https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Baalu_JenuBaalu Jenu - Revision history2026-07-31T14:58:13ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Baalu_Jenu&diff=488764&oldid=prevAdvancedacademy at 22:20, 3 March 20262026-03-03T22:20:15Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|1976 film directed by Balan and Kunigal Nagabhushan}}<br />
{{EngvarB|date=December 2018}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}<br />
{{Infobox film<br />
| name = Baalu Jenu<br />
| image = Baalu Jenu.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = Poster<br />
| director = Balan<br />[[Kunigal Nagabhushan]]<br />
| producer = K. R. Ravichandran<br />
| screenplay = Nagabhushan<br />
| based_on = {{Based on|''[[Mayangukiral Oru Maadhu]]''}}<br />
| starring = [[Aarathi]]<br />[[Gangadhar]]<br />Ramgopal<br />[[Rajinikanth]]<br />[[Udaya Chandrika]]<br />[[Pandari Bai]]<br />
| music = [[G. K. Venkatesh]]<br />
| cinematography = T. M. Sundara Babu<br />
| editing = P. K. Krishnan<br />
| studio = S G S Films<br />
| released = {{Film date|1976|12|10|df=y}}<br />
| runtime = 131 minutes<br />
| country = India<br />
| language = Kannada<br />
}}<br />
'''''Baalu Jenu''''' ({{audio|Kn-ಬಾಳು ಜೇನು.ogg|pronunciation}} {{translation|Life is honey}}) is a 1976 Indian [[Kannada]]-language film directed by Balan and [[Kunigal Nagabhushan]]. It is a remake of the 1976 [[Tamil language|Tamil]] film ''[[Mayangukiral Oru Maadhu]]''. The film stars [[Aarathi]], [[Gangadhar]], Ramgopal, [[Rajinikanth]], [[Udaya Chandrika]] and [[Pandari Bai]]. In ''Baalu Jenu'', a married woman must try to keep a [[one-night stand]] that she had in college a secret from her husband, and thwart a persistent blackmailer intent on collecting money from her to keep quiet about it. It was released on 10 December 1976, and became a commercial success.<br />
<br />
== Plot ==<br />
Geetha, a college student in [[Mysore]], has a [[one-night stand]] with her rich boy friend Chandru. Unfortunately Chandru gets arrested on suspicion of abetting his industrialist father in smuggling and is sentenced to five years in prison. Geetha tries to find Chandru and when her efforts prove futile, consumes poison. Her hostel roommate Revathi and a doctor save her on time. After Geetha graduates, her marriage is arranged; to her surprise, the prospective groom's elder sister is the same doctor who saved her life and knows her secret. The doctor wholeheartedly recommends Geetha for her brother Ravi, a wealthy businessman. Ravi and Geetha get married and have a child.<br />
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Some years later, Geetha runs into Revathi at a [[sari]] shop. Revathi is married to Vasu, a photographer, and they too have a child. Vasu is the same photographer who had earlier blackmailed Chandru's father with pictures of him in the act of smuggling. When Revathi and Vasu visit Ravi and Geetha, Vasu takes some family photographs. While developing the pictures, Vasu recognizes Geetha's features; he recalls having clicked Geetha and Chandru during their one-night stand.<br />
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Chandru is released from prison, and to Geetha's horror, Ravi hires him as their driver. Vasu begins blackmailing Geetha and his financial demands increase. He also has altercations with Chandru. Geetha cannot cope with the mental and financial strain; she has a breakdown and is hospitalised. Chandru raids Vasu's dark room hoping to retrieve the damning negatives. In the ensuing fracas, Revathi bursts in and threatens to immolate herself and her child. Faced with the threat of losing his family before his very eyes, Vasu destroys the incriminating negatives. At the hospital, Ravi tells Geetha that he had full knowledge of the Chandru affair all along.<br />
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== Cast ==<br />
{{cast listing|<br />
* [[Aarathi]] as Geetha{{sfn|Ramachandran|2014|p=54}}<br />
* [[Gangadhar]] as Ravi{{sfn|Ramachandran|2014|p=55}}<br />
