Seetarama Kalyanam (1961) Check the story behind the making of all time hit film Seetarama Kalyanam (1961)

National Art Theatres
Seetarama Kalyanam (1961)
NTR as Ravana

Technical:
35 MM
Black and White
Duration : 3 hours
Release Date : Jan 6 1961

Cast:
N.T.Rama Rao... Ravana Brahma
B.Saroja Devi...manDodari
Chayadevi.. janaka maharaju wife,
Mani... Mahalaxmi. Seeta
Swarna, Aruna Kumari, Radhika,
Chittor V.Nagayya... Dasarathudu,
Gummadi Venkateshwara Rao
Kanta rao.. Naradudu,
K.V.S.Sharma.. parasuramudu,
Harnath.. ramudu
Uday kumar.. padmaksha maharaaju
Shoban babu.. laxmanudu
Kommineni Sheshagiri Rao.. bharatudu
Vallabhajosula Sivaram, Mikkilineni.. janakudu, A.V.Subbarao,
Mahankali Venkayya.. marichudu
Sivarao
Dances: Kuchala kumari, Jyothy, Gopala Krishna
Playback: P.Leela, P.susheela, Ghantasala, P.B.Srinivas, M.S.Rama Rao
Story Resource: dhanEjula bucchivenkaTakRshNa chaudari
Dialogues, Lyrics: Samudrala Raghavacharya
Music: Galipenchala Narasimha Rao
Dance Director : Vempati Satyam
Art: TVS Sharma
Camera : Ravi Nagaiach
Asst: director : I.N.Murthy
Production Executive: Atluri Pundareekshayya
Producer : Trivikrama Rao
Direction: N.T.Rama Rao


Songs:
Deva deva parandhama nilameha syama
Playback: P.B.Srinivas
Cast: Kanta Rao

kaanaraara kailaasanivaasa baalEMdudharaa jaTaadharaa
Playback: ghantasala
Cast: N.T.Rama Rao

jayatwada bhravibhrama
Playback: ghantasala
Cast: N.T.Rama Rao

paramaSivaachaaraparulalO atyaMta priyuDananna (padyaM)
Playback: ghantasala
Cast: N.T.Rama Rao

hE paarvateenaadha kailaasa Sikharaagravaasa (daMDakaM)
Playback: ghantasala
Cast: N.T.Rama Rao

NTR
sastiryona vistirNo satayojanamunnato asTa Dwara pure lanka (padyam)
Playback: M.S.Rama Rao
Background

daanava kulavairi darmapunanusarimchu (padyaM)
Playback: ghantasala
Cast: N.T.Rama Rao

laxmi kshrasamudra raja tanaya (padyam)
Playback: M.S.Rama Rao

pamasane padmini padma haste (padyam)
Playback: M.S.Rama Rao
Cast : Uday Kumar

veenaa paaDave rAgamayE..
Playback: P.Susheela
Cast: B.Saroja Devi

NTR
inupakaTTadal kaTTina munulaina (Padyam)
Playback: P.B.Srinivas
Cast: Kanta Rao

sarasAla javaralanu nenE kada
Playaback: P.Leela
Cast: Kuchala kumari

nelataa iTuvaMTi needu maaTa needu paaTa (padyaM)
Playback: ghantasala
Cast: N.T.Rama Rao

tolutana brahma vamsamunabutti (padyam)
Playback: P.Leela
Cast: Kuchala kumari

janakuMDu sutuDunu jannammubu sesina vanitA(padyaM)
Playback: ghantasala
Cast: N.T.Rama Rao

NTR
govinda madhava damodara
Playback: Ghantasala
Cast: Jyothy ??

veyikannulu cAlavu gaa kana veyi kannulu cAlavu ga
Playback: P.Leela

kausalya supraja rama purva sandhya pravarthate
Playback: M.S.Rama Rao
Cast : Gummadi

nandini avamanaparici (padyam)
Playback: P.B.Srinivas
Cast: Kanta Rao

pooni bommaku pranamu poyagaru (padyam)
Playback: P.Leela

bhumiki pradakshinamu cEsi muDumaarlu (padyam)
Playback: P.B.Srinivas
Cast: Kanta Rao

