Saturday, October 8, 2011

Malliswari (1951)

Malliswari (Telugu: మల్లీశ్వరి) is a 1951 Telugu musical film directed by B. N. Reddi and produced by Vauhini Studios, with songs penned by the famous Devulapalli Krishnasastri. This film is based on Buchi Babu’s radio play Rayala Karunakrutyam.[1]
B. N. Reddy recalls: "When I went to Hampi to shoot my first film Vande Mataram in 1939, I was deeply attracted to Sri Krishna Devarayalu. I wanted to make a film on Sri Krishna Devaraya. Years passed by. But I could not get the right story. Fortunately, Malliswari happened. I think it is the best movie I have directed."[2]

 

Cast: NT Rama Rao (Nagaraju), Bhanumathi (Malliswari), Nyapathi Raghava Rao (Allasani Peddana), Srivatsava (Srikrishna Devaraya), Doraswamy (Narappa), Rushyendramani (Nagamma), Surabhi Kamalabai, Vangara Venkata Subbayya (Hanumanthappa), TG Kamala Devi, Baby Mallika, Master Venkata Ramana, Venkumamba (Govindamma), TD Vasantha, Vasundhara or Kanchana, Moparru Dasu (Silpachari), C. Nageswara Rao (Poojari)
Lyrics: Devulapalli Krishna Sastry, Purandara Dasu
Music: Saluri Rajeswara Rao
Playback: Ghantasala, Chittooru Nagaiah, Vinjamuri Lakshmi, Bhanumathi, Anasuya
Cinematography: BN Konda Reddy
Choreography: Pasumarthi Krishna Murthy
Art: AK Sekhar
Director: BN Reddy
Banner: Vauhini Studios
Release Date: 20 December
Box-office: Hit
Trivia: It has been screened in the Asian Film Festival held in China.
It was debut film for Devulapalli Krishna Sastry as a lyricist.
It was screened in Beijing International Film Festival and released in China with Chinese sub titles on 14 March 1953 with 13 prints.
BN Reddy's was a combined family. He had three younger brothers - Nagi Reddy,  Konda Reddy and Ramalinga Reddy.
This was mostly based on 'Rayala Karuna Krutyam', a radio play by Buchi Babu.
Popular Songs:
1. Kothee baavaku pellantaa kovela thota vididanta
2. Pilichina biguvataraa
3. Aakasa veedhilo haayigaa egirevu
4. Manasuna mallela maalaloogene
5. O meghamala andala meghamala
6. Parugulu theeyaali gittalu urakalu veyaali
7. Ooyaalaa jampaalaa ooyaalaa jampaalaa
8. Lambodara lakumikaraa
9. Enninaallakee batuku pandeno
10. Sree gananaatha sindoora varna
11. No meena mallaala no mannalaalo
12. Evare piliche rallana mellana
13. Nanda yasodaa nandanunaku nava madana
14. Enduke neekinta tondara

The plot

During the days of the Vijayanagara Empire there was a system to bring willing women to the royal palace and render them official residents. This was called 'Rani Vasam'. According to this royal tradition, they sent palanquins to their houses, after they presented the family with gifts and jewelry. These Rani Vasam women should never have any contact with any man or let any man see them without permission. If any one violated the law, they were beheaded.
Malleswari (Bhanumathi) was taken to this Rani Vasam. She was forced to accept this, for lure of money and jewelry by her parents. But she was already in love with her 'Bava' Nagaraju (N.T. Rama Rao), a sculptor. He stealthily got into the garden of the palace to meet his beloved and was caught. He was to get the death penalty. Krishnadevaraya for once pardoned the hero and allowed Malleswari to go with him.

Cast

Malliswari
Soundtrack album by Saluri Rajeswara Rao
Released1951
LanguageTelugu
ProducerB. N. Reddi

 Soundtrack

There are 15 songs in Malliswari.[3]
All lyrics written by Devulapalli Krishnasastri, all music composed by Saluri Rajeswara Rao.
No.TitleSingersLength
1."Akasa Veedhilo Haayigaa Egirevu" Bhanumathi, Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao
2."Endukay Neekinta Tondara" Bhanumathi
3."Evaru Emani Vinduru.. Nelaraja Vennelaraja" Bhanumathi
4."Kothibavaku Pellanta Kovelathota Vididanta" Bhanumathi
5."Jhum Jhum Jhum Thummeda" T. G. Kamala Devi
6."Lambodara Lakumikara (Purandara Dasa)"
7."Manasuna Mallela Maalaloogene" Bhanumathi
8."Nomi Nomannalo Nomallalolo Chandamama"
9."O Meghamala Andala Meghamala"
10."Ouna Nizamena" Bhanumathi, Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao
11."Parugulu Teeyali Gittalu Urakalu Veyali" Bhanumathi, Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao
12."Pilachina Biguvatara" Bhanumathi
13."Raavi Chettu Meeda Uyyala" G. Ramakrishna, V. Shakuntala
14."Raavi Chettu Thinne Chuttu" G. Ramakrishna, V. Shakuntala
15."Usha Parinayam dance drama" Kamala Devi, Bhanumathi