* Ramgopal as Chandru{{sfn|Ramachandran|2014|p=54}}<br />
* [[Rajinikanth]] as Vasu{{sfn|Ramachandran|2014|p=55}}<br />
* [[Udaya Chandrika]] as Revathi{{sfn|Ramachandran|2014|p=55}}<br />
* [[Pandari Bai]] as the doctor{{sfn|Ramachandran|2014|p=55}}<br />
* [[Rajanand]] as Rajanand, Chandru's father<br />
* [[Kunigal Ramanath]]<br />
* Meena Kuttappa<br />
* [[Shanthamma]]<br />
* Jayamalini<br />
* Rajesh (credited as Master Rajesh) as Bharath, Geetha's son<br />
* Rani (credited as Baby Rani) as Vasu's daughter<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Production ==<br />
''Baalu Jenu'' is a remake of the 1976 [[Tamil language|Tamil]] film ''[[Mayangukiral Oru Maadhu]]''.<ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1072444588386861056 |user=NFAIOfficial |title=A lobby card for #Kannada film #BaluJenu, one of the early films of #FaceOfTheWeek @rajinikanth. He played the character with negative shades. A remake of #Tamil film #MayangurikalOruMadhu, it was also remade in #Telugu as #YavanamKatesindi and in #Hindi as #Bezubaan. |author=National Film Archive of India |author-link=National Film Archive of India |date=11 December 2018 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20181214080717/https://twitter.com/NFAIOfficial/status/1072444588386861056 |archive-date=14 December 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=12 December 2020 |title=Five landmark Kannada films of Rajinikanth that everyone must know about |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/five-landmark-kannada-films-of-rajinikanth-that-everyone-must-know-about/photostory/79694951.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210122203118/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/five-landmark-kannada-films-of-rajinikanth-that-everyone-must-know-about/photostory/79694951.cms |archive-date=22 January 2021 |access-date=26 March 2021 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> It was directed by Balan and [[Kunigal Nagabhushan]], and produced by K. R. Ravichandran under S.G.S Films. Co-director Nagabhushan also wrote the screenplay. Cinematography was handled by T. M. Sundara Babu, and editing by P. K. Krishnan.<ref name="chiloka">{{Cite web |title=Baalu Jenu (ಬಾಳು ಜೇನು) |url=https://chiloka.com/movie/baalu-jenu-1976 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20181214072852/https://chiloka.com/movie/baalu-jenu-1976 |archive-date=14 December 2018 |access-date=14 December 2018 |website=Chiloka}}</ref> Rajinikanth, after watching [[Thengai Srinivasan]]'s performance in the original film as a blackmailing photographer, expressed his desire to reprise that role and got it.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Raman |first=Mohan V. |author-link=Mohan Raman |date=20 October 2012 |title=He walked tall in tinsel town |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/he-walked-tall-in-tinsel-town/article4016391.ece |url-status=live |access-date=14 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161103100859/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/he-walked-tall-in-tinsel-town/article4016391.ece |archive-date=3 November 2016}}</ref> ''Baalu Jenu'' was also the first film where a character played by Rajinikanth had a major onscreen fight sequence.{{sfn|Ramachandran|2014|p=56}}<br />
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== Themes ==<br />
Film critic [[Naman Ramachandran]] noted numerous parallels between Rajinikanth's character Vasu in ''Baalu Jenu'' and his character Prasad in ''[[Moondru Mudichu]]'' (1976). He also compared it to many other earlier Rajinikanth films such as ''[[Apoorva Raagangal]]'' (1975), ''Munithaayi'' (a segment of the 1976 [[anthology film]] ''[[Katha Sangama (1976 film)|Katha Sangama]]''), ''[[Anthuleni Katha]]'' (1976) and ''Moondru Mudichu'' due to the fact that they focused on a central female character.{{sfn|Ramachandran|2014|pp=54–56}}<br />
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== Soundtrack ==<br />
