Sri Venkateswara Mahatyam

Plot

Evil forces dominate the world. The wicked prosper while the good are made to suffer from the vicious impact of the spirit of the times, the Kaliyuga, presided over by Kali Purusha, great rishis hold yajnas under the guidance of sage Kasyapa to rid the world of this wickedness. Sage Bhrigu (Gummadi) went to Lord Maha Vishnu (N.T. Rama Rao) to request his help. He did not notice the sage's arrival while enjoying the blissful company of his spouse Sri Lakshmi (Varalakshmi). Furiously, the sage kicked the Lord on the chest. Vishnu without being offended at all pacified the sage and made him realize how anger makes people lose their senses. Sri Lakshmi, however, could not bear all this. In great anger, She left Vaikuntam for the earth below. In search of her, Sri Vishnu too came down to the earth. He took shelter as Srinivasa in the ashram of Vakulamatha (Santha Kumari). Later, however, Srinivasa met Padmavathi (Savitri), daughter of Akashraja and married her.

Crew

Director: P. Pullaiah

Producers: P. Santha Kumari, P. Pullaiah and V. Venkateswarlu

Production Company: Padamsri Pictures

Screen adaptation: Acharya Atreya

Dialogues: Acharya Atreya

Music Director: Pendyala Nageshwara Rao

Cinematography: P. L. Roy

Choreography : Vempati Peda Satyam

Editing: K. A. Sriramulu

Art Direction: S. V. S. Ramarao

Playback singers: Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao, P. Susheela, P. Leela, Jikki Krishnaveni, S. Janaki, Pithapuram Nageswara Rao, Madhavapeddi Satyam, Swarnalatha and Vaidehi

Songs

Chilako Chikkave Eenadu (Cast: Ramana Reddy and Surabhi)

Edukondala Swamy

Evaro Atadevaro Aa Navamohanudevaro (Lyrics: Aathreya; Singers: Ghantasala and P. Susheela)

Gopaala Nandha Gopaala

Seshasailavasa Srivenkatesha (Lyrics: Aathreya; Singer: Ghantasala)

Sri Devini Needu Deverini Sarisaatileni Sowbhagyavatini (Singer: S. Varalakshmi; Cast: NTR and S. Varalakshmi)

Varala Beramayya Vanaram Beramayya (Lyrics: Aathreya; Singer: S. Varalakshmi; Cast: S. Varalakshmi)

Vegaraara Prabho (Lyrics: Aathreya; Singer: Madhavapeddi Satyam)

Box office and Impact

It released with 20 prints and had a 100-day run in 16 centers and 175 days in Hyderabad and Vijayawada centers.

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 used to wait 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.

1939 film

Sri Venkateswara Mahatmyam, titled as Balaji, was first made by P. Pullaiah under the Famous Films banner in 1939. C. S. R. Anjaneyulu acted as Balaji and Santha Kumari as Padmavathi in the lead roles. The movie was among the successes of the early days of Pullaiah and Shanthakumari's married life.