{{short description|2020 Kannada Fantasy Film}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Use Indian English|date=March 2020}} {{Infobox film | name = Mayabazar 2016 | image = MAYABAZAR 2016.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = Radhakrishna Reddy | producer = Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar<br/>M. Govinda | writer = Radhakrishna Reddy | starring = {{plainlist|*Raj B. Shetty * Vasishta Simha * Achyuth Kumar * Prakash Raj * Sudha Rani * Chaithra Rao * Sadhu Kokila }} | music = Midhun Mukundan | cinematography = Abhishek G. Kasargod | editing = Jagadeesh N. | studio = PRK Productions | distributor = Sri Vajreshwari Combines | country = India | released = {{Film date|df=y|2020|02|28}} | language = Kannada | runtime = 133 minutes <ref name=":TOIR" /> | budget = | gross = <!--Must be attributed to a reliable published source with an established reputation for fact-checking. No blogs, no IMDb.--> }}
'''''Mayabazar 2016''''' ({{translation|Market of illusions}}) is a 2020 Indian Kannada-language crime comedy film written and directed by debutant Radhakrishna Reddy, and produced by Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar of PRK Productions,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/puneeth-rajkumar-s-next-production-will-be-maya-bazaar-75300|title=Puneeth Rajkumar's next production will be 'Maya Bazaar'|work=The news minute|date=24 January 2018|access-date=28 February 2020|archive-date=9 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909000326/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/puneeth-rajkumar-s-next-production-will-be-maya-bazaar-75300|url-status=live}}</ref> M Govinda. The film stars Raj B. Shetty, Vasishta Simha, Achyuth Kumar, Prakash Raj and Chaithra Rao. The movie is about events surrounding the 2016 Indian banknote demonetization and revolves around an honest police officer, a small-time conman, a jobless youth and a corrupt cop who end up crossing each other's paths when they are in quest of money.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kannada.news18.com/news/entertainment/mayabazar-2016-trailer-puneeth-rajkumars-prk-production-mayabazar-2016-movie-trailer-released-sct-337641.html|title=Mayabazar 2016 Trailer: ಕಲರ್ಫುಲ್ ಪಾತ್ರಗಳ ಪ್ಯಾಕೇಜ್; ಈ 'ಮಾಯಾಬಜಾರ್'ನಲ್ಲಿ ದುಡ್ಡೇ ದೊಡ್ಡಪ್ಪ!|date=17 February 2020|website=Kannada News18|access-date=18 February 2020}}</ref>
The film was theatrically released on 28 February 2020.<ref name=":TOIR" /> The movie was remade same year in Tamil as ''Naanga Romba Busy'' (2020).<ref name="CE.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/news/2020/oct/25/naanga-romba-busy-to-release-direct-to-television-this-diwali-20970.html|title=Sundar C's Naanga Romba Busy gets direct-to-television release this Diwali|website=Cinema Express|date=25 October 2020 |access-date=26 October 2020|archive-date=1 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101051402/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/news/2020/oct/25/naanga-romba-busy-to-release-direct-to-television-this-diwali-20970.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://m.cinemaexpress.com/stories/news/2020/sep/14/mayabazar-2016-tamil-remake-goes-on-floors-20248.amp|title=Mayabazar 2016 Tamil remake goes on floors|website=Cinema Express|access-date=16 September 2020|archive-date=10 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211210141531/https://m.cinemaexpress.com/stories/news/2020/sep/14/mayabazar-2016-tamil-remake-goes-on-floors-20248.amp|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/prasanna-yogi-babu-join-hands-tamil-remake-kannada-comedy-mayabazar-2016-133036|title=Prasanna, Yogi Babu join hands for Tamil remake of Kannada comedy 'Mayabazar 2016'|date=14 September 2020|website=The News Minute}}</ref>
==Plot== The story is set in Bangalore, a few months before the demonetisation of 2016, and tells the story of three men from different walks of life to cope with the trials and tribulations of life before and after the note ban. Kubera is a small-time crook in trouble with the law and resorts to conning people to pay off some corrupt cops and live peacefully. Joseph is an honest police officer who draws flak from everyone in the police department for not accepting bribes, however, his wife is a staunch supporter of his virtuous ways. His strong stance to never stoop to corruption puts him in a quandary when his wife is diagnosed with cancer, and he begins to contemplate ways of raising money for her surgery.
