Bhakta Kuchela (1961 film)
Encyclopedia
Bhakta Kuchela is a 1961 Malayalam film directed by P. Subramaniam
. The film was an unusual collaboration between a Malayalam producer and an array of Telugu-Tamil film stars. The key roles were handled by Telugu actors. The success of this film encouraged Malayalam producers to invite Telugu and Tamil stars, noted for their mythological roles, to act in their films of similar themes.
Another attraction of the film was the brilliant performance of the Telugu singing star C. S. R. Anjaneyulu as Kuchela. CSR, as he was affectionately known, was noted for his mythological roles. His performance in the film has been compared to that of Papanasam Sivan, as Kuchela, in the Tamil hit Bhaktha Kuchela in 1936.
Miss Kumari
as Kuchela’s wife Suseela virtually made the audience weep. Other Telugu stars, Kantha Rao as Krishna and Kusalakumari as Devaki also did well. Thikkurissi as Kamsa, Kottarakkara as Sisupala, T. K. Balachandran as Narada, Aranmula Ponnamma as Yashoda, and Baby Vinodini as the child Krishna were also impressive. Ambika and Shanthi as the consorts of Krishna added star value to the film.
Deviations from Bhagavad Gita
The film included some sequences which one may not find in versions of the Bhagavatha. For example, when Krishna leaves the hermitage after studies the grief-stricken Kuchela runs after Krishna and falls down a mountain peak but is saved by his friend.
P. Subramaniam
P. Subramaniam was an Indian director and producer of Malayalam films. Since the mid 1950s he has directed 59 films and has produced 69 films. His venture Merryland Studio was the second film production studio of Kerala...
. The film was an unusual collaboration between a Malayalam producer and an array of Telugu-Tamil film stars. The key roles were handled by Telugu actors. The success of this film encouraged Malayalam producers to invite Telugu and Tamil stars, noted for their mythological roles, to act in their films of similar themes.
Plot
It tells about sage Sandipani’s hermitage where Krishna and Kuchela are students and close friends. The difference in social status, caste or creed does not come in the way of their friendship. After leaving the hermitage they lose contact with each other. Krishna becomes the king of Dwaraka, while Kuchela struggles to make ends meet with a huge family. His worship of Krishna causes enmity with the king Sisupala. As requested by his wife Suseela, Kuchela decides to visit his old friend. For him it was a chance to renew their friendship than asking for assistance. Kuchela gets a warm welcome at Dwaraka but forgets to ask what he actually wanted. To his astonishment Krishna sends him back empty handed. But when Kuchela returns home he finds that his modest hut has miraculously been turned into a palace. The Lord had showered prosperity on his family even without asking for it.Cast
- C. S. R. Anjaneyulu as Kuchelan
- Kanta RaoKanta RaoTadepalli Lakshmi Kanta Rao, better known as Kanta Rao , was an Indian film actor and film producer from Andhra Pradesh, India. He acted in more than 400 Telugu mythological, social and folklore movies. He also acted in a few Hindi, Kannada and Tamil movies. He produced about five films under the...
as KrishnaKrishnaKrishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu... - Kottarakkara Sreedharan NairKottarakkara Sreedharan NairSreedharan Nair , popularly known as Kottarakkara and Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair, was an Indian film actor in Malayalam movies. He hailed from Kottarakkara in Kollam district of Kerala.Sreedharan Nair won two Kerala state film awards...
- Miss KumariMiss Kumari-Early life:Miss Kumari, whose real name was Thresiamma, was born on 1 June 1932 at Bharananganam in Kottayam District, in the Kerala state of India.-Malayalam cinema:...
as Kuchela’s wife - Aranmula PonnammaAranmula PonnammaAranmula Ponnamma was a National Award winning Malayalam film actress known for her roles as mother of the protagonist in numerous films. She was widely described as a mother figure in Malayalam cinema.-Early life:...
as Yashoda - Baby Vinodini as Young Krishna
Reception
This film released on November 9, 1961. It was a huge success across Kerala.An advertisement technique adopted for this film was distribution of small packets of ‘avil’ (beaten rice) along with the notices of the film. The film ran to packed theatres for many weeks in all centres.Another attraction of the film was the brilliant performance of the Telugu singing star C. S. R. Anjaneyulu as Kuchela. CSR, as he was affectionately known, was noted for his mythological roles. His performance in the film has been compared to that of Papanasam Sivan, as Kuchela, in the Tamil hit Bhaktha Kuchela in 1936.
Miss Kumari
Miss Kumari
-Early life:Miss Kumari, whose real name was Thresiamma, was born on 1 June 1932 at Bharananganam in Kottayam District, in the Kerala state of India.-Malayalam cinema:...
as Kuchela’s wife Suseela virtually made the audience weep. Other Telugu stars, Kantha Rao as Krishna and Kusalakumari as Devaki also did well. Thikkurissi as Kamsa, Kottarakkara as Sisupala, T. K. Balachandran as Narada, Aranmula Ponnamma as Yashoda, and Baby Vinodini as the child Krishna were also impressive. Ambika and Shanthi as the consorts of Krishna added star value to the film.
Deviations from Bhagavad GitaBhagavad GitaThe ' , also more simply known as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, but is frequently treated as a freestanding text, and in particular, as an Upanishad in its own right, one of the several books that constitute general Vedic tradition...
The film included some sequences which one may not find in versions of the Bhagavatha. For example, when Krishna leaves the hermitage after studies the grief-stricken Kuchela runs after Krishna and falls down a mountain peak but is saved by his friend.Trivia
- The Film was a huge financial success.
- Film inspired Malayalam film producers to go in for big budget mythological movies
- On November 18, 1961, Udaya StudiosUdaya StudiosUdaya Studios is the oldest film production studio in the Malayalam language film industry of India. It was established in 1947 by director-producer Kunchacko and film distributor K. V. Koshy in Pathirappally, Alappuzha in Kerala...
also released their Kuchela story under the title Krishna KuchelaKrishna KuchelaKrishna Kuchela is 1961 Mythological Malaylam film telling the story of Krishna and Kuchelan.The movie was directed and produced by Kunchacko, Starring Prem Nazir, KPAC Sulochana, T S Muthiah.-Cast:* Prem Nazir - Krishnan* T S Muthiah - Kuchelan...
with Malayalam film stars cast in key roles. But this film, directed by Kunchacko, bombed. Even though the film had Prem NazirPrem NazirAbdul Khader , better known by his stage name Prem Nazir , was an Indian film actor. He is considered one of the all time super stars in Malayalam cinema...
as Krishna, T S Muthiah as Kuchela and KPAC Sulochana as Kuchela’s wife, it simply failed to attract viewers to the theatres. - It has been common in earlier times in Video Shops that PornographyPornographyPornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
films were labeled and asked as Bhakta Kuchela.
Songs
Bhakta Kuchela had 15 songs penned by Thirunainar Kurichi Madhavan Nair and music composed by Brother Lakshmanan. Most of the songs were based on classical music. The hit solo by Kamukara Purushothaman - "Ishwara chinthaithonne manujanu" has stood the test of time, a favourite even today. The other songs like "Naale naale ennayittu"' (Purushothaman), "Maya Madhava Gopala" (P. Leela-Purushothaman), "Karuna aarna deva Gopala"' and "Kanna thamarakanna" (A. P. Komala) were all super hits.External links
- http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/09/13/stories/2008091353631300.htm