Legends Of Telugu Cinema, NTR and ANR Options

[swarapriya]

[NTR]

I dont have any songs from the following albums Chandirani(Tamil), ChandiRani(Hindi), Chandra Haaram, Chandra Haaram(Tamil), Vaddante Dabbu, Todu Dongalu, Rechukka, Raju Peda, Sangham, Sangham (Tamil), Parivartana, Iddaru Pellalu, Vijayagauri, Cherapakura Cheduvu

Seshadri,

I have several of the Telugu albums you have listed here. My problem is that I haven't kept up with your earlier requests and hoping to upload some more of them. If you can slow down the pace of your requests a bit and list a couple or so at a time, that will give some breathing room.

Please take this only as a suggestion and you're at liberty to proceed the way you like.

Cheers,
S

[swarapriya]

(ANR) Raksharekha (1949)

This hit movie brought Bhanumathi and Anjali Devi, both big stars at that time, together for the first time opposite Nageshwara Rao. Bhanumathi played an earthly princess and Anjali a celestial beauty. The object of their affection was Rao.

Kasturi Shiva Rao, the comedian actor, had an important role in this film. He started his career in 1939 with the film "Vara Vikrayam". Incidentally, Bhanumathi also made her debut in the same film. Rao was known for comedy and had a pretty good singing voice. He sang two songs in this film and when you listen to them, you will be easily convinced that he was a very talented singer. In 1950, he produced and directed a film called "Paramanandayya Shisyulu" with Nageshwara Rao as its hero and a newcomer Girija as heroine (she made a brief appearance in "Patala Bhairavi" the same year). When that movie flopped he lost everything. By this time, Relangi Venkatramayya took firm control as a comedian in Telugu films. With no acting assignments at hand, Shiva Rao went back to his origins, performing in the theater. He tragically died while performing on stage in a play. He was penniless at his death. For his funeral only two of his friends and former costars were present, Peketi Shivaram, another comedian actor, and Nageshwara Rao.

There are quite a few songs in this film. I am uploading nine songs I have in the first post. There seems to be another seven that are missing. I have listed them in the second post. If anyone of you have these missing songs, please kindly share. Thanks.

Now for the songs in the first post...

This post has been edited by swarapriya: Aug 21 2011, 11:44 AM

[swarapriya]

A List of Possible Missing Songs from "Raksharekha (1949)"...

In the following post I am giving a list of possible missing songs from this album. If you can share any of these or other missing songs from this album, please kindly do so. Thank you.

Here is the list...

[swarapriya]

(ANR) Sri Lakshmamma Katha (1950)

Ghantasala Balaramayya, the producer and director of this film, started his film career as an actor debuting in “Ramadasu” in 1936. Later he became a producer with “Markandeya” in 1938. In 1941 he joined the ranks of directors by making the film “Parvati Kalyanam”. In 1942, he directed a movie called "Seeta Rama Jananam". In this movie, he introduced Akkineni Naheshwara Rao, one of the great actors of our times. After this movie, Balaramayya took a keen interest in grooming Rao’s career and gave it a boost by mentoring him and making several successful movies with him. These include “Mugguru Marathilu” made in 1946, “Balaraju” in 1948, “Sri Lakshmama Katha” and “Swapna Sundari” both in 1950. All these movies hit the bull’s eye but it was “Balaraju” that gave ANR the stardom.

Balaramayya wanted to make “Sri Lakshmamma Katha” for some time. Because of his other commitments he postponed making this movie. But when he heard that Mirzapuram Raja is making the same movie, he shelved “Swapna Sundari” for a while to start and finish “Sri Lakshmamma Katha” in a record time of five weeks. Raja’s movie starred his star wife Krishnaveni and Narayana Rao as the hero and released at the same time as Balaramayya’s. “Sri Lakshmamma Katha” became a hit. Apparently Raja’s movie, titled “Lakshmamma” with music by Ghantasala also became popular.

There are 14 songs in this film. I am uploading here 10 songs I have. A list of the missing songs is shown in the second post. Here are the songs in the first post...

This post has been edited by swarapriya: Sep 10 2011, 02:04 AM

[swarapriya]

Concluding Songs from "Sri Lakshmamma Katha (1950)"...

Here are the rest of the songs I have from this album. A list of songs that are missing is shown in red italics in the table below. If you can, please kindly share these. Thank you.

Now for the songs...

[swarapriya]

(ANR) Swapna Sundari (1950)

The success of this film with a story of a man from the earth falling in love with a woman from heavens became a template for many more movies that followed it. Interestingly every one of them became very popular. Anjali, who played the dream woman in hero's life, later made a movie, "Suvarna Sundari (1957)" that was similar in theme, under her home banner that became a huge success in all the languages it was made in. Vijaya Pictures made a movie called "Jagadeka Veeruni Katha" in 1961 that was an extension of the same theme. In 1990, yet another film ("Jagadeka Veerudu Athi Loka Sundari") with the similar theme was made. All these movies were hugely successful. There must be something fascinating for people about these fantasy stories.

