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DeutschSwarnakamalam
| Swarnakamalam స్వర్ణకమలం | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical Release poster | |
| Directed by | K. Viswanath |
| Written by | K. Viswanath Sainath (dialogue) |
| Produced by | C. H. V. Appa Rao K. S. Rama Rao (presenter) |
| Starring | Venkatesh Bhanupriya |
| Cinematography | Lok Singh |
| Edited by | G. G. Krishna Rao |
| Music by | Ilayaraja |
Production company | Bhanu Art Creations |
Release date |
|
Running time | 143 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Telugu |
Swarnakamalam (transl. The golden lotus) is a 1988 Indian Telugu-language dance film written and directed by K. Viswanath.[1] The film stars Venkatesh and Bhanupriya in the lead, while Sharon Lowen appears in a special role.[2] The film is about a danseuse daughter of a noted Kuchipudi exponent, wooed by a painter of banners and hoardings, who uses her as a model.[3] The choreography is helmed by Kelucharan Mohapatra, and Sharon Lowen with soundtrack by Ilaiyaraaja.[4][1] The song sequences were extensively shot at the Valley of Flowers National Park, the Nanda Devi National Park, the Shanti Stupa and Bhringesvara Siva Temple at Dhauli; and other locations in Visakhapatnam.[5]
Featured in the Indian panorama section of the 12th IFFI,[6] the Asia Pacific Film Festival and the Ann Arbor Film Festival,[7][8][2] it fetched three Indian Express Awards, three state Nandi Awards, and two South Filmfare Awards, including Nandi Award for Best Feature Film and Filmfare Best Film Award (Telugu).[9][10]
Plot
[edit]
Meenakshi (Bhanupriya) and Savitri (Devilalita) are daughters of a Kuchipudi doyen, Vedantam Seshendra Sarma. While a highly accomplished artist in his field, Seshendra Sarma is not well-off and has not been able to afford for his daughters, a conventional education. Both of them have achieved a respectable degree of proficiency — Savitri in Carnatic classical music and Meenakshi in classical dance.
Savitri, the elder daughter, is grateful for her knowledge and interest and looks forward to a life that will require her to hone her skills in the art. Meenakshi, on the other hand, is bitter about the lack of opportunity that she feels in the field of classical dance in India and resolves to make a simpler and more pleasurable life for herself as soon as possible, while confiding her ambitions only to her sister.
Chandrasekhar (Venkatesh) is a tenant who has just moved in next door. He is a painter and is shown to be handling movie promotions as a large part of his work. He develops an interest in the neighbors and tries to help them in whatever way he can, partly because of his (unconfessed) interest in Meenakshi and partly because of his interest in the art which seems to be slowly fading from public life.
The rest of the film is largely built around Meenakshi's journey from skepticism to devotion in her pursuit of dance. Chandrasekhar is shown to be an important catalyst in this transformation. Meenakshi becomes an accomplished dancer through the direction of renowned Odissi dancer Sharon Lowen, and gets the opportunity to go to the United States and perform. She learns of Chandrasekhar's love for her, and finally unites with Chandrasekhar, confessing her love for him as well.