Providence puts Joseph into a position of power, where he is able to spy upon people possessing black money right after demonetisation is enforced in the country. With his wife's condition forcing his hand, Joseph concocts a plan to rob people of their ill-gotten gains, with Kubera posing as an income tax officer. On one such raid, the fake IT inspector notices Raji hiding in a house, who offers him a large sum of money in exchange for not apprehending him. However, Raji soon discovers that the IT officers are fake, and demands a share of Joseph and Kubera's earnings after tailing them back to their hideout in exchange for his silence. Joseph is unhappy but reluctantly acquiesces to his demands.
It emerges that the money which Raji stole actually belonged to a highly ranked, violent cop Ashok Rao, who is furious upon discovery of the theft and embarks upon a quest to bring the thieves to justice. After Joseph realises this, he contemplates stopping further raids but is dissuaded by Kubera and Raji, who are greedy for more money. He agrees to plan and execute one final raid on Pataaki Pandu, a corrupt politician to raise the deficit amount for his wife's surgery. However, the plan goes awry, and Raji barely escapes with his life. This causes him to develop cold feet and quit the gang and Joseph too reneges on the plan. Joseph apologises to Ashok for stealing the money, who forgives him because of the dire circumstances which forced him to do so. The money for the surgery is raised through a trust fund, and Joseph's conscience is relaxed, as the burden of having stolen money is released from his head. Kubera decides to go ahead with the plan again, and this time he hits pay dirt by unearthing a huge stack of black money Pandu possessed. However, he gets arrested by Ashok before he can escape with the money. Ashok boasts to have robbed several people this way, which is recorded by Raji, who had actually volunteered to assist Kubera remotely. Ashok is forced to let Kubera and Raji go scot-free, and they use the stolen money to flee the country and are shown relaxing on the beach in Bangkok.
==Cast== {{Cast listing| * Raj B. Shetty as Kubera * Vasishta Simha as Carpenter Raji * Achyuth Kumar as Joseph, a Police Inspector * Prakash Raj as ACP Ashok Rao * Sudha Rani as Usha, Joseph's wife * Chaithra Rao as Raaji's Girlfriend * Sadhu Kokila as Pataki Paandu, Corporator * Honnavalli Krishna as Constable Achar * Huccha Venkat as Salesman * Rockline Sudhakar * KB Pavan as Bank Officer *Shravan Aithal as Fake Income Tax officer * Puneeth Rajkumar in a Special Appearance "Loka Maya Bazaru" song<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/puneeth-rajkumar-to-shake-a-leg-in-maya-bazaar/articleshow/70870047.cms| title=Puneeth Rajkumar to shake a leg in Maya Bazaar| website=The Times of India| date=28 August 2019| archive-date=11 October 2023| access-date=22 April 2024| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231011075706/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/puneeth-rajkumar-to-shake-a-leg-in-maya-bazaar/articleshow/70870047.cms| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/music/sp-balasubrahmanyam-sings-for-puneeth-rajkumars-film-mayabazar/articleshow/73291863.cms| title=SP Balasubrahmanyam sings for Puneeth Rajkumar's film Mayabazar| website=The Times of India| date=16 January 2020| archive-date=5 November 2021| access-date=18 February 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105073305/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/music/sp-balasubrahmanyam-sings-for-puneeth-rajkumars-film-mayabazar/articleshow/73291863.cms| url-status=live}}</ref> }}
==Production== ''Mayabazar 2016'' is the second venture of PRK Productions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/kannada/2018/jan/21/prk-productions-second-film-titled-maya-bazaar-1760683.html|title=PRK productions second film titled Maya Bazaar|work=New Indian Express|date=21 January 2018|access-date=21 July 2020|archive-date=21 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180621093053/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/kannada/2018/jan/21/prk-productions-second-film-titled-maya-bazaar-1760683.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Shooting began on 24 January 2018 in Sri Kanteerava Studio.
The film is the joint production of Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar and M Govindu who earlier made ''Doddmane Hudga'' starring Puneeth Rajkumar. Govindu liked the subject of debutant director Radhakrishna's story and went on to seek the opinion of Puneeth. Puneeth expressed intention of jointly producing the film under his banner of PRK Productions.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025}} Costumes were designed by Upendra Shivu and Yogi G. Raj for (Puneeth Rajkumar). Suresh Baganur was the art director.
==Soundtrack== {{Infobox album | name = Mayabazar 2016 | type = Soundtrack | artist = Midhun Mukundan | cover = | alt = | released = 2020 | recorded = 2019 | venue = | studio = PRK Productions | genre = Feature film soundtrack | length = 10:16 | label = PRK Audio | producer = | prev_title = Sarvajanikarige Suvarnavakasha | prev_year = 2019 | next_title = | next_year = }} {{Track listing | extra_column = Singer(s) | title1 = Loka Maya Bazaru | extra1 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | length1 = 3:06 | lyrics1 = Yogaraj Bhat | title2 = Neenyaaro | extra2 = Midhun Mukundan, Chaithra J. Achar | length2 = 3:41 | lyrics2 = KB Pavan | title3 = Koneyilla Modalilla | extra3 = Nitin Rajaram Shastri | length3 = 3:29 | lyrics3 = KB Pavan | title4 = | extra4 = | length4 = | lyrics4 = }}
==Release== The film's official trailer was released on 17 February 2020 on 'PRK Audio' YouTube channel.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/entertainment/regional/kannada/mayabazar-2016-official-trailer/videoshow/74176947.cms|title=Mayabazar 2016 - Official Trailer|date=17 February 2020|website=times of india|access-date=27 February 2020|archive-date=2 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502005417/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/entertainment/regional/kannada/mayabazar-2016-official-trailer/videoshow/74176947.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>
The film was released{{where|date=April 2021}} on 28 February 2020, and distributed by production's parent company Sri Vajreshwari Combines. The satellite rights of the film were bought by Star Suvarna.<ref name=":TNM" /> It was released in the United States on 6 March, after successfully running in India,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/puneeth-rajkumars-mayabazar-2016-goes-international/articleshow/74424019.cms|title=Puneeth Rajkumar's Mayabazar 2016 goes international|date=1 March 2020|website=Times Of India|access-date=2 March 2020|archive-date=10 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211210161135/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/puneeth-rajkumars-mayabazar-2016-goes-international/articleshow/74424019.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> and on online video platform Amazon Prime on 3 April 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://letsott.com/mayabazaar-2016?type_id=63&type=platform|title=Mayabazar 2016|website=LetsOTT|access-date=31 May 2020|archive-date=10 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211210141532/https://letsott.com/mayabazaar-2016?type_id=63&type=platform|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Mayabazar-2016/0TRFWJEA9XD6EED0AZ7Z6JVXH8|title=Mayabazar 2016|website=prime video|access-date=31 May 2020}}</ref>
==Critical reception== Vivek M. V. of ''Deccan Herald'' rated the film 3.5/5 stars and wrote, "''Mayabazar 2016'' by debutant Radhakrishna Reddy, is an excellent comedy of desperation. Helmed by a stellar cast, the directors weaves in genres like comedy, thriller and drama very well."<ref>{{cite news |last1=M. V. |first1=Vivek |title=Entertaining and engaging |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/story/entertainment/entertaining-and-engaging-808964.html |work=Deccan Herald |date=20 October 2020 |language=en}}</ref> Giving the same rating, ''The Hans India'' critic wrote, "The casting of characters is just perfect. the first half is pacy while the post interval scenes drag a little. Yet the movie is worth a watch."<ref>{{cite news |title=Mayabazar 2016 Movie Review & Rating: A Fun Ride Worth A Watch {3.5/5} |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/movie-reviews/mayabazar-2016-movie-review-rating-a-fun-ride-worth-a-watch-355-77186 |work=www.thehansindia.com |date=28 February 2020 |language=te}}</ref> A. Sharadhaa of ''The New Indian Express'' wrote, "The thriller, however, works more as a comedy, and the director has made the effort to add humour to a serious subject."<ref>{{cite news |last1=A. |first1=Sharadhaa |title=Mayabazar movie review: The good, bad, ugly side of money |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/review/2020/Feb/29/mayabazar-movie-review-the-good-bad-ugly-side-of-money-2109929.html |work=The New Indian Express |date=29 February 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
Sunayana Suresh of ''The Times of India'' gave the film 3.5/5 stars and wrote, "The first half is a breezy watch, while the emotional content in the second half does slow the pace a tad bit. Though, ''Mayabazar 2016'' is definitely one of the better comedies that has come out in recent times".<ref name=":TOIR">{{cite news |title=Mayabazar 2016 Movie Review: Debutant director Radhakrishna Reddy weaves a fun comic thriller around demonitization. |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movie-reviews/mayabazar-2016/movie-review/74386152.cms |work=The Times of India |date=28 February 2020 |language=en}}</ref> Y. Maheswara Reddy of ''Bangalore Mirror'' gave it 3/5 stars and wrote, "The USP of ''Mayabazar 2016'' is the screenplay and the sterling performances of all the artistes. It does not have more glamour or frightening or scintillating stunts but it never disappoints the audiences."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Y. |first1=Maheswara Reddy |title=Mayabazar 2016 movie review: DeMon is in the details |url=https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/reviews/mayabazar-2016-movie-review-demon-is-in-the-details/articleshow/74407861.cms |work=Bangalore Mirror |date=28 February 2020 |language=en |archive-date=27 September 2022 |access-date=29 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927204404/https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/reviews/mayabazar-2016-movie-review-demon-is-in-the-details/articleshow/74407861.cms |url-status=live }}</ref> Aravind Shwetha of ''The News Minute'' wrote, "The movie banks heavily on comic tonic and the occasional familiar faces. It does a thorough job of entertaining the audience."<ref name=":TNM">{{cite news |last1=Shwetha |first1=Aravind |title='Mayabazar 2016' review: This clean comedy thriller is a jolly ride |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/karnataka/mayabazar-2016-review-clean-comedy-thriller-jolly-ride-119140 |work=The News Minute |date=28 February 2020 |language=en |archive-date=13 December 2024 |access-date=29 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213211717/https://www.thenewsminute.com/karnataka/mayabazar-2016-review-clean-comedy-thriller-jolly-ride-119140 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Remake== The film was remade same year in Tamil as ''Naanga Romba Busy'' (2020).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/sundar-c-to-do-the-tamil-remake-of-super-hit-kannada-film-mayabazar/articleshow/77870598.cms|title=Sundar C to do the Tamil remake of super hit Kannada film 'Mayabazar'?|website=The Times of India|date=September 2020|archive-date=10 December 2021|access-date=6 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211210161134/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/sundar-c-to-do-the-tamil-remake-of-super-hit-kannada-film-mayabazar/articleshow/77870598.cms|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="CE.com" />
==Awards and nominations== {| class=wikitable ! Year ! Award ! Category ! Recipient ! Result ! Ref. |- |rowspan=5|2021 |rowspan=5|2nd Chandanavana Film Critics Academy Awards |Best Director |Radhakrishna Reddy |{{nom}} |rowspan=5|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinimirror.com/cfca-awards-2021-dhananjaya-and-kushee-win-best-actors-award-in-lead-role|title=CFCA Awards 2021 – Dhananjaya and Kushee win Best Actors award in lead role|newspaper=cinimirror|date=22 February 2021|access-date=12 June 2021|archive-date=26 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226214810/http://cinimirror.com/cfca-awards-2021-dhananjaya-and-kushee-win-best-actors-award-in-lead-role/|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |rowspan=2|Best Supporting Actor |Achyuth Kumar |{{won}} |- |Vasishta Simha |{{nom}} |- |Best Singer |S. P. Balasubrahmanyam ("Loka Maya Bajaru") |{{nom}} |- | Best Choreographer |A Harsha |{{won}} |- |- |rowspan=5|2021 |rowspan=5|10th South Indian International Movie Awards |Best Actor |Raj B. Shetty |{{nom}} |{{Citation needed|date=June 2025}} |- |Best Supporting Actor |Vasishta Simha |{{nom}} |{{Citation needed|date=June 2025}} |- |Best Actor in a Negative Role |Prakash Raj |{{nom}} |{{Citation needed|date=June 2025}} |- |Best Comedian |Sadhu Kokila |{{nom}} |{{Citation needed|date=June 2025}} |- |Best Debut Director |Radhakrishna Reddy |{{won}} |{{Citation needed|date=June 2025}} |- |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb title|tt9628392}}
{{PRK Productions}}
Category:2020 Kannada-language films Category:2020 Indian films Category:2020 films Category:Films shot in Karnataka Category:Films shot in Bangkok Category:Indian nonlinear narrative films Category:Indian heist films Category:Indian crime comedy films Category:Films about kidnapping in India Category:2020s masala films Category:2020s heist films Category:2020 crime comedy films Category:2020 directorial debut films Category:Kannada films remade in other languages