I am uploading songs from this film in two back-to-back two posts. I am also including a special version of "Kaanaga Naithiniga" with an introduction. I believe the person talking is Anjali Devi herself but I am not 100% sure of this. Anyway, here are the songs in the first post...

[swarapriya]

Concluding Songs from "Swapna Sundari (1950)"...

Here are the rest of the songs from this album...

[Abdur Rehman]

Thanks SP for the albums. I know I was a bit was fast with my uploads.. I will not be uploading for a 20 days as I will be busy with my parents and family. I think that will even out. Cheers

[swarapriya]

(NTR) Chandrahaaram (1954)

Ever since Vijaya Pictures entered into production of movies with their maiden venture "Shaavukaaru" in 1950, they made it a point to produce alternately a social film followed by a fantasy or mythological. "Chandrahaaram" with a story by Pingali Nagendra Rao borrowed heavily from several children books all over the world and in doing so lost its focus. With the central character, here NTR, sleeping (like in "Sleeping Beauty" story), there wasn't much to be done. The director resorts heavily on the supporting actors, mostly comedians. For director Kamalakara Kamseshwara Rao, a Telugu film critic until this film, this was a maiden assignment. Even though L.V. Prasad supervised the proceedings, because of the feeble storyline no one could help lift the movie. In spite of this setback, Rao went on to make several good movies including "Panduranga Mahatyam (1957)" and "Gundamma Katha (1962)".

Interestingly, Vijaya Pictures spent a lot of money making this movie. Until that time, this was the costliest Telugu film made. Its budget was estimated at 25 lakh Rupees!

One novelty of the movie was that Savithri was cast in a negative role. There are plenty of songs in the film, 14 of them. They seem to appear so frequently that the pace of the proceeding slows even further. Nevertheless, there are several good songs composed by Ghantasala.

I am uploading these songs in two back-to-back posts. Here are the songs in the first post...

This post has been edited by swarapriya: Aug 23 2011, 07:29 PM

[swarapriya]

Concluding Songs from "Chandrahaaram (1954)"...

Here are the rest of the songs from this album...

[swarapriya]

(NTR) Sangham (1953)

Vyjayanthi Mala was introduced in "Vazhkai", a Tamil movie, in 1949. It was also made in Telugu as "Jeevitham" and released the same year. In 1951 it was remade in Hindi as "Bahar". "Sangham" was made and released in Tamil ("Penn"), Telugu, and Hindi ("Ladki") films all in 1953.

S. (Sundaram) Balachander who had a supporting role in "Sangham" also had the same role in Tamil. He hailed from a family of musicians and had keen interest in classical music. He could perform many instruments and had several interests. He decided to quit acting once he decided that it was veena he would like to be a maestro of. He soon rose to the stature of one of the greatest veena players of our time. He was awarded Padma Bhushan by the Government of India. He passed away in 1990.

I am uploading songs from this film in two back-to-back posts. Even though quality of most of the songs is very good, yet there are some for which it could have been better.

Now for the songs in the first post...

[swarapriya]

Concluding Songs from "Sangham (1953)"...

Here are the rest of the songs from this fine album...

[Abdur Rehman]

Thanks SP for the Sangham album.

[swarapriya]

(NTR) Pichhi Pullayya (1953)

Rama Rao along with his brother Thrivikrama Rao established a production company in 1953 called National Arts. Their first movie under this banner was this film “Pichhi Pullayya”. Brothers collaborated in producing several other good movies until early 70’s. Some of the memorable hits that came from this production house include “Jaya Simha (1955)” and “Sri Seetha Rama Kalyanam (1960)” among others.

Interestingly this movie has both sisters Janaki and Krishna Kumari come together in the same film. Kumari’s love interest in the movie was Rao whereas Janaki’s was Amarnath.

The director for this movie was Tatineni Prakasha Rao who made his debut the previous year with the purposeful social drama “Palletooru” that also starred Rama Rao. Tatineni wrote the story as well as the screenplay of this film.

There are 11 songs in this film. I am uploading all these songs in two back-to-back posts. The source of these songs was a DVD. Audio quality of these songs ranges from so so to average. I don’t know the singers’ names for the songs in the second post. In the movie almost all these songs were sung by the same character. Therefore I am assuming probably the singer may be just one and the same person. Could this be M.S. Rama Rao or Madhavapeddi? If anyone has the answers, please share. Thank you.

Here are the songs in the first post...

[swarapriya]

Concluding Songs from " Pichhi Pullayya (1953)"...

Here are the rest of the songs from this film...