>Micahhadar at 19:14, 28 May 2021

2021-05-28T19:14:42Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Balayogini
| image = Balayogini poster.jpg
| native_name = {{film name|Tamil|பாலயோகினி}} {{film name|Telugu|బాలయోగిని}}
| caption = Poster in Tamil
| director = [[K. Subramaniam|K. Subramanyam]]
| producer = [[K. Subramaniam|K. Subramanyam]], Madras United Artists Corp
| writer = [[K. Subramaniam|K. Subramanyam]]
| screenplay = [[K. Subramaniam|K. Subramanyam]]
| story = [[K. Subramaniam|K. Subramanyam]]
| narrator =
| starring = [[Baby Saroja]] C. V. V. Panthulu K. B. Vatsal [[R. Balasaraswathi]]
| music = Moti Babu Maruti Seetharammayya
| cinematography = Sailen Bose [[Kamal Ghosh]] Art Director: Batuk Sen<ref name="G"/><ref name="H">{{cite book | first1= Ashish | last1=Rajadhyaksha| first2=Paul |last2=Willemen| year= 1994| title= Encyclopaedia of Indian cinema | publisher= British Film Institute| id= | pages=248 | isbn=0-85170-455-7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nOZkAAAAMAAJ}}</ref><ref name="I">{{cite book | first=S. Theodore| last=Baskaran | author-link=S. Theodore Baskaran | year= 2004| title=Chithiram Pesuthadi |language=ta | publisher= Kalachuvadu| location= Chennai| isbn= 81-87477-75-X | pages=50–51 }}</ref><ref name="J"/>
| editing = Dharam Veer
| distributor =
| released = 5 February 1937
| runtime = 210 minutes
| country = [[India]]
| language = [[Tamil language|Tamil]]
| budget =
| gross =
}}
'''''Balayogini''''' (English: ''Girl Saint'') is a 1937 Indian film made in [[Tamil language|Tamil]] and [[Telugu language|Telugu]] languages. It was directed by [[K. Subramaniam|K. Subramanyam]]. It is one of the earliest Tamil films to be set in a contemporary social setting and to advocate reformist social policies. This film is considered to be first children's talkie film of [[South India]].<ref name="A">[https://web.archive.org/web/20090611115530/http://www.hindu.com/cp/2009/04/10/stories/2009041050371600.htm Blast From the Past - Balayogini 1937, The Hindu 10 April 2009]</ref><ref name="B">{{cite book | first=S. Theodore| last=Baskaran | author-link=S. Theodore Baskaran | year= 1996| title=The eye of the serpent: an introduction to Tamil cinema | publisher= East West Books| location= Chennai| pages=15 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PhFlAAAAMAAJ}}</ref><ref name="C">{{cite book | first=S. Theodore| last=Baskaran | author-link=S. Theodore Baskaran | year= 1981| title=The message bearers: the nationalist politics and the entertainment media in South India, 1880-1945 | publisher= Cre-A| location= Chennai| pages=116 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PhFlAAAAMAAJ}}</ref><ref name="D">{{cite book | first=Yves| last= Thoraval| year= 2000| title= The cinemas of India | publisher= Macmillan | location= India| id= | pages=37 | isbn= 0-333-93410-5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-OpkAAAAMAAJ}}</ref><ref name="E">{{cite book | first=Selvaraj| last= Velayutham| year= 2008| title= Tamil cinema: the cultural politics of India's other film industry |edition= Hardback| publisher= Routledge| location= New York| isbn= 978-0-415-39680-6 | pages=3}}</ref>

==Production==
Subramanyam, was influenced by the reformist ideals of his father C.V. Krishnaswamy Iyer. He was moved by the social conditions around him to make reform oriented films. ''Balayogini'' (lit. Child Saint) was made to expose the plight and suffering of widows in middle class [[Brahmin]] communities in Tamil Nadu. Subramanyam produced this film under his "Madras United Artists Corporation" banner to express his criticism of the existing social norms and his disapproval of priesthood.<ref name="C"/><ref name="F">[http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2114/stories/20040716001508200.htm A progressive film-maker, Frontline Magazine 03-16 July 2004]</ref> He wrote the story, screenplay & dialogues and directed it himself. He cast his niece Saroja as the titular character. The film was started in 1936 and released in 1937. The completed film was 19,000 feet (210 minutes runtime) in length.<ref name="G">{{cite book | last=Film News Anandan| language= ta| year= 2004 | title=Sadhanaigal padaitha Tamil Thiraipada Varalaaru | publisher=Sivagami Publications| location= Chennai| pages=28:12}}</ref>

