''Tara Sasankam'' ( te, తారాశశాంకం) is a play written by Kopparapu Subba Rao. It has been performed about 1,500 times under his own direction. It was published in 1945 by Modern Publishers, Tenali. Subsequently, three editions were brought out. There was a

lawsuit - A lawsuit is a proceeding by a party or parties against another in the civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. The term "lawsuit" is used in reference to a civil actio ...

filed by the publishers on behalf of K. Satyanarayana of Ramakrishna pictures, the producers of the 1969 film.

Plotknow the

The story is based on the love affair between Tara, (wife of

Brihaspati Brihaspati ( sa, बृहस्पति, ), also known as Guru, is a Hindu deity. In the ancient Vedic scriptures of Hinduism, Brihaspati is a deity associated with fire, and the word also refers to a rishi (sage) who counsels the devas (god ...

) and Sasank (

Chandra Chandra ( sa, चन्द्र, Candra, shining' or 'moon), also known as Soma ( sa, सोम), is the Hindu god of the Moon, and is associated with the night, plants and vegetation. He is one of the Navagraha (nine planets of Hinduism) and ...

). Tara, the wife of pious teacher Brihaspati successfully seduces his student Sasank. They had a child by their illicit union. This results in a dispute between the teacher and his student about the fatherhood of the boy. It goes to the court of the Gods; who express their inability to solve the issue. Tara herself had to decide that the child was born of the student.

1941 film

''Tara Sasankam'' was produced as a film in Telugu language in 1941 under the direction of R. S. Prakash, starring veteran stage actor and singer P. Suri Babu,

Pushpavalli Pushpavalli (3 January 1926 – 28 April 1991) was an Indian actress who predominently worked in Telugu and Tamil films. She entered the film industry as a child actress with a small role as young Sita in the film ''Sampoorna Ramayanam'' (1936) ...

and Sundaramma.

Soundtrack

*"Andamugaa alankarista poyiraave priyunikorakai" *"Auraa entati droha buddiviraa chandraa" *"Dharani yantaa taaraamayamai kaanupinche naa kanulaku" *"Enta Ghora Patakame Nee Charitamu Tata"-"Nava Yavvammu Sashvatamani Namminavu Tara" (Singer: P. Suribabu) *"Laagaraa sakhudaa naa padava laagara" *"Nee vooru nee peru telupavate baalaa" *"Talliveeve tandriveeve daivameevegaa" *"Viphalamaipoyegaa naa bratuke vrudhaa" *"Youvaname haayi jagatilo youvaname haayi"

1969 film

''Tara Sasankam'' was filmed in 1969, directed by Manapuram Appa Rao and produced by K. Satyanarayana of Ramakrishna Pictures. It starred

Devika Devika Devadoss (born Prameela Devi) (25 April 1943 – 2 May 2002) was an Indian actress who worked in Tamil, Telugu with few Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi film industry. She was a popular lead actress in the 1960s. Devika is the grand daughter ...

as Tara and

Sobhan Babu Sobhan Babu (born Uppu Sobhana Chalapathi Rao; 14 January 1937 – 20 March 2008) was an Indian actor known for his works in Telugu cinema.Bangaru Panjaram in Venditera Paatalu, Krishnasastri Sahityam, third volume, Vishalandhra Publishing House ...

as Sashank. Gummadi played the role of Brihaspati. The other key roles are played by T. L. Kanta Rao, Haranath and Ramakrishna.

Soundtrack

There are about 25 songs and poems in the film ''Tara Sasankam''. The music score was provided by

T. V. Raju Thotakura Venkata Raju (Telugu: తోటకూర వెంకట రాజు), better known as T. V. Raju (1921 - 20 February 1973), was an Indian music composer who primarily worked in Telugu cinema. He worked as an assistant composer to ...

.''Tara Sasankam'' by TVRaju at Muzigle.com
* "Bhaliraa Maaya Lola Souri – Oohateetamu Nee Maaya" (Lyrics:

Rajasri Rajasree (Rajasree Thota Panchajanyam, Kusuma Kumari, born 31 August 1945), also known as Rajasri or Rajashri, is an Indian actress active from 1956 to 1979. She is particularly famous for her portrayal as a princess in several folklore Telug ...

; Singer: Ghantasala) * "Vande Janani Vande Sudhavahini" (Lyrics:

C. Narayana Reddy Cingireddi Narayana Reddy (29 July 1931 – 12 June 2017), popularly known as CiNaRe, was an Indian Telugu-language poet and writer. Reddy had produced over eighty literary works including poems, prose-plays, lyrical plays, translations, a ...

; Singers: Ghantasala and

P. B. Srinivas Prathivadhi Bhayankara Sreenivas (22 September 1930 – 14 April 2013) widely known as P. B. Sreenivas was an Indian playback singer, composer, harmonium player, lyricist, littérateur, and poet known for his works in South cinema, and Bollyw ...

) * "Vu Andi Andala Tara – Emandi Naa Prema Tara" (Lyrics:

Samudrala Jr. Samudrala Venkata Ramanujacharyulu, better known as Samudrala Jr. (1923 – 31 May 1985) was an Indian screenwriter and lyricist known for his works in Telugu cinema. He is the son of screenwriter Samudrala Raghavacharya, better known as Sa ...

; Singers: Ghantasala and

P. Susheela Pulapaka Susheela (born 13 November 1935), popularly known as P. Susheela, is an Indian playback singer associated with the South Indian cinema primarily from Andhra Pradesh for over six decades. She is one of the greatest and best-known playba ...

)

References

{{reflist Indian plays 1940s Telugu-language films 1960s Telugu-language films 1941 films 1969 films Telugu-language plays