SWARGA SEEMA 1946

Banner:
Vauhini

Screenplay, Direction & Production:
BN Reddy

Story:
Chakrapani

Dialogues:
SVR Acharya

Lyrics:
SVR Acharya & Nalinkantha

Camera:
Marcus Bartley

Music:
Chittor V Nagaiah

Cast:

P Bhanumati,
Chittoor V Nagaiah,
B Jayamma,
Mudigonda Lingamurthy,
Kasthuri Siva Rao and
Ch. Narayana Rao

Story

BN Reddy's best-known film is a remarkable melodrama chronicling the metamorphosis of rural street Subbi (Bhanumati) into the urban seductress Sujata Devi. Murthy (Nagaiah), a married man, helps her to become a stage star while the heroine breaks-up Murthy's marriage to the affectionate Kalyani (B Jayamma).

The film can be read as a comment on the star manufacturing process in Telugu cinema, with Bhanuamti, supported by Bartley's constantly moving camera, expertly modulating the gradual shifts in gesture, speed accent and the make-up as the village beauty is transformed in to a 'sexy' star.


Mudigonda Linga Murthy
Allegedly inspired by Mamoulian's Blood and Sand (1941) starring Rita Hayworth. The film's generic innovativeness is sometimes ascribed to the new unit assembled by the studio after the designer AK Shekar and writer/cameraman K Ramnath left to join Gemini.

Major new presence includes writer Chakrapani (later became co-producer with BN Reddy for Vauhini), lyricist composer Rajanikantha Rao and singer Ghantasala, who makes his singing debut here with the number gajula pilla.

According to VAK Ranga Rao, lyricist Rajnikantha Rao introduces Arabic music and Bhanumati adopts Hayworth humming from Blood and Sand for the classic hit song Ooh Paavurama (in the seduction number) as contrast to the Carnatic number Manchi Dinamu Nede.


Kasthri Siva Rao