TYAGAYYA 1981

Producer: Navatha Krishnam Raju
Director: Bapu
Writer: Venkata Ramana Mullapoodi
Music: K.V. Mahadevan,Tyagaraya Swamy
Playback: S. Janaki,Balasubramaniam S.P.,P. Susheela

Cast:
Somayajulu J.V. ... Tyagayya
Vijaya K.R. ... Kamala
Raogopalrao ... Japesam
Ravi ... Lord Rama
Sangeetha ... Goddess Seetha
Sridhar
Janardhana Rao Arja ... Hanuman
Hemasundar ... Lord Shiva
Jhansi ... Tyagayya's sister inlaw
Rallapalli
Sakshi Ranga Rao
Story:
Based on the true story of a celebrated singer who lived in the 19th century, this film starts with praises of the singer who had such a good voice, and was so devoted to the Hindu god Rama that he was granted visions of the god and his retinue. The holy singer and his band of followers give recitals for a living, and also received donations. When his more worldly brother pressures him to sing for royalty, the man refuses because he does not want to detract from his own spiritual goals in life. Angry at his refusal, the brother's wife breaks the singer's image of Rama - and as a result, the man falls into despair, wandering aimlessly as his wife mourns his absence. Finally, Rama and his attendants miraculously come to the singer's aid, and he returns home to his wife, only to find that she has died. Not able to go back to the life he once lived, he decides to leave home, and never again settle in one place.

What keeps apart this movie from several others of this genre is Bapu's Direction ,KVM's music and Raman's excellent dialogue. KVM chose not to make it not too classical so that it is liked by everyone irrespective of knowledfge of music. Balu excels in rendering the songs particularly Endaro mahanubhavulu. Bapu's signature is prevalent in each frame. No haste in the pace, neat art work and perfect cast make this movie a feast for art movie lovers.

JV Somayajulu's performance is delightful. He owns the character so much that you fell like he is truly enjoying the eternal bliss of devotion towards Lord Rama. For each and every scene, moment there is a thyagarja kriti and this film uses it perfectly. This movie was not received well by the telugu audience probably due to its slow pace but I loved it to the core for its artistic nature, excellent music and spoken telugu dialogue.