>Kailash29792 at 17:28, 24 December 2020

2020-12-24T17:28:14Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Balaraju
| image = Balaraju poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| producer = Ghantasala Balaramaiah
| director = [[Ghantasala Balaramaiah]]
| screenplay = [[Samudrala Raghavacharya|Samudrala Sr]]
| story = Prayaaga
| starring = [[Akkineni Nageswara Rao]] [[S. Varalakshmi]] [[Anjali Devi]]
| music = [[Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao|Ghantasala]] [[Galipenchala Narasimha Rao]] [[C. R. Subbaraman]] {{small|(background score)}}
| cinematography = P. Sridhar
| editing = L. M. Lal
| studio = Pratibha Productions
| distributor = Poorna films
| released = {{film date|1948|2|26|df=yes}}
| runtime = 163 mins
| country = India
| language = Telugu
| budget =
| gross =
}}

'''''Balaraju''''' is a 1948 Indian [[Telugu language|Telugu]]-language [[Swashbuckler film|swashbuckler]] [[fantasy film]], produced and directed by [[Ghantasala Balaramaiah]] under the Pratibha Productions banner. It stars [[Akkineni Nageswara Rao]] and [[S. Varalakshmi]], with music jointly composed by [[Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao|Ghantasala]], [[Galipenchala Narasimha Rao]] and [[C. R. Subbaraman]].<ref name="thehindu">{{cite web|last1=Narasimham|first1=M. L.|title=Balaraju (1948)|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/balaraju-1948/article3665950.ece|website=thehindu.com|publisher=Kasturi and Sons|accessdate=23 July 2016}}</ref> The film was recorded as an ''Industry Hit'' at the box office and was the first Telugu ''[[Silver Jubilee]]'' film.

==Plot==
The story begins in heaven; a ''Devakanya'' Mohini and a Yaksha are in love. Indra, the ruler of Suvarloka, has an interest in Mohini. His emissary Kubera, unable to separate the lovers, curses Yaksha to be born as a human. Mohini refuses to bow to the wish of Indra, who then curses her to be born as a human and pine for her lover. The Yaksha, now Balaraju, is brought up by a shepherd. Mohini is found in a field by Kamma Naidu, who names her Sita and brings her up. As she grows up, pressure mounts on him to perform her marriage. Fearing that the wealth he had acquired after her arrival may disappear if she leaves him, he refuses to get her married and keeps her in a solitary tower in a forest.

Balaraju and his companion Yelamanda pass by that route. Attracted by the music that Balaraju plays on his flute, Sita escapes to meet him. She recognizes him, but his memory fails him due to the curse. She makes attempts to revive their love. The story takes interesting twists when the hero is turned into a snake by an angry sage. Balaraju regains his memory and realizes that he is in love with Sita. Indra once again makes an attempt to separate the lovers. Unable to bear any further agony, Sita is all set to curse Indra when the Gods appear and Indra seeks Sita's pardon. He invites the couple to Suvarloka, but Balaraju and Mohini prefer a blissful life on the earth.

==Cast==
{{colbegin}}
*[[Akkineni Nageswara Rao]] as Balaraju
*[[S. Varalakshmi]] as Seeta
*[[Anjali Devi]] as Mohini
*[[Kasturi Siva Rao]] as Yalamanda
*Seetaram as Rayudu
*D. S. Sadasiva Rao as [[Indra]]
*G. Ramaiah as Kammanaidu
*G. Subba Rao as Shetty
*A. L. Narayana as [[Gandharva]]
*N. Krishnaiah as [[Agni]]
*G. Narayana Rao as [[Kubera]]
*C. Venkateswara Rao as [[Yaksha]]
*A. Aadi Seshaiah as [[Shiva|Lord Shiva]]
*K. Ram Murthy as [[Varuna]]
*T. K. V.Naidu as Rushi
*Lingam Subba Rao as Thief
*K. K. Ayangar as Chalamaiah
*K. V. Subba Rao as Peda Naidu
*Surabhi Balasaraswathi
*Naarimani as Lakshmi
*C. Rajaratnam as Lakshmamma
*B. Seetabayamma as Punnamma
*Anasuya
*Krishnaveni
{{colend}}

