Chenchu Lakshmi
| Chenchu Lakshmi | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | B. A. Subba Rao |
| Produced by | B. A. Subba Rao |
| Written by |
Vempati Sadasivabrahmam (Telugu dialogues) Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass M. S. Subramaniam (Tamil dialogues) |
| Screenplay by | B. A. Subba Rao |
| Story by | Vempati Sadasivabrahmam |
| Starring |
Akkineni Nageswara Rao Anjali Devi |
| Music by | S. Rajeswara Rao |
| Cinematography | C. Nageshwara Rao |
| Edited by | K. Marthandam |
Production company |
B.A.S. Productions |
| Distributed by | Navayuga Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 145 mins |
| Country | India |
| Language | Telugu & Tamil |
Chenchu Lakshmi is a 1958 bilingual Telugu and Tamil Mythological film, produced and directed by B. A. Subba Rao under the B.A.S. Productions banner. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Anjali Devi in the lead roles, with music composed by S. Rajeswara Rao; both of the movies simultaneously shot in Telugu and Tamil, most of the scenes and artists are same in both the versions, it was also made earlier in 1943 with different cast and crew.
Plot
The story line is based on the Hindu mythological story. The film begins with the marriage of Lord Vishnu (Akkineni Nageswara Rao) and Mahalakshmi (Anjali Devi). On that occasion, Sage Durvasa (Gummadi) gets angry that he is not properly invited, so he gives a curse to Mahalakshmi's parents, Samudra King of the ocean (E. R. Sahadevan) and his wife (Sandhya) to be born as tribals. After that, Vishnu kills Hiranyaksha, donning Varaha avatar, his brother Hiranyakasipu (S. V. Ranga Rao) hates Vishnu and made him leave his abode Vaikuntha after getting a boon from Lord Brahma that he will not be killed by either weapon, man, demon or divinity. After his efforts to dissuade his son Prahlada (Master Babji) from worshipping Vishnu fail, Hiranyakasipu challenges him to show Vishnu in a pillar. On Prahlada’s prayer, Vishnu appears in Narasimha (half man and half lion) avatar and kills Hiranyakasipu. Parallel to this runs another story involving, due to a curse, Samudra, and his wife who are born in the Chenchu tribe and beget a child after eating a fruit. The little girl has the angelic charm of Goddess Lakshmi and grows up as the fearless Chenchita (again Anjali Devi). After killing Hiranyakasipu, still raging with fury, Narasimha wanders in the forest and it is only after seeing Chenchulakshmi that his anger subsides and he sheds the avatar and turns into the handsome Narahari who falls in love with her. Narada plays his part in the entire drama that finally culminates in the reunion of Vishnu and Lakshmi.
Cast
Telugu Cast
- Akkineni Nageswara Rao as Lord Vishnu
- Anjali Devi as Goddess Lakshmi & Chenchita (Dual role)
- S. V. Ranga Rao as Hiranyakashipu
- Gummadi Venkateswara Rao as Durvasa
- Relangi as Narada Maharshi
- Nagabhushanam as Lord Shiva
- E. R. Sahadevan as Samudrudu
- Vangara as Chandamarkula
- Rushyendramani
- Sandhya as Queen of the Chenchus
- Pushpavalli as Leelavathi
- E. V. Saroja as Dancer
- Master Babji as Prahlada
Tamil Cast
- A. Nageswara Rao as Lord Vishnu
- Anjali Devi as Goddess Lakshmi/Chenchita
- S. V. Ranga Rao as Hiranyakashipu
- Pushpavalli as Leelavathi
- K. A. Thangavelu as Saint Narada Maharshi
- E. R. Sahadevan as King of the Chenchus
- Sandhya as Queen of the Chenchus
- Nagabhushanam as Lord Shiva
- Rushyendramani
- C. V. V. Panthulu as Durvasa
- Vangara Venkata Subbaiah as Chandamarkula
- A. V. Subba Rao
- Nalla Rama Murthy
- K. S. Angamuthu
- Master Babji as Prahlada
Crew
- Art: Vaali
- Choreography: V. J. Sharma, Thangkappan & K. S. Reddy
- Story - Screenplay - Dialogues: Vempati Sadasivabrahmam (Telugu) / Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass & M. S. Subramaniam (Tamil)
- Lyrics: Samudrala, Arudra, Kosaraju, Vempati Sadasivabrahmam (Telugu) / Papanasam Sivan, Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass & M. S. Subramaniam (Tamil)
- Playback: Ghantasala, P. Susheela, Jikki, Madhavapeddi Satyam, P. B. Sreenivas, Pendyala Nageswara Rao, Satyavathi, Vaidehi
- Music: S. Rajeswara Rao
- Editing: K. Marthandam
- Cinematography: C. Nageshwara Rao
- Producer - Director: B. A. Subba Rao
- Banner: B. A. S. Productions
- Release Date: 9th April 1958
Soundtrack
| Chenchu Lakshmi | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by S. Rajeswara Rao | ||||
| Released | 1958 | |||
| Length | 59:18 | |||
| Language | Telugu & Tamil | |||
| Producer | Saluri Rajeswara Rao | |||
| S. Rajeswara Rao chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music composed by Saluri Rajeswara Rao. All the tunes for all the songs for both languages are the same. Music released on Audio Company.
