PELLICHESI CHOODU 1952

Art:
Gokhale-
Kaladhar.
Audiography:
A. Krishnan.
Choreography:
P. Krishnamurthy.
Cinematography:
Marcus Bartley.
Editing:
CP Jamboolingam-
MS Money.
Lyrics:
Pingali Nagendra Rao-
Utukuri Satyanarayana.Make-up:
Peethambaram-
Bhakthavatsalam.
Music:
Ghantasala.
Nirvahana:
Pundari Kakshaiah.
Orchestra:
Master Venu.
Painting:
Muthu-Murthy.
Recordist:
V. Sivaram.Script:
Chakrapani.
Sets:
C. Kuppiswamy-
K. Srinivasan.
Singers:
Ghantasala,
Leela,
P. Nageswara Rao.
Direction:
L V Prasad.
Producer(s):
Nagireddi-
Chakrapani.
Production Executive:
MS Chalapathi Rao-
Jagannath.
Banner:
Vijaya Productions Ltd.
Cast:
NTR,
SV Rangarao,
Jogarao,
Doraswamy,
Dr. K. Sivarama Krishnaiah,
Balakrishna,
Padmanabham,
Venkaiah,
Kutumba Rao,
Master Kundu,
Mohan,
G. Varalaxmi,
Savithri,
Suryakantham,
Pushpalatha,
Meenakshi,
Baby Girija,
Baby Usha,
Baby Rajakumari and Others
Story:
Sowkar got critical acclaim and Pathala Bhairavi brought in the moolah. Nagi Reddy-Chakrapani's were on a roll, and their third venture was to be directed by LV Prasad. Pelli Chesi Choodu had a social theme, but with a cleverly infused comic element in it. Chakrapani, who had earlier given the story for Sowkar, wrote this story. A serious issue like dowry was tackled comically, but with the message coming through.

The story went like this: Panchayati Board President Veeyanna's daughter is married to Raju, a teacher. Veeyanna finds a match for Raju's sister Ammadu and gets her married to Venkatapathi's son Ramana. Venkatapathi, on not getting the promised amount in dowry, leaves with his son. But Ramana, being an educated professional and sensible man, takes his wife to Madras and the couple stays there happily. But Venkatapathi arrives there soon, and Ramana acts like an unbalanced person. In the game are Raju and Ammadu, pretending to be a doctor and nurse team looking after Ramana. To add to the confusion, Ramana is getting marriage proposals. His act is disclosed and his father, though angry at first, understands and mends his ways and the couple is reunited with parental blessings.

NTR and G. Varalaxmi were the main leads, and Yendamuri Joga Rao and Savithri were the second lead pair. Joga Rao had earlier acted in Sowkar in a comical role, and Savithri was seen in the song 'Nenu Ranante Ranu' in Pathala Bhairavi. She missed an opportunity to act opposite Akkineni in Samsaram, and the role went to Pushpalatha. In this movie, however, Pushpalatha plays Savithri's friend and has a brief comic character. How tables turn!

SV Rangarao as Veeyanna had some quirky body language that hit a chord with the viewers. He confessed that he had seen such mannerisms in a stranger at a railway station, and used it for this character. This role earned him respect and appreciation, and the same goes for Dr. Sivarama Krishnayya who plays NTR's father. In fact, he shifted base to Madras to peruse acting full time after this role.

Padmanabham had two roles, one as a postman and the other as Veeyanna's friend. All the child artistes were from Balanandam. They were trained by Gnapadi Kameshwara Rao, and his nephew Gade Balakrishna Rao "Kundu" has a prominent role in both the Telugu and Tamil versions. He was last seen in Gunasundari Katha. Kanda Mohan also was one of the child actors, and later became an IAS officer of a high ranking. LV Prasad too did a small cameo, a la Hitchcock.

Nagi Reddy's son too did a small role. He later went on to produce movies such as Bhairava Dweepam, Brindavanam and others. Vijaya Productions hired actors on a monthly salaried basis. One of them was M. Mallikarjuna Rao, who later directed movie like Gudachari 116, Prameelarjuneeyam, Muhurtha Balam and others.

The movie had 17 songs, 15 of which were written by Pingali Nagendra Rao and 2 of which were penned by Utukuri Satyanarayana. Four of the songs were picturized on children. Ghantasala had a 5 film contract with Vijaya, and this was the third movie in the deal. NTR had asked Ghantasala to teach him to play the harmonium and some singing lessons. NTR used these newly acquired abilities in a song in the movie, looking convincing as he plays the harmonium like a pro. NTR enters 55 minutes after the movie begins.Interestingly enough, the movie doesn't take a stand. It is neither pro nor anti-dowry. But it stresses deeply on the fact that it shouldn't be an issue that comes in between wedded bliss. The Telugu and Tamil versions were shot at once, with mostly the same cast including NTR in the lead. The Tamil version released after the Telugu version finished its 100 day run, and proved to be a crowd-puller there too. But when LV Prasad remade it in 1972 in Hindi with remake-king Jeetendra, Rakhee and Shatrughan Sinha as Shaadi Ke Baad, it failed to cast its magic on the Hindi audiences.
A funny incident involving police officers in ascending hierarchy, with each junior giving up his chair for the senior at a play witnessed by Chakrapani was used in Savithri's wedding sequence. The movie had many such funny sequences, and it was totally a clean comedy. The movie turned out to be a big hit, and became a trendsetter. Socially relevant films became hugely popular after this movie. The movie ran for 100 days in 11 centers and for 182 days in a theatre [Durga Kala Mandiram] in Vijayawada, where the 100 day celebrations were held. The movie had memorable characters, good music and note-worthy dialogues.