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Kalidas (film)

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Kalidas
File:Kalidas Song and Story Book.jpg
A purchased copy
Directed byH. M. Reddy
Produced byArdeshir Irani
StarringP. G. Venkatesan
T. P. Rajalakshmi
L. V. Prasad
Release date
31 October 1931
Running time
10,000 feet
LanguagesTelugu
Tamil
Budget₹8000
Box office₹75000

Kalidas was the first South Indian talkie film, a multilingual film in both Telugu and Tamil languages made in 1931.[1] It was produced on the sets of Alam Ara by Ardeshir Irani. The director was Irani's former assistant H.M. Reddy.[2] The film had dialogues and songs in Tamil and Telugu.[3] The film was based on folk myth on the life of the legendary third century Sanskrit poet Kalidas, the creator of many classics like "Shakunthalam" and "Megha Sandhesham". The film was critically acclaimed and commercially successful, but is a lost film.

Plot

A still from the film

The story revolves around the beautiful Princess Vidyadhari (T. P. Rajalakshmi) who caught the attention of a powerful and cunning minister in the court of her father, King Vijayavarman of Thejavathi. He wants her to marry his son to bolster his own power in the Kingdom but she rebuffs him. As revenge he tricks her into marrying an illiterate, lowly goat herd (P. G. Venkatesan). Realising her mistake, she prays to Goddess Kali for help, resulting in her husband receiving knowledge and literary abilities. Soon, the humble goatherd is transformed into the famous poet Kalidas.

Cast

Production

After producing India's first talkie film Alam Ara in 1931, Ardeshir Irani made many talkies in the same sets at Mumbai. In the same year Bhakta Prahlada, the first Telugu talking film and Kalidas were made in the sets of Alam Ara. The characters of the film spoke a variety of languages including Tamil (Princess Vidhyadhari), Telugu (Kalidas, Naradhar) and Hindi (Temple priest).[4][5] The sound recording was done using the Vitaphone process, by German technicians using German equipment.[6] This film was produced under the banner of "Imperial Movie-Tone". Filming was completed in eight days. L. V. Prasad (who later founded Prasad Studios), acted in this film as a temple priest, he also acted in Alam Ara and Bhaktha Prahaladha, earning the rare distinction of appearing in all three first talkie films of India. P. G. Venkatesan was chosen to play the title role.[2] T. P. Rajalakshmi who played the heroine, also sang two keertanas, two patriotic songs and performed a kurathi dance.[7]

Music

The film had around fifty songs in Tamil and Telugu.[8] Amongst them were the patriotic rattinamam Gandhi kai banamam[9] and indhiyargal nammavarkkul eno veen sandai.[2] Some of the songs even featured the nationalist slogan Vande Mataram[10] and one featured the hero singing songs on Gandhi while spinning the Charkha in prison.[11] The lyrics for the songs were written by Madhura kavi Bhaskara Das. The songs Gandhi Kai Baanamaam and Manmada Baanamadaa...Maarinil payuthadaa were sung by Rajalakshmi herself. As of October 2011, no song-book of the film is known to exist.[2]

Reception

Pre-release ad for Kalidas

Prior to release, Kalidas was certified with a "U" certificate from the Indian Censor Board.[2] The film was released in Madras Kinema Central (currently Murugan talkies) on 31 October 1931. It was a big hit as it was a novelty. Produced at the cost of ₹8000, the film grossed over ₹75000.[2] When the film reels were brought to Madras, thousands gathered at Madras central railway station and followed the reel box to Kinema Central. Crowds showered rose petals, broke coconuts and burnt incense in the procession of the reels of the film, all along Walltax Road from the railway station[6][12] The Tamil magazine Sudesamitran wrote a favourable review for Kalidas on 29 October 1931 even before the film was released, calling it a "must watch" for all.[2] As of 2013, no print or gramophone record[2] of the film is known to have survived, making it a lost film.[13]

Legacy

Kalidas was remade with different star cast namely Kaviratna Kalidas (1937) and Mahakavi Kalidas (1955), both were critically appreciated and commercially successful. Additionally, the film became a trendsetter for talkies in Tamil cinema. Kalidas was the only Tamil film to be produced in and released 1931, thus it created history.[2]

References

  1. ^ Gokulsing, K. (2004). Indian popular cinema: a narrative of cultural change. Trentham Books. p. 24. ISBN 1-85856-329-1. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Tamil Talkies complete 80 years! - Tamil Movie News". Indiaglitz.com. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  3. ^ Velayutham, Selvaraj (2008). Tamil cinema: the cultural politics of India's other film industry (Hardback ed.). New York: Routledge. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-415-39680-6. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  4. ^ "Metro Plus Kochi / Miscellany : Balan 1938". The Hindu. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  5. ^ "A pioneer speaks". The Hindu. 12 December 2002. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  6. ^ a b Pheroze L. Vincent (25 November 2009). "Romancing the reel". The Hindu. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  7. ^ Mohan V Raman (22 June 2011). "The Rani of Cinema". The Hindu. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  8. ^ Baskaran, S. Theodore (1996). The eye of the serpent: an introduction to Tamil cinema. Chennai: East West Books. p. 42. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  9. ^ "Music for the people". The Hindu. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  10. ^ Pandian, M.S.S (2008). The image trap: M.G. Ramachandran in film and politics (Hardback ed.). Sage. p. 33. ISBN 0-8039-9403-6. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  11. ^ "Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : "Trend of combining theatre and politics dates back to era of freedom struggle"". The Hindu. 16 August 2008. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  12. ^ "Friday Review Chennai / Events : Celebrations … in and on AIR". The Hindu. 25 April 2008. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  13. ^ "Talking about talkies" (PDF). Deccan Chronicle. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 19 July 2013.

External links

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