Gulebakavali Katha

Gulebakavali Katha
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Kamalakara Kameswara Rao
Produced by N. Trivikrama Rao
Written by Samudrala Jr (dialogues)
Screenplay by N. Trivikrama Rao
Story by Madhira Subbanna Deekshitulu
Based on Kasi Majilee Kathalu
Starring N. T. Rama Rao
Jamuna
Music by Joseph-Vijaya Krishna Murthy
Cinematography Ravikant Nagaich
Edited by Veerappa
Production
company
National Art Theaters
Release date
  • 5 January 1962 (1962-01-05)
Running time
 170 minutes
Country India
Language Telugu

Gulebakavali Katha is a 1962 Telugu swashbuckling adventure fantasy film, produced by N. Trivikrama Rao under the National Art Theaters banner and directed by Kamalakara Kameswara Rao. It stars N. T. Rama Rao and Jamuna in the lead roles, with music composed by Joseph-Vijaya Krishna Murthy.[1]

Plot

King Chandrasena (Mukkamala Krishnamurthy) has two wives, Gunavathi (Rushyendramani) and Rupavathi (Chayadevi). Rupavathi has three sons. Rupavathi's brother Vakraketu (Rajanala) has an eye on the king’s throne. When Gunavathi gets pregnant with the blessings of the goddess Parvathi, Vakraketu along with his sister Rupavathi bribe the astrologer by saying that the King loses his eyesight if he sees the child and tries to order the infant, but he is rescued and brought up by a shepherd couple (Lanka Satyam and Hemalatha). Once, King Chandrasena goes hunting in the forest, sees Vijay and loses his eyesight, but the actual reason had plotted against the king and made him blind. Doctors advise the king to get the Gulebakavali flower which blossoms on the full moon day in the Yakshaloka. Vijay sets on an adventurous journey to get the Gulebakavali flower which had healing powers and can, therefore, cure blindness. He meets a trickster dice player Yuktimati (Jamuna), whom he defeats and marries and saves his three elder brothers (Nalla Ramamurthy, Peketi Sivaram, Padmanabham), sons of Rupavati. He then reaches Devaloka, woos princess Bakavali (Nagarathna), gets the flower, but his brothers steal it from him. He returns to Devaloka only to find the pond dry. Vijay then offers his eyes. The pond blooms with the divine flower, an impressed Mahendra (Mikkilineni) plucks it, restores Vijay’s vision and gives him his daughter’s hand. Vijay returns to his kingdom with his two wives, annihilates Vakrakethu and the army chief Dushtabudhi (K. V. S. Sarma), cures his father’s blindness with the divine flower saved for him by Atitelivi (Balakrishna) from his brothers and ascends the throne.

Cast

Crew

Soundtrack

Gulebakavali Katha
Film score by Joseph & Vijaya Krishna Murthy
Released 1962
Genre Soundtrack
Length 33:47
Label H.M.V. Audio
Producer Joseph & Vijaya Krishna Murthy

Music composed by Joseph & Vijaya Krishna Murthy. Lyrics were written by C. Narayana Reddy. All songs are blockbusters. Music released by H.M.V. Audio Company.

S. No.Song TitleSingerslength
1 "Unnadi Chebuta" S. Janaki, Vasantha 3:24
2 "Amba Jagadamaba" P. Leela 3:08
3 "Kaali Gajja Kadalakamunde" S. Janaki 4:22
4 "Anuraaga Payonidi" Ghantasala 0:58
5 "Salamalekum Saahebugaaru" Ghantasala, S. Janaki 3:01
6 "Nannu Dhochukonduvate" Ghantasala, P. Susheela 3:22
7 "Kalala Alalapai" Ghantasala, S. Janaki 4:35
8 "Ontarinai Poyanu" Ghantasala 3:35
9 "Madana Sundara Naa Doraa" P. Susheela 3:19
10 "Vinnava Tatvam Guruda" Pithapuram 1:51
11 "Matha Jaganmatha" Ghantasala 2:12

Features

  • C. Narayana Reddy is debuted as Lyricist in this film. Vijaya Krishnamurthy and Joseph are also introduced as music directors in the film.
  • The titles are generated by a skeleton on the screen, which was the first and only experimental feature in any folklore Telugu film.
  • Heroine Nagaratnam (Bakavali Character) has only two dialogues (actually only two words) in the film. Nagaratnam (debut) is the niece of the actress Garikapati Varalaxmi. Later she acted in Mugajeevulu as heroine with her real name Prasanna Raani. She did one Tamil film Engaveettu Pillai (Tamil version of Ramudu Bheemudu). Her last film is Manushullo Devudu.
  • Geetanjali, who earlier acted in Seetarama Kalyanam (1961) appears in a small song at the beginning with her original name Mani.

Other pictures

  • Gul-e-Bakavali was the first picture with the same subject as the silent film in 1924, directed by Kanjibhai Rathod and produced by Kohinoor films. It starred Jamna, Khalil, Fatma Begum, Noor Mohamed, Sabita Devi, Sultana, Usha Rani and Zubeida.[2] The folk-fantasy legend of the fairy Bakavali (Zubeida), her deva Pushpa (or divine flower) Gul known for its healing powers, and the Eastern prince Taj-ul-Mulk (Khalil), who wants the flower to cure his blind father. Taj-ul-Mulk has to face his villainous brothers who steal the flower as Bakavali is turned to stone and installed in a temple, where she undergoes her human rebirth.
  • The story was made as a silent film again in 1930.
  • Gul-e-Bakavali was made as a Hindi film four times in 1932, 1947, 1956 and 1963.
  • The story was pictured earlier in Telugu in 1938 with title Gulebakavali, directed by Kallakoori Sadasivaravu and starring B. Jayamma.[3]
  • The story was made as a Tamil film in 1955, directed and produced by T. R. Ramanna and starring M. G. Ramachandran, T.R. Rajakumari and G. Varalakshmi

References

  1. ↑ http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/Blast-from-the-past-GULEBAKAVALI-KATHA-1962/article14583602.ece
  2. ↑ Gul-e-Bakavali, 1924 Silent film at IMDb.
  3. ↑ Gulebakavali, 1938 film.
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