Tenali Ramakrishna (film)

Tenali Ramakrishna
Directed by	B. S. Ranga
Produced by	B. S. Ranga
Written by	Samudrala Raghavacharya (Telugu) Kannadasan (Tamil)
Screenplay by	C. K. Venkataramaiah
Story by	C. K. Venkataramaiah
Based on	Play by  by C. K. Venkataramaiah
Starring	N. T. Rama Rao A. Nageswara Rao (Telugu) Sivaji Ganesan (Tamil) Jamuna Chittor V. Nagaiah P. Bhanumathi Mikkilineni Mukkamala M. N. Nambiar (Tamil) Sandhya Rajanala Vangara Surabhi Balasaraswati Laxmikantam Ramakoti
Music by	Viswanathan Ramamoorthy
Cinematography	B. S. Ranga
Edited by	P. G. Mohan
Production company	Vikram Productions
Distributed by	Vikram Productions
Release dates	12 January 1956 3 February 1956 (Tamil)
Country	India
Language	Telugu Tamil

Tenali Ramakrishna is a 1956 Indian bilingual, historical, biographical drama film primarily shot in Telugu, and directed by B. S. Ranga. This film was simultaneously made in Tamil and is named as Tenali Raman (Tamil: தெனாலி இராமன்). N. T. Rama Rao appeared as Srikrishna Devaraya in both films. Tenali Ramakrishna was played by A. Nageswara Rao in Telugu version while Sivaji Ganesan portrayed the role in Tamil. The plot is based on the play written by C. K. Venkataramaiah.

Film is based on the story of, Tenali Rama, the court-poet of Sri Krishna Deva Raya. The Telugu version of the film has garnered the All India Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film at 4th National Film Awards.

Plot

The Deccan Sultans of Berar, Ahmednagar, Bidar, Bijapur and Golconda who the splinters from the erstwhile Bahmani Sultnate now unite with the common purpose to defeat of Krishnadeva Raya and the conquest of the prosperous Vijayanagaram. They send their stooge Kanakaraj to assassinate Krishnadeva Raya, but Kanakaraj fails in his mission and is put to death.

Then they planned courtesan Krishnasini. Krishnasini enters Vijayanagaram, and with her acclaimed dancing skills, manages to elicit the notice of the King, a great connoisseur of arts and beauty. She then plays her cards cleverly and besotted by her intelligent repartees and smoldering sensuousness, the susceptible King is soon a puppet in her hands.

Orders are given that anyone who enters their private chamber would be beheaded and the King spends with Krishnasini’s for months. Reports reach the ministers that the Sultans are planning to take advantage of the King’s inaccessibility and launch a combined attack on Vijayanagaram. Worried at the state of affairs, Tenali Raman braves the prohibitory order and enters Krishnasini’s abode dressed as a woman, but all his appeals to the King seem to fall on deaf ears.

Meanwhile Queen Tirumalamba falls seriously sick and the King finally comes out of his daze. Once the King is at his wife’s bedside, Tenali Ramakrishna manages to gain entry into Krishnasini’s house again, this time under the guise of an omniscient saint who assures her that he would bring the King back to her. He catches her red-handed with her gang of spies, and signals to the hidden soldiers to surround her. Realized that the game is up, Krishnasini prefers a dignified death. Shocked to see her stab herself, Timmarusu remonstrates with her that she has acted in haste, for the King would have certainly forgiven her.

Cast

• N. T. Rama Rao as Sri Krishna Deva Raya
• A. Nageswara Rao as Tenali Ramakrishna (Telugu)
• Sivaji Ganesan as Tenali Raman (Tamil)
• Chittor V. Nagaiah as Timmarusu
• Jamuna as Kamala
• P. Bhanumathi as Krishnasani (Telugu)
  Rangasani (Tamil)
• Sandhya as Maharani Tirumaladevi
• M. N. Nambiar as Rajaguru
• Surabhi Balasaraswathi as Radha
• Mukkamala Krishna Murthy as Tatacharyulu
• Mikkilineni Radhakrishna Murthy as Kanakaraju
• Master Venkateswar as Son of Ramakrishna

Crew

• Producer: B. S. Ranga
• Production Company: Vikram Productions
• Director: B. S. Ranga
• Music: Viswanathan Ramamoorthy
• Dialogues: Samudrala Raghavacharya (Telugu) / Kannadasan (Tamil)
• Lyrics (Tamil): Kannadasan, M. K. Athmanathan & Tamizhmannan
• Lyrics (Telugu): Samudrala Raghavacharya & Jayadeva
• Story: C. K. Venkataramaiah
• Art Direction: Ganga & Vali
• Editing: P. G. Mohan
• Choreography: P. S. Gopalakrishnan & A. K. Chopra
• Cinematography: B. S. Ranga
• Audiography: T. S. Rangasamy
• Stunt: None
• Dance: None

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy.

Telugu Songs

• "Jagamula Dayanele Janani Sadashivuni Manoharini" by P. Leela (Background title song)
• "Aakatayi Pilla Mooka Andala Chilaka" (Singer: Ramakoti; Cast: Ramakoti)
• "Chandana Charchita Neelakalebara" by P. Suseela (Lyrics: Jayadeva, Cast: Sandhya)
• "Chesedhi Emito Cheseyi Sootiga Veseyi Paaga Ee Kotalo" by Ghantasala (Lyrics: Samudrala, Cast: Akkineni)
• "Gandu Pilli Menu Marachi Banda Nidura Poyera" by Ghantasala & Chittor V. Nagaiah (Cast: Akkineni and Nagaiah)
• "Ichchakalu Naaku Neeku Inka Elara" by P. Leela (Cast: Balasaraswati)
• "Jhan Jhan Kankanamulu" by R. Balasaraswathi Devi
• "Kannulu Ninde Kannela Vinna Mannanaleera Raja" by P. Bhanumathi
• "Teerani Naa Korikale Teerenu Ee Roju" by P. Bhanumathi

Tamil Songs

Lyrics by Kannadasan, M. K. Athmanathan & Tamizhmannan. Singers are Chittor V. Nagaiah, P. Bhanumathi & Karikkol Raju. Playback singers are T. M. Soundararajan, Ghantasala, V. N. Sundharam, P. Leela, P. Suseela, R. Balasaraswathi Devi & A. P. Komala.

Awards

• National Film Awards^[1]
  • 1956 - All India Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film (Telugu Version)
  • 1956 - National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu

References

External links

• Tenali Ramakrishna at the Internet Movie Database
• Tenali Raman at the Internet Movie Database