''Suvarna Sundari'' () is a 1957 Indian
Telugu
Telugu may refer to:
* Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India
*Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India
* Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language
** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode
S ...
-language
swashbuckler film directed by
Vedantam Raghavayya
Vedantam Raghavayya ( te, వేదాంతం రాఘవయ్య) (8 June 1919 – 1971) was an Indian film director, dance choreographer, Kuchipudi exponent, actor, producer, and musician known for his works in Telugu cinema, Telugu thea ...
. It stars
Akkineni Nageswara Rao
Akkineni Nageswara Rao (20 September 1923 – 22 January 2014), widely known as ANR, was an Indian actor and producer, known for his works majorly in Telugu cinema. He starred in many landmark films in his seventy five-year career, and became on ...
,
Anjali Devi with music composed by
P. Adinarayana Rao. The film was produced by Adinarayana Rao under the
Anjali Pictures banner.
The film was simultaneously shot in
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
**Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nativ ...
as ''Manaalane Mangaiyin Baakkiyam'' (). Lata Mangeshkar suggested that ''Suvarna Sundari'' be remade in
Hindi
Hindi ( Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...
instead of dubbing the film. It was then made in Hindi with the title same as the Telugu version. Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Anjali Devi did their roles in the Hindi version as well; it was the only Hindi film in Nageswara Rao's film career, while
Gemini Ganesan
Ramasamy Ganesan (17 November 1920 – 22 March 2005), better known by his stage name Gemini Ganesan, was an Indian actor who worked mainly in Tamil cinema. He was referred to as the ''Kaadhal Mannan'' (King of Romance) for his romantic roles ...
played the male lead in the Tamil version.
The shooting of the film was held at Venus Studios, Madras and the outdoor shooting was held at
Shimsha
Shimsha is a river that flows in the state of Karnataka, India. It is one of the tributaries of the river Kaveri, which is one of the major rivers of South India. The river originates in the southern part of the Devarayanadurga hill in the Tu ...
falls, Mysore. The film was released through Chamria Talkie Distributors, headed by Sundar Lal Nahata, and it set a record at the box office by celebrating 50 days in 48 centres and completed 100 days in 18 centres.
Plot
Once upon a time, there was a kingdom Malwa, it's prince Jayanth is ready to leave, after accomplishing his education. Just before, Rajaguru's daughter Sarala denounces him for the refusal of her love and claims that he molested her. So, King Chandra Bhanu penalises him with the death penalty but Jayanth absconds somehow. On the way, he is acquainted with 3 sly thieves Kailasam, Ullasam, and Chadastam who confront Jayanth to resolve the mystery behind a Lord
Siva’s temple. Therein, Jayanth relieves the curse of a ''Gandharva'' who bestows him with 3 marvel gifts. A ''Jug'' which supplies any amount of food, a ''Mat'' which travels anywhere, and a ''Wand'' which punishes a person irrespective of his strength. Meanwhile, the 3 crafty thieves backstab Jayanth and, steals the objects. They share the 3 objects among themselves and split.
Before long, fortuitously, a glorious angel Surana Sundari lands from heaven and comes across Jayanth. The two fall in love. They marry and Sundari conceives. When Lord Indra knows about Sundari's affair with a mortal man, he curses Sundari to take a permanent human form and casts her to Earth. He also curses that Jayanth will lose all her memory and will turn into stone if she touches him. Jayanth wanders, and Sundari becomes a mortal on earth and gives birth to a baby boy. But the wheel of fortune makes them separate. Years roll by, and Jayanth as a wanderer regains 3 objects from the thieves who cheated him earlier. In between, he contracts a curse that he will turn into a female in the day and a male in the night. The curse will be lifted only if one gets ''Amrit'' the nectar from heaven. Thereafter, he goes into a kingdom and lands a job at the palace in the female form of Jayanthi, getting close to the princess Parthima Devi.
In the meantime, Sundari uses a man's guide to search for his son and Jayanth. Sundari gets appointed as Chief Minister by the King. Simultaneously, their son Siva Kumara is raised by a cowherd, after his death, he sets foot in Siva temple where Lord Siva & Goddess
Parvathi rears him with her breast milk. By fate, one-night Parthima encounters Jayanth and falls for him. Sundari sees that and renounces Jayanth and feels it's better for him as there is also Indra's curse. Later, Jayanth comes across a demon, and through it, he gets relieved from his curse. When touches Sundari he starts to become a statue due to Indra's curse and remembers his past with Sundari. At that moment, their son Siva Kumara checks them to the Shiva's temple. Thereupon, Lord Siva reveals to them that the boy is their son and for lifting Jayanth's curse the boy should pick up ''Golden Lotus'' from heaven. After making an audacious journey, the boy secures the golden lotus and reverses the curse. At last, they reunite and Jayanth is proven innocent. Finally, the movie ends on a happy note.