 References

External links

Read more: http://earlytollywood.blogspot.com/2008_02_05_archive.html#ixzz1aQWkXcxa

Directed by:B.N. Reddi

Writing credits:

Buchi Babu Devulapalli Venkata Krishna Sastri writer
Original Music by
:Rama Rao Addepalli
Saluri Rajeshwara Rao
Cinematography by:

Konda Reddy B.N.
Adi M. Irani

Art Direction by
:A.K. Sekhar
Sound Department:

P.V. Koteswara Rao .... sound
Music Department:

Ramakrishna G. .... playback singerBhanumathi Ramakrishna .... playback singerGhantasala Venkateswara Rao .... playback singerMadhavapeddi Satyam .... playback singer
Sakuntala V. .... playback singer

Cast: Doraiswamy ... NarappaSurabhi Kamalabai
Mallika ... Young Malliswari (as baby Mallika)
Rama Rao Taraka Nandamuri ... Nagaraju
Raghava Rao Nyayapaati ... Allasaani Peddana
Bhanumathi Ramakrishna ... Malliswari
Venkata Ramana ... Youn Nagaraju (as Raster Venkata Ramana)
Rushyendramani ... Nagamma
Sreevatsava ... Sri Krishna Deva Rayalu
Kamala Devi T.G. Vangara

About Malliswari:As you all know 'Malliswari' (1951) is one of the best classics of the Telugu cinema. It introduced the renowned Devulapalli Krishna Sastry's poetic genius to the film lovers of the times. The lyricism of the songs he wrote for the movies still ring in the ears of cinegoers and lovers of poetry. The story of this BN Reddy's classic has an interesting background. In the late 1940s Buchibabu wrote a story about a dasi's escapade from a king. The story of Malliswari has its basis in it. The jokes and the pranks of the Nagaraju-Malliswari pair, played by NTR and Bhanumati, are actually are reminiscences of BN Reddy's childhood incidents and experiences.
BN Reddy holds a special place in the history of Telugu Cinema. He is the director who balances artistic values and business needs in the right proportion. Though critics rate 'Sumangali' and 'Swargaseema' as BN Reddy's best films, he thinks 'Malliswari' is his career best.

"When I went to Hampi to shoot my first film 'Vandemataram' in 1939, I was deeply attracted to Sri Krishna Devarayalu", BN Reddy fondly recalls. I wanted to make a film on Sri Krishna Devaraya. Years passed by. But I could not get the right story. Fortunately, 'Malliswari' happened. I think it is the best movie I have directed', he adds.

Songs of 'Malliswari' coupled with the heavenly expressions of Bhanumathi clicked in a big way. The art work by AK Sekhar is commendable. Bhanumathi commemorates "BN Reddy is a great thinker. He injected all his childhood memories into the character of 'Nagaraju' in Malliswari. Can we afford to forget the songs 'kothibavaku pellanta', 'preme neramouna' and 'o meghamala'?"

Bhanumati acted as a vamp in the earlier film of BN Reddy, 'Swargaseema'. She attained the status of superstar at the time of Malliswari shooting. NTR was on a slippery wicket at that time. But it was BN Reddy's confidence in NTR that did the trick. He feels that the pair of Bhanumati and NTR is the best one.

During the production of 'Malliswari', there was a slight misunderstanding between BN Reddy and Bhanumathi. Bhanumathi used to be a little irregular as she was busy with her own production (Prema) work. At one point of time BN Reddy wanted to replace Bhanumathi with a new face called 'Revathi'.

We can get a glimpse of Revathi in one particular song in Malliswari ... 'PoyiRavamma'. Probably he would have thought that Revathi could not match Bhanumati in performance. Though its difficult to him, he was forced to work with Bhanumathi. Bhanumathi never holds back from criticizing BN Reddy that he want his actress to stick to his film and he do not his heroines to get married.

The photographer for the film 'Malliswari' is Konda Reddy, the younger brother of BN Reddy.

Malliswari has gone places and got heavily screened in abroad. BN Reddy wanted to dub this film into English. Due to budget considerations, he could not do it. BN Reddy expired in 1977.

Source:


http://earlytollywood.blogspot.com/2008_02_05_archive.html

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