The soundtrack was composed by [[G. K. Venkatesh]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Baalu Jenu |url=https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/baalu-jenu/kapigmM1f1c_ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181214065324/https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/baalu-jenu/kapigmM1f1c_ |archive-date=14 December 2018 |access-date=14 December 2018 |website=[[JioSaavn]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Baalu Jenu Kannada Film EP Vinyl Record by G K Venkatesh |url=https://mossymart.com/product/baalu-jenu-kannada-film-ep-vinyl-record-by-g-k-venkatesh-2/ |access-date=26 March 2021 |website=Mossymart |archive-date=14 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211014050057/https://mossymart.com/product/baalu-jenu-kannada-film-ep-vinyl-record-by-g-k-venkatesh-2/ |url-status=live }}</ref><br />
<br />
{{Track listing<br />
| headline = Track listing<br />
| extra_column = Singer(s)<br />
| title1 = Aase Aralide<br />
| extra1 = [[S. Janaki]]<br />
| lyrics1 = [[Kunigal Nagabhushan]]<br />
| length1 = 3:45<br />
| title2 = Madhura Balu Madhura<br />
| extra2 = [[K. J. Yesudas]], S. Janaki<br />
| lyrics2 = [[R. N. Jayagopal]]<br />
| length2 = 4:38<br />
| title3 = Onde Ondu Katheya Heluve<br />
| extra3 = S. Janaki<br />
| lyrics3 = R. N. Jayagopal<br />
| length3 = 4:27<br />
| title4 = Samsaarada Santoshave<br />
| extra4 = [[S. P. Balasubrahmanyam]]<br />
| lyrics4 = R. N. Jayagopal<br />
| length4 = 4:25<br />
| total_length = 17:15 <!-- Automatically generated with User:JPxG/TrackSum.js --><br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Release ==<br />
''Baalu Jenu'' was released on 10 December 1976.{{sfn|Ramachandran|2014|p=54}} The film became a commercial success,<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 December 2018 |title=Happy Birthday Rajinikanth: Sandalwood celebs wish the Superstar on Twitter |work=[[The Times of India]] |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/happy-birthday-rajinikanth-sandalwood-celebs-wish-the-superstar-on-twitter/articleshow/67060652.cms |url-status=live |access-date=19 December 2018 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20181219045853/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/happy-birthday-rajinikanth-sandalwood-celebs-wish-the-superstar-on-twitter/articleshow/67060652.cms |archive-date=19 December 2018}}</ref> and Rajinikanth went on to play more negative roles in films.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |author-link=Naman Ramachandran |date=27 January 2018 |title=Rajinikanth and realpolitik: In search of the Superstar's political script |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/in-search-of-an-ideology/story-VySf2dsFMU8Wivqw4zkBmN.html |url-status=live |access-date=19 December 2018 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20181219050124/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/in-search-of-an-ideology/story-VySf2dsFMU8Wivqw4zkBmN.html |archive-date=19 December 2018}}</ref><br />
<br />
== See also ==<br />
* ''[[Yavvanam Katesindi]]''<br />
* ''[[Bezubaan]]''<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
<br />
== Bibliography ==<br />
* {{Cite book |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |title=Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography |title-link=Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography |publisher=[[Penguin Books]] |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-14-342111-5 |location=New Delhi |author-link=Naman Ramachandran |orig-date=2012}}<br />
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== External links ==<br />
* {{IMDb title|14683198}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:1976 Indian films]]<br />
[[Category:1976 Kannada-language films]]<br />
[[Category:1976 films]]<br />
[[Category:Films scored by G. K. Venkatesh]]<br />
[[Category:Indian black-and-white films]]<br />
[[Category:Kannada remakes of Tamil films]]</div>Advancedacademy