http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/bangaru-papa-1955/article6131074.ece
Great actors are not born. They are carved out of great characters
sketched by great writers and sculpted by great directors. S.V.
Rangarao’s (SVR) realistic portrayal of Kotaiah in Vauhini Productions
Ltd.
Bangaru Papa
is a testimony to such performance. SVR said in an interview that it was
the most difficult character in his career. “The role is so sensitive
that at times unable to bring out the inner trauma of Kotaiah, I
literally wept,” he said. Thespian B.N. Reddi (B.N) who guided him to
perform the character too moved to tears watching him enact the scenes.
The script is so powerful. Thanks to George Eliot. Thanks to Palagummi
Padmaraju.
B.N. an avid reader of English literature was moved by Gerge Eliot’s (the male pen name of Mary Ann Evans) novel Silas Marner and planned a movie version of it in Telugu. During that time, Palagummi Padmaraju, a Chemistry lecturer in Bhimavaram created history in Telugu literature by bagging the second prize for his short story, Galivana (Cyclone) in an International short story competetion held by Newyork Herald Tribune. Impressed by his works, B.N. invited Padmaraju to write the script for Bangaru Papa . After prolonged story sessions, the debut writer wrote an original story retaining the major characters from George Eliot’s novel – Silas (B.N. & Padmaraju’s Kotaiah), Eppie (Papa), Godfrey (Manohar) and Nancy (Parvathi) etc. He also wrote crisp and apt dialouge. The screenplay is credited to him and B.N. Devulapalli Krishna Sastry wrote the lyrics.
The Story: Manohar (Jaggaiah) secretly marries Santha (Jamuna) and lives with their toddler child in Bangalore. When he returns home, he finds his father Sundararamaiah (Sivaramakrishnaiah) fixing his marriage with Parvathi (Vidyavathi). Santha learns about this and boards a train with her child. Kotaiah (SVR) a blacksmith is waiting on that cyclone night, at the station to kill Gopalaswamy (Vangara) who had eloped with his fiance Rami (Jayalakshmi). A huge tree falls on Santha. Kotaiah tries to save her but she dies. Kotaiah brings up the child. Manohar is aware that the girl Papa (Krishnakumari) is his daughter. After Santha’s death he marries Parvathi and the childless couple bring up their nephew Sekhar (Ramasarma) who is in love with Papa. Parvathi objects to this and blames Kotaiah. He decides to leave the village with Papa. Manohar stops them and reveals that Papa is his daughter. Papa and Sekhar’s marriage is performed.
Cast & Crew: Never compromised on his values, B.N. who had pioneered a space for artistic cinema in Telugu film industry proved the point one more time with Bangaru Papa . It is B.N.’s younger brother, cinematographer Konda Reddi’s first full length independent venture. He came up with stunning visuals in the cyclone scenes shot both at an outdoor location as well as in a matching indoor set at Vauhini Studios (art director A.K. Sekar).
‘Brilliance’ is too short a word to describe SVR’s superb acting. The character undergoes three different stages– the forlorn lover, the riff raff ruffian and the subdued paternal. SVR made a smooth transition getting into the skin of each phase of life (with excellent makeup by Haripadachandra and Murthy) with brilliant ease. Jaggaiah’s natural acting and Krishnakumari’s neat portrayal won them kudos.
Addepalli Ramarao is credited with the music and ‘ Thaa dhimi thaka dhimi tolbomma …’ (Madhavapeddi Satyam), ‘ ekora nomulu yemi nocheno .. ( Udutha Sarojini) and Yavvana Madhuvanilo …’ (A.M. Raja & P. Susheela) were among the popular numbers. A. Krishnan and K. Viswanath were the sound recordists.
Trivia: Though Jamuna was wary of taking up the cameo, it helped her bag the heroine’s role in B.N.’s Bhagyarekha. Music director T.V. Raju made a brief appearance as the doctor.
Everybody spoke highly about the movie. At a function organised by a Lawyers Association in Andhra Pradesh, when responding to the felicitation, B.N. asked how many of the audience saw the movie, only three raised their hands. B.N. expressed anguish at the lack of patronage for artistic cinema.
B.N. invited renowned Bengali filmmaker Debaki Bose whom he considered his guru, for a special screening of Bangaru Papa in Madras. Debaki Bose liked it so much that despite warning that the movie was a flop, remade it in Bengali as Sonar Kaathi (1958). B.N. gave him the rights without taking a single paise.