Cast
[edit]- Venkatesh as Chandu / Chandra Shekar
- Bhanupriya as Meenakshi
- Shanmukha Srinivas as Srinivas
- Sakshi Ranga Rao as Omkaram
- Sri Lakshmi as Akhilam
- S. K. Misro as Government official
- Devilalita as Savitri
- Dubbing Janaki
- Pavala Syamala
- Sharon Lowen as herself
- Mucherla Aruna as Meenakshi's friend
- K. V. Satyanarayana
- Vinnakota Vijayaram
- N. Sivarama Krishnaiah
- K. S. T. Sai
- S. S. Vajpayee
Production
[edit]The production design was helmed by Arun D. Ghodgaonkar, with cinematography by Lok Singh.[5] Casting was done by K. Viswanath, including American dancer Sharon Lowen, who portrayed herself as a veteran Odissi artist.[2]
Soundtrack
[edit]The music for the film was composed by Ilaiyaraaja and released on ECHO Music Company.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ghallu Ghallu Ghallumantu" | Sirivennela Sitaramasastri | P. Susheela, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 5:02 |
| 2. | "Aakasamlo Aasala Harivullu" | Sirivennela Sitaramasastri | S. Janaki | 4:29 |
| 3. | "Kothaga Rekkalochena" | Sirivennela Sitaramasastri | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam & S. Janaki | 4:29 |
| 4. | "Koluvaiyunnade Devadevudu" | Shahuji I[11] | P. Susheela & S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 4:57 |
| 5. | "Andela Ravamidhi Padamulada" | Sirivennela Sitaramasastri | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam & Vani Jairam | 6:59 |
| 6. | "Siva Poojaku Chivurinchina" | Sirivennela Sitaramasastri | P. Susheela & S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 6:04 |
| 7. | "Cheri Yasodaku Sisuvithadu" | Annamacharya | S. P. Sailaja | 4:35 |
| 8. | "Aathmathvam" | Adi Shankara | S. Janaki | 3:07 |
| 9. | "Natarajane" | Sirivennela Sitaramasastri | S.P. Sailaja | 3:08 |
| 10. | "Sakhi Hey" | Jayadeva from Gita Govinda | Trupti Das | 5:48 |
| Total length: | 50:27 | |||
| Swarnakamalam | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Film score by | ||||
| Released | 1988 | |||
| Genre | Soundtrack | |||
| Length | 50:27 | |||
| Label | Echo Music | |||
| Producer | Ilaiyaraaja | |||
| Ilaiyaraaja chronology | ||||
| ||||
Awards
[edit]- Nandi Awards - 1988[12]
- Best Feature Film - Gold - Ch.V. Appa Rao
- Best Actress - Bhanupriya
- Best Choreographer - Srinivas
- Best Lyricist - Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry
- Filmfare Awards South - 1988
- Best Film – Telugu - Ch.V. Appa Rao[13]
- Best Actress – Telugu - Bhanupriya
- Cinema Express Awards Best Film - Ch.V. Appa Rao [14]
- Cinema Express Awards Best Director - K. Viswanath[14]
- Cinema Express Awards Best Actress - Bhanupriya[14]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Ranjana Dave (30 June 2011). "The meaning in movement". The Asian Age. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
- ^ a b c Kumar, Ranee (26 May 2016). "Sharon Lowen, an envoy of Indian culture". The Hindu.
- ^ Ray, Bibekananda; Joshi, Naveen (2005). Conscience of the race : India's offbeat cinema. Public Resource. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. ISBN 978-81-230-1298-8.
- ^ "Sell Domains | Buy Domains | Park Domains". Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
- ^ a b http://www.indianbackgroundscore.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=164 indianbackgroundscore.com
- ^ "Indian Panorama for 12th IFFI Festival" (PDF).
- ^ "Dance without frontiers: K Viswanath – Director who aims to revive classical arts". 2 May 2017.
- ^ 30 Jun 2011 - Ranjana Dave (30 June 2011). "The meaning in movement". The Asian Age. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Subramanium (5 September 2005). "'So many parallels in our life". The Hindu. p. 01. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012.
- ^ "Directorate of Film Festival" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
- ^ Shahaji Maharaja of Tanjore (20 December 1955). "Pallaki Seva Prabandham" (PDF). Saraswati Mahal Library. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
- ^ "నంది అవార్డు విజేతల పరంపర (1964–2008)" [A series of Nandi Award Winners (1964–2008)] (PDF). Information & Public Relations of Andhra Pradesh. Retrieved 21 August 2020.(in Telugu)
- ^ Vidura. C. Sarkar. 1989.
- ^ a b c Express News Service (11 March 1989), "Cinema Express readers choose Agni Nakshathiram", The Indian Express, p. 4, retrieved 7 October 2016