‘Follower’: How Harshad Nalawade’s Kannada-Marathi film confronts border tensions and digital hate

‘Follower’ dives into the heated border dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra in Belagavi while tackling the messy world of social media and its impact on friendships

In an engaging post-film interaction, director Harshad Nalawade patiently responded to questions and reactions to his film, Followerwith a smile. The Kannada-Marathi film was screened at Bengaluru’s Suchitra Cinema and Cultural Academy on March 21, 2026 (Saturday). Incidentally, the special screening took place exactly a year after its theatrical show was halted by activists in Belagavi.

Harshad’s film overcame theatrical disruptions and censorship hurdles over the past couple of years to find a home on the OTT platform MUBI. Follower is a relevant film today more than ever, and the passionate discussion at Suchitra, laced with interesting anecdotes, was proof. “It’s a beautiful and rewarding experience to interact with your audience,” Harshad tells The Hindu.

Follower is a stunning drama on the long-standing border issue between Karnataka and Maharashtra in Belagavi. The film lays bare the harsh realities of social media trolls. It’s a moving yet realistic character study of Raghavendra Pawar (a superb Raghu Prakash), whose life and dreams slowly fall apart against political disputes, strained relationships with parents and siblings, and an aimless career.

As a last resort, he clutches on to ideology, as that gives him power and some sort of identity. But that comes at the cost of friendship. A clash of political opinions creates a distance between the best buddies, Pawar and Sachin (Harshad). The third person in the trio friendship, Parveen (Donna Munshi), is caught between the two, trying to mend the fractured relationship before life hits her with the responsibility of being a single mother.

Director Harshad Nalawade (centre) on the sets of ‘Follower’. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Follower is a deeply personal film by Harshad. “The film is about a few friends of mine. I wanted to make a movie about a guy with strong beliefs. Now, if I only reflected his staunch beliefs, it would be very convenient. I wanted to understand why my friend believed in a certain leader. I wanted to know what led him to support and defend a particular ideology,” explains Harshad. “Here is a guy who believes in half-truths and gets brainwashed. However, what convinced him to latch onto an ideology? That’s the core of my story,” he adds.