Sita Kalyanam (1976 film)

Last updated

Seetha Kalyanam
Seetha Kalyanam.jpg
Directed by Bapu
Written by Mullapudi Venkata Ramana
Based on Ramayanam
by Valmiki
Produced by Pinjala Ananda Rao
P.Subba Rao
StarringRavikumar
Jaya Prada
Gummadi
Dhulipala
Mikkilineni
Kaikala Satyanarayana
Mukkamala
Jamuna
Hemalatha
Cinematography K. S. Prasad
Edited byKandaswamy
Music by K. V. Mahadevan
Production
company
Ananda Lakshmi Art Movies
Release date
  • 8 October 1976 (1976-10-08)
Running time
125 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTelugu

Seetha Kalyanam is a 1976 Indian Telugu-language Hindu mythological film directed by Bapu from a screenplay written by Mullapudi Venkata Ramana. Based on the Bala Kanda, the ensemble cast film relates events from the birth of Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, up to his wedding to Seetha, incarnation of Lakshmi.

Contents

The film won the Filmfare Award for Best Direction (Telugu). [1] It was screened at the BFI London Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival, San Reno and Denver International Film Festivals in 1978, and is part of the course work at the British Film Institute. [2] [3]

Plot

Granted several boons by the gods Brahma and Shiva, Ravana, the demon king of Lanka, uses his many powers to plague all creation, notably molesting women, many of whom he kidnaps. At the appeal of the gods and the sages, Vishnu assures them that he shall take an incarnation as a mortal, as the arrogant Rakshasa had never sought protection from men (or apes).

The goddess Lakshmi chooses to accompany her divine consort, first as the ascetic Vedaavati (who is insulted by Ravana), then as a baby who appears from a golden lotus in Ravana’s own palace in Lanka, and finally as the child who is discovered when Janaka, king of Videha, is performing the ritual of ploughing the ground before a sacrifice.

The film then describes the events that reunite the divine couple, stringing along the way various tales, in song and dance form, from the Rāmāyana that are tangentially related to the main narrative, including the creation of Lord Shiva’s bow, Vishnu’s avatar as Vamana, and the descent of the Ganga.

The movie ends with Parasurama, Visvamitra, and Vasishta being granted a vision of Rama, Seetha, Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna in their true, celestial, forms.

Cast

Soundtrack

The film has music composed by K. V. Mahadevan with lyrics written by Thyagaraya Swamy, Bhakta Ramadasu, Arudra, and C. Narayana Reddy. Playback singers P. Susheela, S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, V. Ramakrishna, Vasantha, and P. B. Sreenivas gave vocals.

Release

The film was released in Hindi with the title Sita Swayamvar and Malayalam as Seetha Swayamvaram.

Awards

Filmfare Awards South

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hindu mythology</span> Body of myths existing in Hinduism

Hindu mythology is the body of myths attributed to, and espoused by, the adherents of the Hindu religion, found in Sanskrit texts such as the Vedic literature, epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana, the Puranas, and mythological stories specific to a particular ethnolinguistic group like the Tamil Periya Puranam and Divya Prabandham, and the Mangal Kavya of Bengal. Hindu myths are also found in widely translated popular texts such as the fables of the Panchatantra and the Hitopadesha, as well as in Southeast Asian texts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bapu (director)</span> Film director from India (1933-2014)

Sattiraju Lakshminarayana, known professionally as Bapu, was an Indian film director, painter, illustrator, cartoonist, screenwriter, music artist, and designer known for his works in Telugu cinema, and Hindi cinema. In 2013, he was awarded the Padma Shri, for his contribution to Indian art and cinema. He has garnered two National Honors, two National Film Awards, seven state Nandi Awards, two Filmfare Awards South, a Raghupathi Venkaiah Award, and a Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award – South.

<i>Ramcharitmanas</i> Awadhi poem about Rama by Goswami Tulsidas

Ramcharitmanas, is an epic poem in the Awadhi language, based on the Ramayana, and composed by the 16th-century Indian bhakti poet Tulsidas. This work is also called, in popular parlance, Tulsi Ramayana, Tulsikrit Ramayana, Tulsidas Ramayana or simply Manas. The word Ramcharitmanas literally means "Lake of the deeds of Rama". It is considered one of the greatest works of Hindu literature. The work has variously been acclaimed as "the living sum of Indian culture", "the tallest tree in the magic garden of medieval Indian poetry", "the greatest book of all devotional literature" and "the best and most trustworthy guide to the popular living faith of the Indian people".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mandodari</span> Chief wife of Lanka king Ravana in Hindu epic Ramayana

Mandodari was the queen consort of Ravana, the king of Lanka, according to the Hindu epic Ramayana. The Ramayana describes her as beautiful, pious, and righteous. She is extolled as one of the Panchakanya, the recital of whose names is believed to dispel sin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sita</span> Hindu goddess and the female protagonist of the epic Ramayana

Sita, also known as Siya, Janaki, Maithili, Vaidehi and Bhumija, is a Hindu goddess and the female protagonist of the Hindu epic, Ramayana. She is the consort of Rama, the avatar of the god Vishnu, and is regarded as a form of Vishnu's consort, Lakshmi. She is also the chief goddess of Rama-centric Hindu traditions. Sita is known for her dedication, self-sacrifice, courage, and purity.

Sita is the consort of Lord Rama and an avatar of Sri Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess.

