Manjal Mahimai

Manjal Mahimai
Directed by	Adurthi Subba Rao
Written by	C. V. Sridhar (dialogues)
Screenplay by	Adurthi Subba Rao D. Madhusudhana Rao Acharya Atreya
Story by	Ashapoorna Devi
Produced by	D. Madhusudhana Rao
Starring	Akkineni Nageswara Rao Savitri
Cinematography	P. S. Selvaraj
Edited by	A. Sanjeevi
Music by	Master Venu
Production company	Annapurna Pictures
Release date	7 January 1959 (1959-01-07)
Running time	177 minutes
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Manjal Mahimai (English: Power of Turmeric(Betrothal, Mangalyam), Turmeric is used as symbol of mangalyam) is a 1959 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film, produced by D. Madhusudhana Rao under Annapurna Pictures and directed by Adurthi Subba Rao. Starring Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Savitri in the laed roles and music composed by Master Venu. The film is based on Bengali film Agni Pariksha which was first remade in Telugu as Mangalya Balam; both the movies were made simultaneously by same banner & director and some of the scenes & artists are same in both versions. It was later remade in Hindi as Chhoti Si Mulaqat with slight changes, starring Uttam Kumar, Vyjayanthimala in pivotal roles

Cast

• Akkineni Nageswara Rao as Chandrasekhar
• Savitri as Saroja
• S. V. Ranga Rao
• K. A. Thangavelu
• Kannamba
• G. Varalakshmi
• Rajasulochana
• K. Sarangkapani
• K. Balaji
• S. A. Asokan
• M. S. Sundari Bai
• P. D. Sambandam

Soundtrack

Music was composed by Master Venu. Lyrics were by Udumalai Narayana Kavi. Playback singers are Ghantasala, S. C. Krishnan, P. Suseela, Jikki & K. Jamuna Rani.

He borrowed only one tune from the Bengali film’s composer Anupam Ghatak, for the song "Kodai Maraindhaal Inbam Varum" from its original version "ke tumi amare dako".

No.	Song	Singers	Lyrics	Length (m:ss)
1	Anbinaal Ondrai Neengal	P. Suseela		02:48
2	Aagaaya Veedhiyil Azhagaana Vennilaa	Ghantasala & P. Suseela	Udumalai Narayana Kavi	04:46
3	Thiruppadhi Vengkadesane	K. Jamuna Rani
4	Maaraadha Sogam Thaano	Ghantasala & P. Suseela	Udumalai Narayana Kavi	03:21
5	My Dear Meena Un Idea Enna	S. C. Krishnan, Jikki	Udumalai Narayana Kavi	03:17
6	Kodai Maraindhaal Inbam Varum	Ghantasala & P. Suseela	Udumalai Narayana Kavi	03:17
7	Aanadhu Aachu Ponadhu Pochu	S. C. Krishnan, Jikki	Udumalai Narayana Kavi	03:08
8	Idhuvenna Aanandhamo	P. Suseela	Udumalai Narayana Kavi	03:24

Production

Bhavanarayana, producer of Meghasandesham suggested Dukkipati Madhusudhana Rao to watch the Bengali film Agni Pariksha (1954). Madhusudhana bought the remake rights after being impressed with the film and approached Atreya to write the screenplay and dialogues for the film. One of the major changes the maker brought in was while in the original version the girl’s father dies of shock, in Mangalyabalam his character was retained till the last frame. Mangalyabalam was said to be the first Telugu film to shoot in Ooty and it was also Savitri’s first visit to the hill town. The Tamil version Manjal Mahimai was simultaneously made retaining all the leading actors and technicians with two changes to the cast – Thangavelu and Balaji replacing Relangi and Ramanamurthy respectively.

Release

Mangalyabalam was released on 7 January 1959 and for the first time in the history of Telugu cinema, the hundred days function was held in an open arena, the Municipal High School grounds, Vijayawada with thousands of cine fans participating and presided over by the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Kasu Brahmananda Reddy. Tamil version Manjal Magimai was released on 14 January 1959 and ran for hundred days.

Awards

National Film Awards

• National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu – 1959

Filmfare Awards South

• Filmfare Award for Best Film – Telugu.