage-love-story-spun-around-hindu-muslim-conflict-review-111507072 |url-status=live}}</ref>
A Sharadhaa of ''Cinema Express'' gave it two-and-a-half out of five stars and wrote, "The film treads a familiar path but can still be considered a one-time viewing experience, as it evokes a nostalgic charm reminiscent of old-school romance where games like FLAMES measured love."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sharadhaa |first1=A. |title=Family Drama Movie Review: A beautiful blend of light, dark, humour, pathos, love, and crime |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/review/2024/Jul/26/family-drama-movie-review-a-beautiful-blend-of-light-dark-humour-pathos-love-and-crime |access-date=1 August 2024 |work=Cinema Express |date=26 July 2024 |language=en}}</ref> A critic from ''Udayavani'' gave the film a positive review and wrote that the team has tried to leave the regular aspects of the Hindu-Muslim love story and tell something new.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kaagada movie review |url=https://www.udayavani.com/article/kaagada-movie-review/1666341 |access-date=1 August 2024 |work=Udayavani}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title|tt30835251}}
Category:2024 Kannada-language films Category:2024 Indian films Category:Indian interfaith romance films Category:Indian romantic drama films