<i>Shiva Tandava Stotra</i> Hymn composed by Ravana in the praise of Shiva

The Shiva Tandava Stotra(m) (Sanskrit: शिवताण्डवस्तोत्र, romanized: śiva-tāṇḍava-stotra) is a Sanskrit religious hymn (stotra) dedicated to the Hindu deity, Shiva, one of the principal gods in Hinduism and the supreme god in Shaivism. Its authorship is traditionally attributed to Ravana, the ruler of Lanka, considered a devotee of Shiva.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vedavati</span> Previous birth of Sita in Hinduism

Vedavati is the previous birth of the goddess Sita in Hindu mythology. She is an avatar of the goddess of prosperity, Lakshmi.

<i>Ramayan</i> (1987 TV series) Indian epic television series

Ramayan is an Indian Hindi-language epic television series based on ancient Indian Sanskrit Epic Ramayana. The show was created, written, and directed by Ramanand Sagar. It originally aired between 1987 and 1988 on DD National and it was narrated by Ashok Kumar and the director Ramanand Sagar. The music was composed by Ravindra Jain. During its run, the show became most watched television series in the world, it had a viewership of 82 percent. The repeat telecast was aired on 20 different channels in 17 countries on all the five continents at different times. The success of the series was documented well by the media. According to BBC, the serial has been viewed by over 650 million viewers. Each episode of the series reportedly earned DD National 40 lakh.

<i>Sita Kalyanam</i> (1934 film) 1934 film

Seetha Kalyanam is a 1934 Tamil-language film produced by Prabhat Film Company. It was the first film for musicians Papanasam Sivan, S. Rajam and S. Balachander. The film was remade in Telugu in the same year. The film is known to be the first ever Tamil film to be released in colour.

<i>Sri Seeta Rama Jananam</i> 1944 Indian film

Sri Seeta Rama Jananam is a 1944 Indian Telugu-language Hindu mythological film, produced and directed by Ghantasala Balaramayya under the Pratibha Productions banner. The film stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Tripurasundari, Vemuri Gaggayya, Rushyendramani. Music was jointly composed by Prabhala Satyanarayana and Ogirala Ramachandra Rao. The film marks the debut of Akkineni Nageswara Rao as a lead actor. It is also the debut of Ghantasala as a chorus singer and in a character role. The film was a commercial failure.

<i>Sri Rama Rajyam</i> 2011 Indian film

Sri Rama Rajyam is a 2011 Indian Telugu-language devotional film directed by Bapu who co-wrote the film with Mullapudi Venkata Ramana, and produced by Yalamanchali Saibabu. The film stars Nandamuri Balakrishna, Nayanthara, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Srikanth, and its music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, which won him Nandi Award for Best Music Director. Sri Rama Rajyam is a reboot of the 1963 blockbuster film Lava Kusa.

The Adbhuta Ramayana is a Śāktaḥ Sanskrit work. It is considerably more obscure than both the Valmiki Ramayana as well as Tulsidas’ Awadhi version entitled Ramacharitamanasa, northern India's most popular version of the Ramayana story.

<i>Ramayanam</i> (1997 film) 1997 Indian film

Ramayanam, also known as Bala Ramayanam, is a 1997 Indian Telugu-language mythological film directed by Gunasekhar and produced by M. S. Reddy. Based on the Hindu epic Ramayana, the film features overs 3000 child actors. It stars N. T. Rama Rao Jr. as Lord Rama and Smitha Madhav as Sita.

<i>Sita Rama Kalyanam</i> (1961 film) 1961 Indian film

Sita Rama Kalyanam is a 1961 Indian Telugu-language Hindu mythological film directed by N. T. Rama Rao in his directorial debut. It stars N. T. Rama Rao, Haranath, Geetanjali, B. Saroja Devi, Kanta Rao, Sobhan Babu. The film was produced by N. Trivikrama Rao on 'National Art Theatres' banner. The music composed by Gali Penchala Narasimha Rao.

Jai Hanuman is a 1997 Indian television series based on the life of the Hindu deity Hanuman, an avatar of Shiva, in Hindi. It was directed by Sanjay Khan. The series was initially shown on the state-run DD National, and was later shown on Sony Entertainment Television in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maya Sita</span> Illusionary duplicate of the Hindu goddess Sita

In some adaptations of the Hindu epic Ramayana, Maya Sita or Chaya Sita is the illusionary duplicate of the goddess Sita, who is abducted by the demon-king Ravana of Lanka instead of the real Sita.

<i>Siya Ke Ram</i> Indian mythological television series based on Ramayana

Siya Ke Ram is an Indian TV series on Star Plus produced by Nikhil Sinha under the banner of Triangle Film Company. This show presents the epic Ramayana, the story of Rama and Devi Sita from Sita's perspective. The show features Madirakshi Mundle and Ashish Sharma playing as Goddess Sita and Lord Rama, respectively, and Karthik Jayaram as Raavan. It premiered on 16 November 2015 and ended on 4 November 2016.

<i>Shrimad Ramayan</i> Indian mythological television series

Shrimad Ramayan is an Indian Hindi-language mythological television series that premiered on 1 January 2024 on Sony Entertainment Television. Produced by Siddharth Kumar Tewary under the banner of Swastik Productions, the series stars Sujay Reu as Rama and Prachi Bansal as Sita.

References

  1. "Seeta Kalyanam (1976) - IMDb".
  2. Arts / Cinema : Preview: Epic comes full circle. The Hindu (2011-11-12). Retrieved on 2013-01-25.
  3. m.l. narasimham (12 November 2011). "Arts / Cinema : Preview: Epic comes full circle". The Hindu (Press release). Retrieved 27 August 2012.