Devakanya

Devakanya
Directed by R. Padmanaban
Written by R. Padmanaban
Screenplay by Sundara Bhagavathar (Assistant)
Starring C. Honnappa Bhagavathar
V. N. Janaki
U. R. Jeevarathinam
T. R. Ramachandran
M. S. Murugesam
T. S. Jaya
Music by Palavangudi Sama Iyer
Cinematography T. Marconi
Production
company
Padma Pictures
Distributed by S. I. P
Release date
  • 16 January 1943 (1943-01-16) (India)
Country India
Language Tamil

Devakanya is a 1943 Indian Tamil language mythological film directed by R. Padmanaban.[1] The film featured C. Honnappa Bhagavathar and V. N. Janaki in the lead roles.[2]

Plot

The daughter of a king wants to learn some fine arts. The king arranges a young man who is the son of a palace courtier, to teach music to her. The young man and the princess fall in love and elope. They go to a forest and live there. One day an angel from heaven descends to earth and offers a magical fruit to the young man. Then she makes him also an angel and creates a heavenly place for him. The young man goes away with that angel. The abandoned princess goes in search of her husband and joins a group of street gymnasts. But she dies in an accident. Her body is abandoned. The young man sees the body and remembers his wife. With the help of the magic fruit, he brings her back to life. The angel blesses them.[2]

Cast

The list is adapted from The Hindu review of the film.[2]

Production

The film was produced and directed by R. Padmanaban under the banner Padma Pictures and was filmed at Pragjyothi Studios, located in Adyar. (This studio was closed soon after the second world war.) The story and dialogues were written also by R. Padmanaban and was assisted by Sundara Bhagavathar. Cinematography was done by T. Marconi who was an Italian by birth and was employed by Padmanaban in all his films.

Actor Kottappuli Jayaraman earned that nickname after this film only, as the name of the character he featured in was Kottappuli.

Trivia

The cinematographer T. Marconi, being a man from Italy, was detained by the British colonial government during the second world war as an undesirable alien for merely being an Italian citizen! Randor Guy says he was very fond of the South Indian dish "Morekuzhambu". As such, his friends called him "Morekuzhambu" Marconi!

Soundtrack

Music was composed by Palavangudi Sama Iyer and the lyrics were penned by S. G. Chellappa, a brother of S. G. Kittappa. Honnappa Bhagavathar and U. R. Jeevaratnam rendered the songs.

Reception

Film Historian Randor Guy said the film is "Remembered for the interesting story line well-narrated on screen by Padmanabhan and the good performances of Honnappa Bhagavathar, Janaki, Jeevaratnam and Ramachandran."[2]

References

  1. ↑ Ashish Rajadhyaksha & Paul Willemen. Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema (PDF). Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 1998. pp. 58, 167 & 589.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Guy, Randor (10 March 2012). "Devakanya 1943". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
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