| మాయాబజార్ Mayabazar |
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Mayabazar poster |
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| Directed by | Kadri Venkata Reddy |
| Produced by | B.Nagi Reddy Aluri Chakrapani |
| Written by | Pingali Nagendra Rao (story, dialogue and song lyrics) Kadri Venkata Reddy (adaptation) |
| Starring | See Cast Section |
| Music by | Ghantasala Saluri Rajeswara Rao |
| Cinematography | Marcus Bartley |
| Distributed by | Vijaya Vahini Studios |
| Release date(s) | Original Release: 27 March 1957 (Telugu) 12 Arpil 1957 (Tamil) Colorized Re-release: 30 January 2010 (Telugu) |
| Running time | 181 min. (approx) |
| Language | Telugu Tamil |
| Budget | Rs.2,00,000 (estimated) |
Mayabazar (Telugu: మాయాబజార్ Tamil: மாயா பஜார்) was a 1957 folklore Telugu and Tamil Indian bilingual film. The Telugu version was first released in Andhra Pradesh on 27 March 1957. The Tamil version, the following month in Tamil Nadu, with changes in cast and other details apt to Tamil audience. The Telugu version was later dubbed in Kannada. The story, dialogues, and song lyrics were written by Pingali Nagendra Rao. The producer of both the versions, Bommireddy Nagi Reddy bagged the highest award for films in India, Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1986.
The critically acclaimed Mayabazar is considered one of the enduring classics of Indian Cinema.[1][2] The film was touted as a landmark achievement in Indian film's cinematography, art direction and visual effects with the technology available at the time.[3] The music delivered by Saluri Rajeswara Rao (uncredited) and Ghantasala has been extremely popular. The film stars Gummadi Venkateswara Rao as Balarama, NTR as Krishna, ANR (Telugu version); Gemini Ganesan (Tamil Version) as Abhimanyu, S. V. Ranga Rao as Ghatotkacha, and Savitri as Sasirekha. A digitally remastered colour version was released in 2010.
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The film is based on a folk tale called Sasirekha Parinayam popular in Andhra Pradesh, based on the Mahabharata but not present in it.[4] In the initial days of the film project, it was decided to name the movie "Sasi Rekha Parinayam". However, at a later time it was finalized as "Mayabazaar".
During the Pandavas' Agnyatavasa (period of disguised exile), Arjuna sends his wife Subhadra and their son Abhimanyu to Dwaraka to stay with her brothers, Krishna (N.T.Rama Rao)and Balarama (Gummadi Venkateswara Rao). Sasirekha (Savitri), Balarama's daughter and Abhimanyu (Akkineni Nageswara Rao/Gemini Ganesan) are in love with each other from their childhood. Their families had agreed to get them married when they grow up.
However, Balarama's wife refuses to honour that commitment, as the Pandavas lost their kingdoms in gamble and are in exile. Balarama instead, on the face of Shakuni's and the Kauravas' cunning persuasion, decides to marry Sasirekha's to Lakshmana Kumara (Relangi Venkata Ramaiah/Thangavelu), who is the son of his favourite disciple, Duryodhana (Mukkamala). Krishna advises Subhadra to approach Ghatotkacha (S.V.Ranga Rao). Initially, Ghatotkacha assumes them to be intruders in his forest and attacks them, but later apologizes for his misunderstanding. When Subhadra narrates about what happened of her son and Sasirekha, Ghatotkacha decides to play some trickery in Dwaraka. He first, with the knowledge of Krishna and a servent girl, flies the sleeping Sasirekha along with her bed, from Dwaraka to his forest.
Next, using his magical powers, he assumes the form of Sasirekha (Ghatotkacha becomes Maya Sasi Rekha) and goes back to Dwaraka and wrecks her marriage with Lakshmana Kumara. He also performs some practical jokes and comical acts while in disguise. Also, his retinues act as the marriage overseers and provide comic relief as well. To further break the marriage, Ghatotkacha's follower's (Ramana Reddy- Played a magician role) enter the Bridegroom's guest house (Vididi griha) and draws hilarious comedy to the audience with Balaiah and Allu Rama Lingaiah. Meanwhile, back in the forest, the real Sasirekha is married to Abhimanyu. When all goes to plan, Ghatothkacha reveals his true identity and further unveils the true colours of Shakuni and Kauravas. At this point, Sasirekha's parents are convinced of her marriage and decide to bless the newlyweds back at the forest.
| Character | Actor/Actress | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Krishna | N.T.Rama Rao| | |
| Abhimanyu | Akkineni Nageswara Rao/Gemini Ganesan | |
| Ghatotkacha | S.V. Ranga Rao | |
| Sasirekha | Savitri | |
| Balarama | Gummadi Venkateswara Rao | |
| Subhadra | Rushyendramani | |
| Revati | Chaya Devi | |
| Rukmini | Sandhya | Notably, mother of J. Jayalalitha, Tamil politician |
| Lakshmana Kumara | Relangi Venkata Ramaiah/Thangavelu | |
| Duryodhana | Mukkamala | |
| Shakuni | CSR/M. N. Nambiar | |
| Karna | Mikkilineni Radhakrishna Murthy | |
| Dussasanudu/Duchadanan | R. Nageswara Rao | |
| Hidimbi | Suryakantham | |
| Chinnamaya | Ramana Reddy | |
| Sarma | Allu Ramalingaiah | |
| Sastry | Vangara Venkata Subbaiah | |
| Satyaki | Nagabhushanam | |
| Daaruka | Madhavapeddi Satyam |
Maya Bazaar's songs are considered legendary in Telugu cinema, and are also best remembered in Tamil as well. The titles of almost all the songs have been reused as movie names in later years.
(Actress Savtri's stunning dual portrayal of a princess and a monster-prince cemented her acting prowess in Telugu Cinema.)
(A great portrayal of romance spanning three generations)
(Relangi's humorous song that makes many people still laugh when they see some one clap hands behind their back)
(S V Ranga Rao's portrayal of Ghatotkacha and some state of the art cinematic effects)
The film was digitally remastered to add colour and was released to the theaters on January 30, 2010. As many as 165 artists from Goldstone Technologies have worked to transform the film into the colour version.[9] As per the company's head Jagan Mohan, they have used around 16.7 million colour shades for the transformation. Apart from adding colour, it was also converted to a full scope movie and the sound was also remastered to a DTS system from the previous mono track.[9] Two songs, Bhali Bhali Deva and Vinnava Yasodamma, have been removed due to poor quality of the negative film.
The list of changes made to the original movie in the 2010 color version:
1. Titles and title music - redone; Result : Visual - Good, Music - Poor
2. Childhood Abhimanyu's show of archery skills - partly cut
3. Song "Lalli lala" partly cut involving Sasirekha's childhood
4. Song "Chupulu kalasina subhavela" - completely removed. Later added in some theatres
5. Song "bhali bhali deva" - completely removed
6. Dance ballet "Mohini Bhasmasura" - completely removed
7. Song "neekosame ne jeevinchunadi" was modified digitally
8. Padyam "Dhurankara Madhandhulai" was removed
9. Padyam by Shakuni - removed
10. Marriage rehearsals by Relangi - removed
11. Song "dayacheyandi" partially cut
12. Padyam "pandava bandhu koti" removed
13. Song "vinnava yashodamma" partially cut
The colorized version completed 100 days of screening in Prasads Multiplex theatre, Hyderabad.
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