Besides critical acclaim, Bangaru Papa won the President’s silver medal at the National film awards in 1955.
Starring S.V. Rangarao, Jaggaiah, Ramasarma, Sivaramakrishnaiah, Vinnakota Ramannapanthulu, Vangara Venkatasubbaiah, Ramana Reddy. M.L. Narasimham
Thespian rules: SV Rangarao; Jamuna and Jaggaiah in ‘Bangaru Papa’
B.N. an avid reader of English literature was moved by Gerge Eliot’s (the male pen name of Mary Ann Evans) novel Silas Marner and planned a movie version of it in Telugu. During that time, Palagummi Padmaraju, a Chemistry lecturer in Bhimavaram created history in Telugu literature by bagging the second prize for his short story, Galivana (Cyclone) in an International short story competetion held by Newyork Herald Tribune. Impressed by his works, B.N. invited Padmaraju to write the script for Bangaru Papa . After prolonged story sessions, the debut writer wrote an original story retaining the major characters from George Eliot’s novel – Silas (B.N. & Padmaraju’s Kotaiah), Eppie (Papa), Godfrey (Manohar) and Nancy (Parvathi) etc. He also wrote crisp and apt dialouge. The screenplay is credited to him and B.N. Devulapalli Krishna Sastry wrote the lyrics.
The Story: Manohar (Jaggaiah) secretly marries Santha (Jamuna) and lives with their toddler child in Bangalore. When he returns home, he finds his father Sundararamaiah (Sivaramakrishnaiah) fixing his marriage with Parvathi (Vidyavathi). Santha learns about this and boards a train with her child. Kotaiah (SVR) a blacksmith is waiting on that cyclone night, at the station to kill Gopalaswamy (Vangara) who had eloped with his fiance Rami (Jayalakshmi). A huge tree falls on Santha. Kotaiah tries to save her but she dies. Kotaiah brings up the child. Manohar is aware that the girl Papa (Krishnakumari) is his daughter. After Santha’s death he marries Parvathi and the childless couple bring up their nephew Sekhar (Ramasarma) who is in love with Papa. Parvathi objects to this and blames Kotaiah. He decides to leave the village with Papa. Manohar stops them and reveals that Papa is his daughter. Papa and Sekhar’s marriage is performed.
Cast & Crew: Never compromised on his values, B.N. who had pioneered a space for artistic cinema in Telugu film industry proved the point one more time with Bangaru Papa . It is B.N.’s younger brother, cinematographer Konda Reddi’s first full length independent venture. He came up with stunning visuals in the cyclone scenes shot both at an outdoor location as well as in a matching indoor set at Vauhini Studios (art director A.K. Sekar).
‘Brilliance’ is too short a word to describe SVR’s superb acting. The character undergoes three different stages– the forlorn lover, the riff raff ruffian and the subdued paternal. SVR made a smooth transition getting into the skin of each phase of life (with excellent makeup by Haripadachandra and Murthy) with brilliant ease. Jaggaiah’s natural acting and Krishnakumari’s neat portrayal won them kudos.
Addepalli Ramarao is credited with the music and ‘ Thaa dhimi thaka dhimi tolbomma …’ (Madhavapeddi Satyam), ‘ ekora nomulu yemi nocheno .. ( Udutha Sarojini) and Yavvana Madhuvanilo …’ (A.M. Raja & P. Susheela) were among the popular numbers. A. Krishnan and K. Viswanath were the sound recordists.
Trivia: Though Jamuna was wary of taking up the cameo, it helped her bag the heroine’s role in B.N.’s Bhagyarekha. Music director T.V. Raju made a brief appearance as the doctor.
Everybody spoke highly about the movie. At a function organised by a Lawyers Association in Andhra Pradesh, when responding to the felicitation, B.N. asked how many of the audience saw the movie, only three raised their hands. B.N. expressed anguish at the lack of patronage for artistic cinema.
B.N. invited renowned Bengali filmmaker Debaki Bose whom he considered his guru, for a special screening of Bangaru Papa in Madras. Debaki Bose liked it so much that despite warning that the movie was a flop, remade it in Bengali as Sonar Kaathi (1958). B.N. gave him the rights without taking a single paise.
Besides critical acclaim, Bangaru Papa won the President’s silver medal at the National film awards in 1955.
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