| S. No. | Song Title | Lyrics | Singers | length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aanandamaye Ali Neelaveni | Arudra | Ghantasala, Jikki | 4:18 |
| 2 | Chettulekkagalava O Narahari | Arudra | Ghantasala, Jikki | 3:07 |
| 3 | Chilaka Gorinka | Vempati Sadasivabrahmam | Ghantasala, Jikki | 2:54 |
| 4 | Paala Kadalipai | Arudra | P. Susheela | 3:23 |
| 5 | Adhigo Kanalera Kamala | Samudrala Sr | P. Susheela | 3:10 |
| 5 | Neelagagana Ghana Shyama | Arudra | Ghantasala | 4:32 |
| 5 | Kaanaga Raavaa | Vempati Sadasivabrahmam | Ghantasala, Jikki | 3:26 |
| 6 | Cheyi Cheyi | Kosaraju | P. Susheela, Satyavathi, Vaidehi | 3:15 |
| 7 | Kaallaku Gajjelu | Vempati Sadasivabrahmam | P. B. Sreenivas, Jikki | 2:43 |
| 8 | Ma Chinni Papayi | Samudrala Sr | P. Susheela | 2:04 |
| 9 | Marapurani Manchi | Vempati Sadasivabrahmam | Ghantasala, Jikki | 5:33 |
| 10 | Karunaala Vaalaa | Kosaraju | Ghantasala | 7:14 |
| 11 | Sri Nadhuni | Samudrala Sr | P. Susheela | 2:36 |
| 12 | Chenchu Lakshmi Slokam | Vempati Sadasivabrahmam | P. Susheela | 10:03 |
Tamil Songs
Lyrics by Papanasam Sivan, Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass & M. S. Subramaniam.
| No. | Song | Singers | Lyrics | Length (m:ss) |
| 1 | Aanandham Eedhe Alidula Veni | Ghantasala & Jikki | 04:13 | |
| 2 | Naaraayanan Thiru Adi Malar Panindhu | P. Suseela | 02:47 | |
| 3 | Maratthil Eruvaayaa Ye Singga Manadhil | Ghantasala & Jikki | 02:17 | |
| 4 | Mangai Endhan Manadhil Inbam | Ghantasala & Jikki | 05:01 | |
| 5 | Anbe En Raaja Assai Kannaalane | Ghantasala & Jikki | 02:38 | |
| 6 | Vidhiyai Vellum Valimai Amma Unakku Illaiye | Ghantasala | 01:00 | |
| 7 | Sri Hariye Sagala Soothradhaari | Ghantasala | 00:40 | |
| 8 | Paal Kadal Thanile Sesha Sayanatthil | P. Suseela | 02:54 | |
| 9 | Oyilu Kummi Podalaam Ullaasamaai | Jikki, P. S. Vaidehi & Sathyavathi | 03:22 | |
| 10 | Andha Naal Arakkan Iraniyan Arundhava Palanil | Ghantasala | 00:26 | |
| 11 | Alitthidum Avamadhippaiyai Naan Nasukkuven | V. N. Sundharam | 02:32 | |
| 12 | Agila Jegamadhil Aadhi Naadhan | Ghantasala | 01:26 | |
| 13 | Bramma Sittha Niyaayatthilum Unnmai Purivadhedhu | Ghantasala | 01:01 | |
| 14 | Undhanai Pol Dheivam Undo Dhevaa | P. Suseela | 01:54 | |
| 15 | Paarkadal Thanile Palli Konde Endrum | Seerkazhi Govindarajan | 00:51 | |
| 16 | Sri Hari Dheva Jegame Pugazh Jeeva | Ghantasala & Jikki | 03:09 | |
| 17 | Naaraayanaa Hari Naaraayanaa Sriman | P. Suseela | Papanasam Sivan | 03:23 |
| 18 | Vidha Vidhamaagave Vedanggal Aniyum | Seerkazhi Govindarajan | 00:45 | |
| 19 | Eerezhu Loganggal Koorume Un Perai | Ghantasala | 01:13 | |
| 20 | Chandhrodhayam Pole Indha Jegam Meedhile | Jikki | 01:59 | |
| 21 | Gaandha Sakthi Enavo Kai Padave | Ghantasala | 00:44 | |
| 22 | Dhargamudan Viyaagaranam Sangeetham | P. Suseela | 04:00 | |
| 23 | Lambaadi Lambaadi Hoi Lambaadi | M. Sathyam & Jikki | 02:58 | |
| 24 | Uyar Karunaamoorthi Perumai Avar Kanndaar | Ghantasala | 02:44 | |
| 25 | Inngiruppaano Anggiruppaano Endra Iyame | V. N. Sundharam & P. Suseela | 02:58 |
The 1943 film
Chenchu Lakshmi was made in 1943 directed by S. Soundararajan and starring C. H. Narayana Rao and Kamala Kotnis in the lead roles.[1]