''Rappadikalude Gatha'' ( en, The Journey of the Nightingales) is a 1978 Indian

Malayalam-language Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

film directed by

K. G. George Kulakkattil Geevarghese George (born 24 May 1946) is an Indian film maker and screenwriter who worked in the Malayalam cinema. He was the founder of a new school of film making in Malayalam cinema, along with Bharathan and P. Padmarajan, in ...

and written by

Padmarajan P. Padmarajan (23 May 1945 – 23 January 1991) was an Indian film maker, screenwriter and author who was known for his works in Malayalam literature and Malayalam cinema. He was the founder of a new school of film making in Malayalam cinema, a ...

. The film stars

M. G. Soman M. G. Soman (28 September 1941 – 12 December 1997) was an Indian actor and former Indian Air Force officer who appeared in Malayalam films. He was one among the leading star actors doing hero roles in Malayalam Cinema during the late 1970s an ...

and

Vidhubala Vidhubala is a former Indian actress who started her career in the mid-1960s and retired from the industry in 1981. She is well known for hosting the family reality show Kadhayallithu Jeevitham in Amrita TV spanning for 10 years.She has acted ...

, along with

Sukumari Sukumari Amma (6 October 1940 – 26 March 2013) was an Indian actress best known for her works in Malayalam and Tamil films. In a career spanning more than five decades, She has appeared in more than 2500 films predominantly in Malayalam, Tam ...

Jose Jose is the English transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic name ''Yose'', which is etymologically linked to ''Yosef'' or Joseph. The name was popular during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods. *Jose ben Abin *Jose ben Akabya * Jose the Galilea ...

Krishnachandran T. N. Krishnachandran (born 16 June 1960) is an Indian actor, playback singer, and dubbing artist in Malayalam cinema and television. Career His debut movie was '' Rathinirvedam'' in 1978. He was the voice for actor Vineeth and Rahman and als ...

Prem Prakash Cheriyan Joseph, popularly known as Prem Prakash is an Indian actor who predominantly works in Malayalam television serials and a renowned producer in Malayalam movies. He is mainly known for supporting roles and character roles. He has produce ...

and

Aranmula Ponnamma Aranmula Ponnamma (8 April 1914 – 21 February 2011) was a National Award winning Indian actress known for her roles as mother of the protagonist in numerous films in a career spanning over five decades. She is widely described as a mother ...

in supporting roles. The film was released to widespread critical acclaim praising the writing, direction and the performance of the lead cast. However, despite the positive response the film bombed at the box office. The film won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Film with Popular and Aesthetic Value at the 1978

Kerala State Film Awards The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards started in 1969 by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala and since 1998 the awards have been bestowed by Kerala State Cha ...

."A script with a story"
''The Hindu''

Plot

The film is woven around Gatha, a young girl who finds happiness in drugs and music. She marries a doctor of humble indisposition. Their marriage runs into difficulty but, after several traumatic experiences, the couple are reconciled.

Themes

The film is a sharp indictment of society, its awry priorities, on the frustrations of the youth, their disappointments, and how youngsters get hooked to drugs. On the other side, the film is also on the conflicts and the complexities of marital life.

Cast

Santhakumari Santha Kumari (born Vellaala Subbamma; 17 May 1920 – 16 January 2006) was an Indian musical artist and actress. She was married to the Telugu film director and producer P. Pullayya. Early years Vellaala Subbamma was born in Proddatur town, ...

*Sharmila *

Production

It was Padmarajan who advised the producers to ask K. G. George to do this film. The shoot took about two weeks and the film was completed in around 90 days. The whole film was shot in and around

Ernakulam Ernakulam () is the Central Business District of the city of Kochi in Kerala, India and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Many major establishments, including the Kerala High Court, the office of the Kochi Municipal Corporation a ...

and

Fort Kochi Fort Kochi, Fort Cochin in English, Cochim de Baixo ("Lower Kochi") in Cochin Portuguese creole, is a neighbourhood of Cochin (Kochi) city in Kerala, India. Fort Kochi takes its name from the Fort Manuel of Cochin, the first European fort ...

. The screenplay written by Padmarajan was believed to be lost, until it was unearthed in 2006. Twelve 35mm prints were made and all the prints have been lost.

Soundtrack

The music was composed by

G. Devarajan Paravoor Govindan Devarajan (1927–2006), popularly known as G. Devarajan or Devarajan master, was an Indian music composer and Carnatic singer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers in the history of Indian film music. He sco ...

and the lyrics were written by

Yusufali Kechery Yusufali Kechery (Yūsaphali Kēccēri; യൂസഫലി കേച്ചേരി 16 May 1934 – 21 March 2015) was a poet, film lyricist, film producer and director from Kerala, India. He wrote during the modern era of Malayalam poetry and ...

Reception

The film opened to universal acclaim with numerous praises to George, Padmarajan and Vidhubala. The film won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Film with Popular and Aesthetic Value. Despite all the acclaim, the film failed at the box office.

References

External links

*
''Rappadikalude Gatha''
at the British Film Institute Film & TV Database
''Rappadikalude Gatha''
at the Malayalam Movie Database 1970s Malayalam-language films Films with screenplays by Padmarajan Films shot in Kochi Films directed by K. G. George {{1970s-Malayalam-film-stub