Chakradhari (1948 film)

Chakradhari
Poster
Tamil சக்ரதாரி
Directed by K. S. Gopalakrishnan[lower-alpha 1]
Produced by S. S. Vasan
Written by Gemini Story Dept.
Based on a story from the book titled Sri Maha Bhaktha Vijayam
Starring Chittor V. Nagaiah
Pushpavalli
Surya Prabha
Gemini Ganeshan
Nagarcoil Mahadevan
Production
company
Gemini
Release date
  • 3 December 1948 (1948-12-03) (India)
[1]
Country India
Language Tamil

Chakradhari (English: He who holds the wheel) is a 1948 Indian, Tamil-language film produced by Gemini Studios. Chittor V. Nagaiah and Pushpavalli acted in the lead roles while Gemini Ganeshan who was a budding actor then, appeared in a minor role.[2][1]

Plot

Gora is a potter who lives in a village near Pandharpur in Maharashtra. He is a strong devotee of Lord Panduranga. He is not interested in earning money which worries his wife Thulasi. Venkat is Gora's elder brother and an affluent man. His wife Sona does not like Gora and his family. One day while Gora was mixing clay, his child Hari comes there, playing. Gora was in a devotional ecstasy and did not notice his child. The child is killed trampled under the mud. Thulasi threatens to destroy the idol of Panduranga but Gora tries to kill her with an axe. She tells Gora that he should not touch her in future and he also vows that he will not touch her. However, Thulasi gets her sister Shantha to marry her husband Gora so that they can beget a child. But Gora refuses to touch Shantha too. The sisters seduce Gora one night. Gora is shocked and cuts his hands for breaking the vows. Lord Panduranga and his consort Rukmini come in disguise and work for Gora. Due to their divine powers happiness is restored in the family. Gora gets back his hands and Hari come back alive. The whole family becomes devotees of Lord Panduranga.[2]

Cast & Crew

The following lists of Cast and Crew were compiled from the database of Film News Anandan[1] and from the film credits. (See External links)

Cast

  • Chittor V. Nagaiah as Gora Kumbhar
  • Pushpavalli Gora's first wife Thulasi
  • Surya Prabha Gora's second wife Shantha
  • Gemini Ganesan as Panduranga
  • Nagarcoil K. Mahadevan as Naama Devar
  • K. N. Kamalam as Sona
  • L. Narayana Rao as Venkat
  • S. Varalakshmi as Rukmini
  • H. Krishnamurthi as Paentha
  • Suppiah Pillai as Sevaji
  • D. V. Kalyani as Parvathi Bai
  • Nandi Velayutham as Beat policeman
  • G. V. Sarma as Goldsmith
  • Baba Narayanan as Mali
  • N. Thiyagarajan as Astrologer
  • M. Ramamurthi, V. P. S. Mani, N. Narasimhan, Raja Rao and K. D. K. S. Mani as Rowdies
  • Balaraman and K. Sampathkumar as Officers
  • Panduranga Doss, D. S. P. Rao and Vijaya Rao as Panduranga Devotees
  • Chopra and A. Chandra as dancers
  • S. R. Lakshmi as Betel leaf vendor
  • Kumari V. Thulasi as Flower vendor
  • B. Ramakrishna Rao as Bangle vendor
  • Pudukottai Cheenu as Arecanut vendor
  • Balan as Beggar

Crew

  • Producer = S. S. Vasan
  • Director = K. S. Gopalakrishnan (not the later day KSG)
  • Cinematography = Thambu (C. V. Ramakrishnan)
  • Art Direction = A. K. Sekar
  • Editing = N. K. Gopal
  • Choreography = Jaishankar, Chopra
  • Photography = L. K. Rao
  • Audiography = B. Ranga Rao
  • Makeup = Sahadeva Rao
  • Costume = Saiyadu Ahamed
  • Studio = Gemini

Production

This tale has been filmed many times in many languages such as Marathi, Hindi, Kannada, Hindi and twice in Tamil.[2]

Soundtrack

Music was composed by M. D. Parthasarathy with P. S. Anantharaman as assistant. Parthasarathy also sang one or two songs. Lyrics were penned by Papanasam Sivan, Kothamangalam Subbu and Sangu Subramaniam. Singer is V. Nagaiah. Playback singers are S. S. Mani (S. Subramanian), T. V. Rathinam, Balasaraswathi and M. Kalpagam.[3][4]

No.SongSinger/sLyricistDuration (m:ss)
1.Vaa vaa ambuliyeT. V. RathinamKothamangalam Subbu02:22
2Salangai Kulunga VaaM. Kalpagam02:42 /
3Ayane MayaneS. S. Mani03:30
4Aiyamaare Vanga Ammaamare vanga07:16
5Kannale Vettadhe ennaiye08:43
6Unakkum EnakkumV. Nagaiah03:07
7Enna Ruchiyo, Aha, Enna Ruchiyo
8Vittalanai Panivom
9Ammaa Ammaa EnaBalasaraswathi
10Kanne Vaadaa Maniye Vaadaa
11Kanne ThaaleloT. V. Rathinam
12Kakkai SirakinileV. NagaiahPapanasam Sivan03:21
13Prabhu Pandu Ranga02:47
14Pandu Rangan karunayale02:07
15Musical Dance02:31
16Oradiyal ulagalandaV. NagaiahSangu Subramaniam01:40
17Kadhali Radhaiyai kalangavittanM. Kalpagam02:43

Reception

The film was a success at the box-office. Film historian Randor Guy wrote in 2008 that the film is "Remembered for its soul-filling music, fine photography and Nagaiah’s performance."[2]

Notes

  1. ↑ Not K. S. Gopalakrishnan

References

  1. 1 2 3 Film News Anandan (23 October 2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [History of Landmark Tamil Films] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivakami Publishers. Archived from the original on 21 November 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Guy, Randor (5 December 2008). "Chakradhari 1948 - CHEN". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 14 January 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  3. ↑ "Gemini's Chakradhari". Pesum Padam (in Tamil): 52–55. December 1948.
  4. ↑ Lakshmi Ramachandran. Kothamangalam Subbu Thiraiyisai Paadalgal [Kothamangalam Subbu Film Songs] (in Tamil). Manivasagar Publishers, Chennai 108 (Ph:044 25361039). First edition September 2016. pp. 76, 77, 88, 160, 162, 163 & 165.
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