NTR and B.Saroja Devi
cirunagavu cindu mOmu (padyam)
Playback: P.B.Srinivas
Cast: Kanta Rao

jagadeka maata gowri karuncimcave bhavani
Playback: P.susheela
Cast: B.Saroja Devi, Mani

sri raghavam dasarthamabrameyam (padyam)
Playback: M.S.Rama Rao

o sukumara ninu gani valacitiraa..
Playback: P.Leela, Ghantasala
Cast: Geetanjali, Harinath

kalyanamu cutamu rarandi seetaramula kalyanamu cuddam raarandi sri seetaramula kalyanamu cutaramu rarandi
Playback: P.Susheela, P.leela

B.Saroja Devi
srirama rama gunabhi rama (sotram)
Playback: M.S.Rama Rao
Cast: K.V.S.Sharma

Mangalam kosalendraya mahaneeya gunatraye (sotram)
Playaback: M.S.Rama Rao

Story:
Basically this is the story of Ravana, who is a great scholar, great musician, deity or lord Shiva, but due to the weakness on beautiful ladies his downfall happened. Ravana who pleases Lord Shiva with his prayers gets a boon that he cannot be defeated by anyone ignoring the mankind. As he feels there is no threat from the poor mankind. Lord Vishnu along with Mahalaxmi takes the form of Rama and Seeta comes to earth to protect the mankind. Rest of the story every one knows.

About the film:
NTR's role as Ravana Brahma won him many awards and also lot of reorganization. Saroja Devi who was introduced in Panduranga Mahatyam did as Mandodhari; Ravana's wife did an excellent job. Mani (Geetanjali) hardly has any dialogues. (May be this inspired Bapu garu to make Seetakalyanam, which is another classic).
The film has excellent camera work by Ravikanth nagaich who made his debut in Telugu films with this film and art direction of TVS Sharma is another great work.

After the success of Panduranga mahatyam, NAT productions planned to make the film on Alluri Seetarama Raju, but as it required some historical details they kept that script aside and started to work on the Sitaramakalyanam. One reason to work on this script is after Panduranga mahatyam his next film Bhukailas was a big hit and he got lot of name for his role of Ravanabrahma, which inspired NTR to concentrate on the role of Ravana Brahma (for the role in Bhukailas he got some awards also).
After the success of Mayabazar, Ramarao was fascinated with the devotional roles. So he read the different versions of Ramayana, Bharatham and Bhagavatam. He didn't appoint any director for the film, but I.N.Murthy acted as an executive director for the film.
I.N.Murthy later directed films like Sukhadukkalu, Jagat Kiladeelu, Jagame Maya, Srirama bantu etc and Telugu and also directed many films in Tamil with Jayashankar.
Initially Saluri Rajeswara Rao was appointed as music director, but due to some differences he opted out of the project. Galipenchala Narasimha Rao stepped into it. The song Seetaramula kalyanamu cudamu rarandi is mega hit song from this film. Any marriage in Telugu land will not happen with this song even today.
For Panduranga mahatyam Rehman worked as cameraman. Seetaramakalyanam has lot of trick photography, though Rehman was experienced in that, they planned to bring some one who is young, so they catch hold of Ravikanth nagaiach who is working under Bhabubhai mistry. This film got lot of reorganization to Ravikanth nagaiach.
Kuchalakumari did the role of Ramba, she is dream girl for many at that time. Especially for Tamil audience. She is relative to T.R.Rajakumari (T.R.Rajakumari was main lead in chandralekha and did a villan role in Manohara). Kuchala kumari dances in the films and outside the films are very famous at that time. Her dance is a must for the function of all top stars houses.
NTR's brother Trivikrama Rao thought Rama rao will be playing both the roles of Rama and Ravana, but he got the shock when Rama Rao informed that some one else will be doing the role or Lord Rama. NTR felt that for the role of Lord Rama he wants very young person, as Ravana is older then Lord Rama. One day he met Harinath at a shoe shop in pandy bazaar, he asked him to come for the screen test. Harinath was very much in tense as if he fails in the test that will end his carrier, but Ramarao encouraged him and asked him to attend the test. Harinath is selected the test. Shoban babu was selected for the role of Laxmana while Kommineni shehagiri Rao (who later became director) played the role of Bharatudu. Harinath has one weakness, which is smoking the cigarettes. Ramarao used to follow the strict diet and rules while he is doing the roles of lords. He scolded Harinath. Harinath was unable to control his weakness and used to smoke secretly without the knowledge of Rama Rao. