Gejje Pooje

Gejje Pooje
Directed by	Puttanna Kanagal
Written by	M. K. Indira
Screenplay by	Puttanna Kanagal
Based on	Gejje Pooje by M. K. Indira
Produced by	Rashi Brothers
Starring	Kalpana Gangadhar Leelavathi
Cinematography	Srikanth
Edited by	V. P. Krishna
Music by	Vijaya Bhaskar
Distributed by	Chithra Jyothi
Release date	1969
Country	India
Language	Kannada

Gejje Pooje is a 1969 Indian Kannada language film directed by Puttanna Kanagal and produced by Rashi Brothers. The film stars Kalpana, Gangadhar and Leelavathi in the lead roles. Gejje means anklet and pooje means worship, but in the context of this film, it means a mock marriage. The film is based on the novel Gejje Pooje, by M. K. Indira. The film was remade in Tamil as Thaaliya Salangaiya, in Telugu as Kalyana Mandapam and in Hindi as Ahista Ahista, which further inspired the 2007 Hindi movie Laaga Chunari Mein Daag.

Plot

This socially relevant movie explores the problem of prostitutes. It was based on the novel written by M. K. Indira. The heroine Chandra (played by Kalpana) is the daughter of a devadasi who is in love with a young man who is her neighbour. The young girl understands the value of education and with the support of her mother intends to reject the life of prostitution. Circumstances and the young man's suspicion makes him abandon the heroine. The girl he marries is the daughter of the heroine's father who had abandoned both her and her mother. Chandra agrees to perform gejje pooje as part of initiation into a life of prostitution, but in the end, she commits suicide by swallowing a diamond.

Cast

• Kalpana as Chandra
• Gangadhar as Somu
• Leelavathi as Aparna, Chandra's mother
• Aarathi as Lalita
• Shivaram
• Lokanath
• Pandari Bai as Somu's mother
• K S Ashwath as Somu's father
• Annapoornamma as Chandra's grandmother
• M N Lakshmi Devi
• T N Balakrishna

Award

National Film Awards 1969

• Best Kannada Film
• Best Screenplay – S. R. Puttanna Kanagal

Karnataka State Film Awards 1969-70

• First Best Film
• Best Supporting Actress – Leelavathi
• Best Screenplay – S. R. Puttanna Kanagal
• Best Dialogue Writer – Navarathna Ram Rao
• Best Cinematographer – S. V. Srikanth

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Vijayabaskhar.

Title	Singers	Lyrics
"Gaganavo Ello"	S. Janaki	R. N. Jayagopal
"Hejje Hejjegu Honne Suriyali"	S. Janaki	Chi. Udaya Shankar
"Maguve Ninna Hoonagu"	S. Janaki	Vijaya Narasimha
"Ondhu Dhina Raathriyali"	B. K. Sumithra	R. N. Jayagopal
"Panchama Vedha, Premadha Naadha"	P. B. Sreenivas	Vijaya Narasimha
"Panchama Vedha, Premadha Naadha"	S. Janaki	Vijaya Narasimha

External links

• Gejje Pooje at IMDb