==Plot==
Sarasa's ([[K. R. Chellam]]) father is arrested by Police for being a debtor. She goes to the sub collector's (K. B. Vatsal) house to ask for help. The collector's widowed sister Janaki and her niece ([[Baby Saroja]]) take pity on her. They are driven out of the house by the angry collector. They take refuge in the house of their low-caste servant Munuswamy. Munuswamy dies and Janaki cares for his children as her own. This causes outrage in the conservative society and Munuswamy's house is burned down by a mob. The child Saroja changes everyone's mind with her arguments.

==Tamil cast==
[[File:Balayogini 1937film.jpg|thumb|right|"Baby Saroja" in ''Balayogini'']]
{{Col-begin|width=60%}}
{{col-break|width=50%}}
;Male
* C. V. V. Panthulu as Munisamy
* Bharathan as Gopala Iyer
* K. B. Vatsal as Balachandra
* Salem Sundaram as Mahlinga Sastri
* [[S. S. Mani Bhagavathar|Mani Bhagavathar]]
* Brahamdal
{{col-break|width=50%}}
;Female
* [[K. R. Chellam]] as Sarasa
* [[Baby Saroja]] as Saroja
* [[Raavu Balasaraswathi|Bala Saraswathi]] as Kamala
* [[Kumari Rukmini|Baby Rukmini]]
* K. N. Rajalakshmi
* Seethalaksmi as Janaki
{{col-end}}

==Telugu cast==
* [[Baby Saroja]]
* [[S. Varalakshmi|Baby S. Varalakshmi]]
* [[Arani Satyanarayana]]
* [[Vangara Venkata Subbaiah|Vangara]]
* Kamala Kumari
* Thilakam

==Soundtrack==
The music was by Moti Babu and the lyrics were Papanasam Sivan. ‘Kanney papa, kanimuthu paapa’, rendered by Baby Saroja as a lullaby to her doll, became popular.<ref name="A" />
* Kannae Paappa
* Kshamiyimpumaa O Maama Kshamiyimpumaa
* Radhey thozhi

==Reception==
The film was released on 5 February 1937 to critical and public acclaim. "Baby" Saroja was hailed as "[[Shirley Temple]] of India".<ref name="A"/> Many girls were named "Saroja" after her.<ref name="A"/> The film's success inspired a number of socially themed films in South India.

Reviewing the film in the magazine ''Jaganmohini'' in February 1937, reviewer ''Vatsakumari'' wrote:

{{Cquote|After seeing Saroja's acting, Shirley Temple's talent does not impress anymore. Saroja's appearance, acting and words give us the impression of a lonely new flower's fragrance. There is no doubt that behind her and the other children's acting success is the director K. Subramaniam...It can be said such a complete Tamil film has not been made so far.<ref name="I"/>}}

A similar review was written in ''Manikodi'' magazine in its February 1937 issue:
{{Cquote|..The four year old faces make us remember rose buds. Their laughter reminds us of Jasmine flowers waiting for the ''Margazhi'' sunrise. Baby Saroja's quick responses capture our heart. We should congratulate the director Sri Subramanyam for making such a successful film with children.<ref name="J">{{cite book | last=Arandhai Narayanan| language= ta| year= 2008 | title=Arambakala Tamil Cinema (1931-41) | publisher=Vijaya Publications| location= Chennai| pages=23}}</ref>}}

Film historian [[S. Theodore Baskaran|Theodore Baskaran]] has called it the most significant Tamil film of its period.<ref name="K">{{cite book | first=S | last=Muthiah| author-link=S. Muthiah | year= 1989| title=Tales of old and new Madras: the dalliance of Miss Mansell and 34 other stories of 350 years | publisher= Affiliated East-West Press| location= Chennai| id= | pages=135| isbn=81-85336-25-3| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7WtuAAAAMAAJ}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist |2}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0270221|Balayogini, Telugu version}}
* {{IMDb title|0270222|Balayogini, Tamil version}}

[[Category:1937 films]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:Telugu-language films]]
[[Category:1930s Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:Indian black-and-white films]]
[[Category:Films about children]]
[[Category:Films directed by K. Subramanyam]]
[[Category:1930s Telugu-language films]]

Balayogini - Revision history

>Micahhadar at 19:14, 28 May 2021