Cheluvi

Cheluvi
Directed byGirish Karnad
StarringSushma
Sonali Kulkarni
CinematographyRajiv Menon
Edited bySuresh Urs
Music byBhaskar Chandavarkar
Production
company
Sadir Media Pvt. Ltd
Distributed byDoordarshan
Release date
  • 1992 (1992)
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi

Cheluvi (transl. Beautiful Girl) is a 1992 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Girish Karnad. The film stars Sushma and Sonali Kulkarni with the latter playing the titular role. This film is based on the short story "A Flowering Tree: A Woman's Tale" and won the National Film Award for Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation.[1]

The film was included in the 24th International Film Festival of India held in Delhi the following year.[2]

Plot

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Two sisters sell blossoms to the villagers who wonder where the flowers came from. One of the sisters, Cheluvi, is told by the other sister to reveal the secret and in turn she turns into a half human half tree being.

Cast

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Production

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Rajiv Menon was chosen as the film's cinematographer after collaborating with Girish Karnad for several documentaries.[5] Sonali Kulkarni was cast as a tree in the film, which marked her film debut.[6]

Reception

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Sevanti Ninan of DownToEarth wrote that "Karnad's message is overt rather than subtle. And, precisely because it is a not-so-subtle fable, Cheluvi is a good film to be shown by environmentalists to urban and rural groups. It should communicate their message far more effectively than the dozens of inept documentaries that have been made on the subject".[3]

References

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  1. ^ "40th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 July 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  2. ^ Ray, Bibekananda. Conscience of The Race. Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. ISBN 9788123026619 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ a b Ninan, Sevanti. "Girish Karnad: A not very subtle environmental message". www.downtoearth.org.in. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  4. ^ a b c soni (5 April 2023). "The most heart breaking movie you've ever watched? Cheluvi!". Medium.com. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  5. ^ "The Imaginarium of Rajiv Menon — Talking mindscreens". fullpicture.in. Archived from the original on 24 February 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  6. ^ "I talk performance and nothing else: Sonali Kulkarni". The Hindustan Times. 30 August 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
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