==[[S. V. S. Rama Rao#/editor/0|Crew]]==
*'''Art''': [[S. V. S. Rama Rao#/editor/0|S. V. S. Rama Rao]]
*'''Choreography''': [[Vedantam Raghavaiah]]
*'''Screenplay - Lyrics - Dialogues''': [[Samudrala Raghavacharya|Samudrala Sr.]]
*'''Playback''': [[Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao|Ghantasala]], [[S. Varalakshmi]], V. Sarala Rao, Kasturi Siva Ram
*'''Music''': [[Galipenchala Narasimha Rao]], [[Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao|Ghantasala]]
*'''Background Score''': [[C. R. Subburaman]]
*'''Story''': Prayaaga (also Folklore Songs)
*'''Editing''': T. M. Lal
*'''Cinematography''': P. Sridhar
*'''Producer - Director''': [[Ghantasala Balaramaiah]]
*'''Banner''': Pratibha Films
*'''Release Date''': 26 February 1948

==Soundtrack==
{{Infobox album
| name = Balaraju
| type = film
| artist = [[Galipenchala Narasimha Rao]] [[Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao|Ghantasala]]
| cover =
| alt =
| released = 1948
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Fantasy
| length = 50:47
| label =
| producer = [[Galipenchala Narasimha Rao]] [[Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao|Ghantasala]]
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title =
| next_year =
}}

Music composed by [[Galipenchala Narasimha Rao]], [[Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao|Ghantasala]]. Lyrics were written by [[Samudrala Raghavacharya|Samudrala Sr]]. Music released on Audio Company.
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!S. No.!!Song Title !!Singers !!length
|-
|1
|"O Balaraja Preme Yerugava"
|[[S. Varalakshmi]]
|1:55
|-
|2
|"Evarine Nenevirine"
|S. Varalakshmi
|2:46
|-
|3
|"O Balaraja Jali Leda"
|S. Varalakshmi
|2:45
|-
|4
|"Alak Paadi Araka Chesi"
|Chorus
|1:51
|-
|5
|"Cheliya Kanarava"
|[[Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao|Ghantasala]]
|2:25
|-
|6
|"Rupama Neeyaraya"
|S. Varalakshmi
|5:47
|-
|7
|"Okarini Nanavesav"
|[[Kasturi Siva Rao]], V. Sarala Rao
|1:46
|-
|8
|"Teeyani Vennela Reyi"
|V. Sarala Rao
|2:53
|-
|9
|"Gutilo Chilakedire"
|Chorus
|1:31
|-
|10
|"Chalura Vagalu"
|S. Varalakshmi, [[Akkineni Nageswara Rao]]
|1:17
|-
|11
|"Teli Chudumu Hai"
|Ghantasala, S. Varalakshmi
|2:51
|-
|12
|"Chuda Chakkani Chinnadi"
|[[Seetaram]]
|1:02
|-
|13
|"Devudayya Devudu"
|Kasturi Siva Rao
|2:19
|-
|14
|"Raja Ra Na Raja"
|S. Varalakshmi
|3:39
|-
|15
|"Navodayam Subhodayam"
|Ghantasala
|3:25
|-
|16
|"Neeku Nevaru Leru"
|S. Varalakshmi
|3:54
|-
|17
|"Vere Leraya Paramesha"
|S. Varalakshmi
|2:16
|-
|18
|"Varala Kuna"
|Kasturi Siva Rao
|2:56
|-
|19
|"Varuna Varuna"
|S. Varalakshmi
|3:29
|}

==Box office==
* The film ran for more than 100 days in 11 centres in [[Andhra Pradesh]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.idlebrain.com/trade/records/anr100days.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-05-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121226174052/http://www.idlebrain.com/trade/records/anr100days.html |archive-date=26 December 2012 }}</ref>
* The [[Silver Jubilee]] celebrations were held at Jaihind Talkies, [[Vijayawada]] on 4 June 1948.<ref>[http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2007/02/03/stories/2007020302490100.htm Memorabilia of Telugu cinema in The Hindu, 2007.]</ref>
*This film had a 365-day run in Vijayawada.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0154193/ Balaraju film at IMDb.]
* [http://www.ghantasala.info/tfs/cdata5b58.html Balaraju film at Ghantasala.info]
* [http://www.basthi.com/movies/balaraju-1948-telugu-movie-online/ BalaRaju Movie at Basthi.com]

[[Category:1940s Telugu-language films]]
[[Category:1948 films]]
[[Category:Indian black-and-white films]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Indian fantasy films]]
[[Category:1940s fantasy films]]

Balaraju - Revision history

>Kailash29792 at 17:28, 24 December 2020