Sri Venkateswara Mahatyam

Sri Venkateswara Mahatmyam is 1960 Indian Telugu-language Hindu mythological film directed by P. Pullaiah and produced by V. Venkateswarlu. It is based on the Venkateswara avatar of Vishnu at Tirumala. It stars N. T. Rama Rao, Savitri, and S. Varalakshmi with music composed by Pendyala Nageswara Rao. The film was dubbed into Tamil and released as Srinivasa Kalyanam.^[1]

Sri Venkateswara Mahatmyam
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	P. Pullaiah
Screenplay by	Acharya Aatreya
Based on	Avatar of Lord Venkateswara (Balaji)
Produced by	V. Venkateswarlu
Starring	N. T. Rama Rao S. Varalakshmi Savitri
Cinematography	P. L. Roy
Edited by	K. A. Sriramulu
Music by	Pendyala Nageswara Rao
Production company	Padmasri Pictures
Release date	9 January 1960 (1960-01-09)
Running time	180 mins
Country	India
Language	Telugu

Plot

The film begins with the advent of Kaliyuga. The earth faces threats of all sorts. To reduce it, Saptarshi, helmed by Kashyapa, performs a Yagna when Narada arrives and asks who the patron deity of the sacrifice is. Since they cannot answer, Bhrigu moves to test Trimurthi. After Siva & Brahma become the victims of his curse, he approaches Vaikuntha when Vishnu & Lakshmi are immersed in love and ignore him. So, furious, Bhrigu kicks Vishnu in the chest. To pacify the sage, Vishnu held his legs and pressed the eye in his foot to symbolize his egotism when the sage sought to apologize. With a shattered ego, Lakshmi quits when Vishnu is behind her, first step on the earth at Tirumala, and settles in an anthill without food & water. Taking pity, Brahma & Siva assumed the forms of a cow & calf to serve him. Lakshmi sold them to the King, and they fed him.

Meanwhile, the cow does not yield milk at the palace, so the queen chastises the cow herder Sarabha. So, he follows it secretly, discovers the cause, and flung his axe. Here, Vishnu rose after receiving the blow and cursed Sarabha to be a ghost until he formed a deity at that place. After that, Vishnu landed at his ardent devotee Vakala's Ashram; she called him Srinivasa and provided hospitality. Once, Srinivasa chases a wild elephant led into a garden, where he meets Padmavati, daughter of Aakasa Raju, and the two crushes. After hesitation, Aakasa Raju and his wife, Dharani Devi, accept the proposal for its expenses, Srinivasa debts from Kubera, and say they will repay only the interest till the end of Kaliyuga. Narada briefs Lakshmi about the wedlock, and fuming, she confronts Vishnu. Then, a clash between his two consorts leads Srinivasa to become a statue. Following, Padmavathi comes to his side, and Vakula Devi as a garland.

The entire universe is blissful for launching a deity to protect the earth. Generations pass by, and Bhavaji, an ardent devotee, arrives and calls Balaji. However, temple authorities hinder his entrance. From there, the Lord visits him every night to spend time playing dice. One day, Balaji loses his ornament in the bet when the public spot opens doors and accuses Bhavaji of theft. The King arrives to conduct an interrogation, and Bhavaji explains the truth. Hence, the King tests his spirituality by keeping him in prison, full of sugar cane, and asks him to eat before dawn. At this point, the Lord appears as an elephant and finishes it within moments. In the morning, the people are astounded to see the miracle. Since then, he has been eminent as Hathiram Bhavaji, and the King endorses his temple authority. At last, generations pass, and the number of devotees to the temple increases. Finally, the movie ends by showing Srivari Brahmotsavam.

Cast

• N. T. Rama Rao as Vishnu / Venkateswara
• S. Varalakshmi as Lakshmi
• Savitri as Padmavathi
• V. Nagayya as Hathiram Bhavaji
• Gummadi as Bhrigu Maharshi
• Relangi
• Ramana Reddy as Sarabha
• Rajanala
• Vangara
• Valluri Balakrishna
• Peketi Sivaram
• P. Suri Babu as Narada Maharshi
• Ghantasala as Guest role in the song
• Sr. A V Subbarao as Akasa Raju
• Jr. A V Subbarao as Lord Brahma
• Vempati Peda Satyam as Lord Siva
• Lanka Satyam as Yatrikudu
• Rushyendramani as Dhaaranidevi
• Santha Kumari as Vakula Devi
• Showkar Janaki as Yerukalasani
• Surabhi Balasaraswathi as Sarabha's wife
• Sandhya as Goddess Saraswathi

Soundtrack

Sri Venkateswara Mahatyam
Film score by Pendyala Nageshwara Rao
Released	1959
Genre	Soundtrack
Producer	Pendyala Nageshwara Rao

Music composed by Pendyala Nageshwara Rao. Music released by Audio Company.

S.No	Song Title	Lyrics	Singers	length
1	Jaya Jaya Jaganayaka	Malladi Ramakrishna Sastry	Chorus	6:51
2	Sridevini	Aarudhra	S. Varalakshmi	3:17
3	Pavanambayya	Narapa Reddy	Ghantsala	0:44
4	Kannula	Narapa Reddy	Madhavapeddi Satyam	0:40
5	Namo Narayanaya	Narapa Reddy	Madhavapeddi Satyam	0:23
6	Chilipi Chestala	Narapa Reddy	Ghantasala	0:45
7	Anyuledutanu	Narapa Reddy	P. Suri Babu	0:39
8	Ee Neradarana	Narapa Reddy	S. Varalakshmi	0:47
9	Varala Beramayya	Acharya Aatreya	S. Varalakshmi	3:02
10	Chilako Chikkave	Acharya Aatreya	Pithapuram, Swarnalatha	2:09
11	Gopaala Nandha Gopaala	Acharya Aatreya	Santha Kumari	3:49
12	Ontivaadu	Narapa Reddy	Ghantasala	0:40
13	Naa Kutiramandu	Narapa Reddy	Santha Kumari	0:52
14	Giliginthalu	Acharya Aatreya	P. Susheela, S. Janaki, Vaidehi	5:24
15	Evaro Atadevaro	Acharya Aatreya	Ghantasala, P. Susheela	4:14
16	Chiru Chiru Nagavula	Acharya Aatreya	Santha Kumari, Swarnalatha	3:21
17	Chinnari O Chiluka	Acharya Aatreya	P. Susheela	3:13
18	Kalyana Vaibhavam	Acharya Aatreya	P. Leela, Jikki	5:27
19	Sakala Kalyanabhusha	Narapa Reddy	Madhavapeddi Satyam	0:37
20	Velliraa Maathalli	Acharya Aatreya	P. Leela, Vaidehi	5:10
21	Kalaga Kammanikalaga	Acharya Aatreya	Ghantasala, P. Susheela	3:25
22	Kalayo	Narapa Reddy	P. Susheela	0:39
23	Ee Srinivasudu	Narapa Reddy	P. Suri Babu	1:46
24	Lakshmi Nivasa	Suprabhatam	Ghantasala	0:49
25	Vega Raava	Acharya Aatreya	Madhavapeddi Satyam	2:44
26	Pahihare	Acharya Aatreya	Madhavapeddi Satyam	1:21
27	Padave Podamu Gouri	Acharya Aatreya	Madhavapeddi Satyam	1:34
28	Sesha Saila Vaasa	Acharya Aatreya	Ghantasala	3:03

Box office and impact

It released with twenty prints and had a 100-day run in 16 centers and 175 days in Hyderabad and Vijayawada centers.^[2] The deification of Rama Rao began and his residence in Madras became a shrine for pilgrims, who would visit him after a trip to Tirupati. NTR fans waited in long queues outside his house for a darshan of their "living god". They used to apprise him of their problems back home in their villages and he listened to them patiently before rushing to the studio in the morning.^[3]

References

1. "P Pulliah's Evergreen Magnum Opus (Venkateswara Mahathyam)". CineGoer. 22 April 2009. Archived from the original on 22 April 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
2. Narasimham, M. L. (17 December 2015). "Sri Venkateswara Mahathyam (1960)". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 10 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
3. "N.T. Rama Rao (1923–1995): A messiah of the masses". The Hindu. 9 December 2002. Archived from the original on 14 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.

External links

• Sri Venkateswara Mahatyam at IMDb