Mana Desam

Mana Desam
Directed by	L.V. Prasad
Produced by	C. Krishnaveni Mirjapuram Raja
Written by	Samudrala Raghavacharya
Starring	Chittor V. Nagaiah C. H. Narayana Rao C. Krishnaveni
Music by	Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao
Cinematography	M.A. Rehman
Release dates	1949
Running time	172 mins
Country	India
Language	Telugu

Mana Desam (English: Our Country) is a 1949 Telugu social film directed by L. V. Prasad and produced by actress Krishnaveni. The title means "Our Country" in Telugu. The film is based on Vipradas, a Bengali novel by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay and runs in the backdrop of Indian freedom struggle.^[1]

Specialities

• It will be remembered as the film that introduced Telugu thespians like N. T. Rama Rao and S. V. Ranga Rao and the popular singer Ghantasala as a music director and famous south Indian singer P. Leela to Telugu people.
• Krishnaveni used the all traditional story telling techniques then in the movie. She used styles of Burra katha, Oggu katha, stage dramas like Veedhi Natakalu, Bommalatalu in parts of the movie. She also included all types of traditional songs in Telugu, patriotic songs, dhampudu songs, bhajans and rural songs.
• The movie also portrays the Gandhian values during freedom struggle and their deterioration after India got freedom from British.
• It is first Telugu film based on Bengali story. Many Bengali stories like Devdas and Aradhana were used as plots for Telugu movies afterwards.

Plot

Madhu and Shoba are lovers. Madhu supports the Congress party but Shoba is opposed to congress views. They both are arrested in political violence during the freedom struggle. Madhu is tortured by the police and loses memory. The movie ends with his recovering from amnesia and reunion of the couple. Producer Krishnaveni herself played the role of Sobha and Narayana Rao played the role of Madhu.

Crew

• Producer - Krishnaveni and her husband Raja of Mirzapuram under MRA Productions.
• Director - L. V. Prasad
• Music - Ghantasala
• Story - famous Bengal writer Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel
• Dailogues and lyrics - Samudrala Raghavacharya
• Camera - MA Rehman
• Singers - Ghantasala, M. S. Ramarao, C. Krishnaveni, P.G. Jikki Krishnaveni, P. Leela, Nagaiah etc.

Cast

• Madhu - C. H. Narayana Rao
• Sobha - Ms. C Krishnaveni
• Police Inspector - N. T. Rama Rao
• Chittor V. Nagaiah
• Relangi Venkatramiah
• S. V. Rangarao
• Vangara Venkata Subbayya
• Ramanatha Sastry
• Kanchana
• Surabhi Bala Saraswati
• Hemalatha
• Lakshmikantham
• Hero - Ravijangam

Soundtrack

• Jaya Janani - patriotic song, singers are Ghantasala and C. Krishnaveni
• Emito Ee Sambhandam Enduko Ee Anubhandam - duet, singers are M. S. Ramarao and C. Krishnaveni
• Chalo Chalo Raja - Singers are M. S. Ramarao and C. Krishnaveni
• Ninnu Nenu Maruvalenura Police yenkatsami - rural style song, singer is Jikki Krishnaveni
• Atta leni Kodalu Uttamuralu - folklore song. singer is Jikki Kirshnaveni
• Vedalipo Tella Dora Vedalipo - patriotic group song
• Nirvedamela kanneridela - Gandian song by Nagaiah
• O Bharata Yuvaka - patriotic group song
• Kallo Ninnu CHoosinane Pilla Vallu Jallumannade - duet, singers are Ghantasala and C. Krishnaveni
• Vaishnava Janato - Traditional Bhajan

References

External links

• Mana Desam Telugu Mp3 Songs
• Mana Desam at the Internet Movie Database
• Newyork times Manadesam story review
• Ghantasala info about Manadesam movie