Pathala Bhairavi (1951)
Director: Kadiri Venkata Reddi; Writer: Pingali Nagendra Rao; Producer: B. Nagireddi, Chakrapani; Cinematographer: Marcus Bartley; Editor: C.P. Jambulingam, M.S. Mani; Cast: Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, S.V. Rangarao, C.S.R. Anjaneyulu, Relangi Venkataramaiah, Balakrishna, B. Padmanabam, Malathi, T.G. Kamala Devi, Lakshmikanthamma, Girija, Surabi Kamalabai, Hemalatha, Chitti, Savithri Ganesan
Duration: 02:49:42; Aspect Ratio: 1.335:1; Hue: 340.000; Saturation: 0.005; Lightness: 0.145; Volume: 0.373; Cuts per Minute: 7.896
Summary: Breaking all box-office records in AP, Vijaya quickly made a Tamil version and Gemini Studios followed with a Hindi version, all starring Rama Rao who soon after started his own production house. The poor gardener’s son Thota Ramudu (NTR) has to become rich to gain the hand of the Princess Indumati (Malati). The villain is a sorcerer (Ranga Rao) who wants to make the hero, as a fine example of manhood, into a human sacrifice to the underworld Goddess Patala Bhairavi. He entraps the hero with a magic bowl able to generate gold and Thota has to overcome numerous trials (e.g. fighting a crocodile which turns out to be a godly being living under a curse) before he tricks the sorcerer and is able to decapitate him. He thus satisfies Patala Bhairavi’s lust for a human sacrifice and receives all the riches he craves from her as a reward. To lengthen the film, the sorcerer is revived and again pursues the hero and is again defeated. The kitschy imagery and studio sets provide an appropriate style for this emphatically Orientalist fairy tale. Ghantasala’s music is a key contribution to the film’s success. The Hindi version, dubbed by Gemini from Telugu, included a specially shot colour sequence with a dance by Lakshmikantam. The Telugu film consolidated a local version of the ‘folklore’ film, a swashbuckling Orientalist fantasy evoking both Alexandre Dumas and Hollywood’s Douglas Fairbanks films. Created by the Tamil cinema (cf. Apoorva Sahodarargal, 1949; later associated mainly with MGR), the genre was successfully transferred into Telugu where established directors like B.N. Reddi (formerly associated with reform themes) had to acknowledge its commercial infallibility (Raja Makutam, 1959). The real success of the genre is due to its colourful invention of local pseudo-legends often adapting idioms from the folk theatre, e.g. Burrakatha. Earlier Telugu films in this idiom included Balanagamma (1942), Ratnamala (1947) and Raksharekha (1949). Savitri performed a dance in the film
censor certificate
Actors: Malathi
Choreographer: Pasumarthy Krishna Murthy
Lyricist: Pingali Nagendra Rao
Music: Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao
Singer: P. Leela
Song: Theeyani Voohalu
తీయని ఊహలు హాయిని గొలిపే
Actors: T.G. Kamala Devi
Choreographer: Pasumarthy Krishna Murthy
Lyricist: Pingali Nagendra Rao
Music: Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao
Singer: T.G. Kamala Devi
Song: Ithihasam Vinnara
ఇతిహాసం విన్నారా ఆ అతి సాహసులే ఉన్నారా
Actors: Malathi
Actors: Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao
Choreographer: Pasumarthy Krishna Murthy
Lyricist: Pingali Nagendra Rao
Music: Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao
Singer: Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao
Singer: P. Leela
Song: Kalavaramaye Madhilo Na Madhilo
కలవరమాయే మదిలో నా మదిలో
Actors: Malathi
Actors: Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao
Choreographer: Pasumarthy Krishna Murthy
Lyricist: Pingali Nagendra Rao
Music: Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao
Singer: Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao
Singer: P. Leela
Song: Yentha Ghatu Premayo
ఎంత ఘాటు ప్రేమయో ఎంత తీవ్ర వీక్షణమో
Actors: Relangi Venkataramaiah
Choreographer: Pasumarthy Krishna Murthy
Lyricist: Pingali Nagendra Rao
Music: Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao
Singer: Relangi Venkataramaiah
Song: Vinave Bala Na Prema Gola
వినవే బాలా నా ప్రేమగోలా
Actors: Lakshmikanthamma
Choreographer: Pasumarthy Krishna Murthy
Lyricist: Pingali Nagendra Rao
Music: Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao
Singer: Jikki
Song: Vagaloi Vagalu Thaluku Beluku Vagalu
వగలోయ్ వగలూ తళుకు బెళుకు వగలూ
Actors: Relangi Venkataramaiah
Choreographer: Pasumarthy Krishna Murthy
Lyricist: Pingali Nagendra Rao
Music: Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao
Singer: Relangi Venkataramaiah
Song: Thalalene Ne Thalalene Bhamalara
తాళలేనే నే తాళలేనే భామలరా ఓ యమ్మలారా ఇందరిలోను
Lyricist: Pingali Nagendra Rao
Music: Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao
Singer: V.J. Varma
Song: Prema Kosamai Valalo Padene Papam Pasivadu (Background Song)
ప్రేమకోసమై వలలో పడెనే పాపం పసివాడు
Actors: Malathi
Actors: Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao
Choreographer: Pasumarthy Krishna Murthy
Lyricist: Pingali Nagendra Rao
Music: Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao
Singer: Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao
Singer: P. Leela
Song: Pranaya Jeevulaku Devi Varale
ప్రణయ జీవులకు హాయిగా మనకింకా స్వేచ్చగా హాయిగా
Actors: Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao
Choreographer: Pasumarthy Krishna Murthy
Lyricist: Pingali Nagendra Rao
Music: Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao
Singer: Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao
Song: Kanugonagalano Leno Pranamutho
కనుగొనగలనో లేనో ప్రాణముతో సఖినీ
Indiancine.ma requires JavaScript.