Cast
*
Akkineni Nageswara Rao
Akkineni Nageswara Rao (20 September 1923 – 22 January 2014), widely known as ANR, was an Indian actor and producer, known for his works majorly in Telugu cinema. He starred in many landmark films in his seventy five-year career, and became on ...
as Jayanth
*
Anjali Devi as Suvarna Sundari
*
Ramana Reddy
Ramana Reddy (1 October 1921 – 11 November 1974) was an Indian character actor, comedian and producer known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema. In a career spanning 24 years, he acted in more than 200 movies. Ramana Reddy and Relangi ...
as Ullasam
*
Relangi as Kailasam
*
Gummadi as Tata
*
C.S.R as Maharaju
*
Balakrishna
Bala Krishna ( sa, बाल कृष्ण, lit=child Krishna/divine child Krishna, translit=Bālakṛṣṇa). Present day Krishna worship is an amalgam of various elements. According to historical testimonies Krishna-Vasudeva worship alread ...
as Chadastham
*
Peketi Sivaram
Peketi Sivaram ( Telugu: పేకేటి శివరాం) (8 October 1918 – 30 December 2006) was an Indian actor and director.http://www.cinegoer.com/archives/december2006/peketi.htm
Life sketch
He was born on 8 October 1918 in Peker ...
as Vasanthudu
* K. V. S. Sharma as Rajaguru
*
Rajasulochana
Chittajallu Rajeevalochana (15 August 1935 – 5 March 2013), better known as Rajasulochana, was an Indian classical dancer and actress. She has acted in more than 300 Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi language films.
Early life
She w ...
as Jayanthi
*
Girija as Parthima Devi
* Suryakala as Sarala
*
E. V. Saroja
E. V. Saroja (1935 - 2006) was an Indian actress and dancer. She was born on 3 November 1935 as Engan V. Saroja. She belonged to Engan village of Thiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu.
Her debut film was '' En Thangai'' in 1952 starring M. G. Ramacha ...
as
Goddess Parvati
Parvati ( sa, पार्वती, ), Uma ( sa, उमा, ) or Gauri ( sa, गौरी, ) is the Hindu goddess of power, energy, nourishment, harmony, love, beauty, devotion, and motherhood. She is a physical representation of Mahadevi in ...
* Master Babji as Siva Kumarudu
*
Kanchana as Naaga Kanyaa (credited as Vasundhara)
Production
After ''
Paradesi'' (1953), the inaugural production of
Anjali Pictures was an average success at the box office, its producers – husband and wife
P. Adinarayana Rao and
Anjali Devi – considered making their sophomore production based on folklore. The 1953 Hindi film ''
Anarkali'' was a success and caught their attention, prompting them to adapt the same story in Telugu with the
same title, while putting their folklore film plans on hold; it would eventually be revived as ''Suvarna Sundari''.
Soundtrack
Telugu version
Music composed by
P. Adinarayana Rao. Music released on HMV Audio Company.
Tamil version
Hindi Version
#"Kuhu Kuhu Bole Koyaliya" –
Mohammed Rafi,
Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar () (born as Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 06 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is widely considered to have been the greatest and most influential singers in India. Her con ...
#"Mujhe Na Bula Chhup Chhup" – Lata Mangeshkar
#"Ram Naam Japna Paraya Maal Apna" – Mohammed Rafi
#"Girija Sang Hai Shish Pe Gang Hai" – Lata Mangeshkar
#"Tarana (Shastriya Sangeet)" – Lata Mangeshkar,
Sudha Malhotra
#"Hat Hat Hat Jaa Re Natkhat Piya" – Lata Mangeshkar, Sudha Malhotra
#"Lakshmim Sheer Samudra Raj" –
Ghantasala
#"Chanda Se Pyare Ankhiyo Ke Taare Soja Re Maiya Ke Raaj Dular" –
Manna Dey
Prabodh Chandra Dey (May 1, 1919 − October 24, 2013), known by his stage name Manna Dey, was an internationally acclaimed and celebrated Indian playback singer, music director, and a musician. As a classical vocalist, he belonged to the Bhe ...
, Lata Mangeshkar
#"Mausam Suhana Dil Hainz" – Lata Mangeshkar
#"Sar Pe Matki Ankhiya Bhatki" –
Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle (; Mangeshkar; born 8 September 1933) is an Indian playback singer, entrepreneur
and occasional actress and television personality who predominantly works in Indian Cinema. Known for her versatility, she has been described in th ...
#"Shambho Sun Lo Meri Pukar" – Lata Mangeshkar
#"Lelo Ji Lelo Gudiya" – Lata Mangeshkar
#"Maa Maa Karta Phire Laadla" – Mohammed Rafi
#"Mai Hu Pari Rasiya Ras Ki Bhari" – Lata Mangeshkar
References
External links
*
{{Vedantam Raghavayya
1950s Hindi-language films
1950s multilingual films
1950s Tamil-language films
1950s Telugu-language films
1957 films
Films directed by Vedantam Raghavayya
Films scored by P. Adinarayana Rao
Indian multilingual films