Mahakavi Kalidasu
Mahakavi Kalidasu is 1960 Telugu biographical film, based on the life of Kālidāsa produced by K. Nagamani and P. Suri Babu under the Sarani Productions banner and directed by Kamalakara Kameswara Rao. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Sriranjani jr in the lead roles and music composed by Pendyala Nageswara Rao. The film is a remake of the Kannada movie Mahakavi Kalidasa which also remade in Tamil in as Mahakavi Kalidas.
Plot
The film begins at the Avanti kingdom, it's king has a daughter Vidyadhari an ardent devotee of Goddess Mahakali. Once a soothsayer predicts that she would be the leading woman for a great history. Being cognizant of it, the King decides to espouse his daughter with a glorious poet when Mahamantri Hariharamathyudu expresses his desire to couple up the princess with his idiotic son but King scorns him. Enraged Mahamantri ploys and finds a young charming, retarded guy Kaludu, passing him off as a great scholar, performs his marriage with the princess. Soon after, Vidyadhari realizes the truth, laments before the goddess, to save her, Kaludu makes a huge penance when Kaali accords him a boon of new Knowledge. Immediately, Kaludu transforms into a Sanskrit scholar Kalidasu but forgets the past and leaves the place. Distressed Vidyadhari stands up with courage and keeping faith in her deity goes ahead in search of her husband. Right now, Kalidasu earns various kudos for his works and reaches Kaasi where he clarifies a stanza and states it is from Ramayana written by Lord Hanuman. Listening to it, self-proclaimed poet Rakshasa at the court of King Bhoja Raja heckles when Lord Hanuman appears, punishes him and affirms Kalidasa as a great poet. Witnessing it, Bhoja Raja himself moves to pursue whereabouts of him. Both of them meet at a peepal tree where a demon awaiting for there conjoining presents them an idol of Goddess Sharada which they install in Bharatacharya's ashram.Here, Bhoja Raja bestows a great admiration & respect for Kalidasu which irks Kavi Rakshasa and ruses to defame him. Simultaneously, learning regarding her husband Vidyadhari lands at Kaasi where she spots Kalidasu's closeness with court dancer Vilasavati. Humiliated Vidyadhari tries to commit suicide when Bharatacharya rescues and gives her shelter. Currently, she starts serving Kalidasu who calls her as Uma and falls for her. But recognizing her as a married woman he goes into depressed. During that time, as a coincidence, Bhoja Raja asks him scripture an epic on feelings out of separation when Kalidasu composes a beautiful love story Meghasandesam. At that point in time, Kavi Rakshasa challenges to write the same but fails, so, he steals Kalidasu's book. But by god's grace Bhoja Raja understands the reality when Kavi Rakshana is penalized by withdrawing his laureates. Thereafter, Bhoja Raja requests Kalidasu to pen the story of Shakuntala which he hesitates as there is a lack of standards in characters. Later on, with the inspiration of Vidyadhari, he successfully completes another world-class epic Abhijñānaśākuntalam. At present, Bhoja Raja decides to accolade Kalidasu with half of his kingdom. At that juncture, Bharatacharya gazes the relation between Kalidasu & Vidyadhari, so, he invites the King of Avanti too for the event where he professes Kalidasu as his daughter's husband to which he refuses. During that plight, Vidyadhari implores the deity who retrieves Kalidasu's memory. Finally, the movie ends on a happy note with the reunion of the couple.
Cast
- Akkineni Nageswara Rao as Kalidasa Mahakavi
- Sriranjani as Vidyadhari
- S. V. Ranga Rao as Bhoja Raju
- C.S.R as Rakshasa Kavi
- Relangi as Sutradhari
- K.V.R.Sharma as Hariharamathyudu
- Vangara
- Mudigonda Lingamurthy as King of Avanti
- P. Suri Babu as Bharathacharya
- Rajasulochana as Vilasavathi, court dancer
- Sandhya
- Vasanthi as Goddess Kalika
Crew
- Art: Madhavapeddi Gokhale
- Choreography: Pasumarthi, Vempati Satyam
- Stills: M. Sathyam
- Story - Lyrics - Screenplay -Dialogues: Pingali Nagendra Rao
- Playback: Ghatasala, Madhavapeddi Satyam, P. Leela, Jikki, P. Susheela, K. Rani, Jayalaxmi
- Music: Pendyala Nageshwara Rao, P. Suri Babu
- Editing: R. V. Rajan
- Cinematography: Annayya
- Producer: K. Nagamani, P. Suri Babu
- Director: Kamalakara Kameshwara Rao
- Banner: Sarani Productions
- Release Date: 2 April 1960
Soundtrack
| S. No | Song Title | Lyrics | Singers | length |
| 1 | "Manikya Veena Mupaalalayanti" | Kalidasa | Ghantasala | 4:06 |
| 2 | "Jaya Jaya Jaya Sharada Jaya Kalabhi Sharada" | Pingali | P. Susheela | 3:37 |
| 3 | "Aa Maatante" | Pingali | Madhavapeddi Satyam, P. Susheela | 2:25 |
| 4 | "Nanu Choodu Naa" | Pingali | Madhavapeddi Satyam, K. Rani | 1:44 |
| 5 | "Neekettundogani Pilla" | Pingali | Ghantasala | 5:15 |
| 6 | "Velugu Velagara Nayana" | Pingali | Ghantasala | 2:22 |
| 7 | "Rasikaraja" | Pingali | P. Leela, Radha Jayalakshmi | 4:04 |
| 8 | "Srikaramagu Paripaalana" | Pingali | P. Leela | 3:16 |
| 9 | "Sakuntala" | Kalidasa | Ghantasala, Jikki | 8:33 |
Poems
Lyrics were written by P. Suribabu| No. | Song Title | Singers | length |
| 1 | "Drowpadya" | Ghantasala | 0:41 |
| 2 | "Entha Pralayamu Vachina" | P. Susheela | 0:42 |
| 3 | "Pranakarini Vanuchu" | P. Susheela | 1:05 |
| 4 | "Vagardha" | Ghantasala | 0:38 |
Awards
;National Film Awards- 1960: President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Telugu
Other
- VCDs & DVDs on - VOLGA Videos, Hyderabad