Gulebakavali Katha is a 1962 Telugu fantasy film directed by N.T. Rama Rao and produced by N.Trivikrama Rao. It is based on the Kasi Majilee Kathalu written by Madhira Subbanna Deekshitulu.
King Chandrasena (Mukkamala Krishnamurthy) has two wives Gunavathi (Rushyendramani) and Rupavathi (Chayadevi). Rupavathi has three sons. Rupavathi brother Vakraketu has eye on the king’s throne. When Guanvathi gets pregnant with the blessings of the goddess Parvathi, Vakraketu along with his sister Rupavathi bribes the astrologer and tries to kill the infant, but is rescued and brought up the Shepherd couple (Lanka Satyam and Hemalatha).
Once King Chandrasena goes hunting in the forest and sees Vijay. He loses eyesight due to Vakraketu poisoning the food. He blames Vijay for that. Doctors advice king to get the Gulebakavali flower which blossoms on the full moon day in the Yakshaloka.
How Vijay brings back the flower along with the two beautiful heroines and teaches a lesson to Vakraketu is the rest of the story.
N. T. Rama Rao- VijayJamuna - YuktimatiNagaratnam - BakavaliMukkamala Krishnamurthy - ChandrasenuduRajanala Kaleswara Rao - VakraketuChaya Devi - RupavathiRushyendramani - GunavathiChadulavadaB. PadmanabhamBalakrishna (Anji) - Ati TeliviSurabhi Balasarswathi - AdikaasaPeketi SivaramK. V. S. SharmaHemalathaMikkilineniBoddipaatiNalla RamurthyLanka SatyamMeena KumariMahankali VenkayyaProducer : N.Trivikrama RaoDirection : N.T. Rama RaoStory : Samudrala Jr.Dialogues : Samudrala Jr.Music : Joseph and Vijaya Krishnamoorti (debut)Playback Singers : Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao, P. Susheela, Jikki Krishnaveni, Pithapuram Nageswara Rao, P. Leela, Vasantha, S. JanakiLyrics : C. Narayana Reddi (debut)Choreography : Vempati Cinna Satyam Vempati Chinna SatyamCinematography : Ravikant NagaichC. Narayana Reddy is debuted as Lyricist in this film. Vijaya Krishnamurthy and Joseph are also introduced as music directors in the film.The titles are generated by a skeleton on the screen, which was the first and only experimental feature in any folklore Telugu films.Heroine Nagaratnam (Bakavali Character) has only two dialogues (actually only two words) in the film. Nagaratnam (debut) is the niece of the actress Garikapati Varalaxmi. Later she acted in Mugajeevulu as heroine with her real name Prasanna Raani. She did one Tamil film Engaveettu pillai (Tamil version of Ramudu Bheemudu). Her last film is Manushullo Devudu.Geetanjali who earlier acted in Seetarama Kalyanam (1961) appears in a small song in the beginning with her original name Mani.Gul-e-Bakavali was the first picture with the same subject as Silent film in 1924 directed by Kanjibhai Rathod and produced by Koninoor films. It was starring Jamna, Khalil, Fatma Begum, Noor Mohamed, Sabita Devi, Sultana, Usha Rani and Zubeida. The folk-fantasy legend of the fairy Bakavali (Zubeida), her deva pushp (or divine flower) Gul known for its healing powers, and the Eastern prince Taj-ul-Mulk (Khalil), who wants the flower to cure his blind father. Taj-ul-Mulk has to face his villainous brothers who steal the flower as Bakavali is turned to stone and installed in a temple, where she undergoes her human rebirth.The story was made as Silent film again in 1930.Gul-e-Bakavali was made as Hindi films four times in 1932, 1947, 1956 and 1963.The story was pictured earlier in Telugu in 1938 with title Gulebakavali directed by Kallakoori Sadasivaravu and starring B. Jayamma.The story was made as Tamil film in 1955 directed and produced by T. R. Ramanna and starring M. G. Ramachandran, T.R. Rajakumari and G. Varalakshmi
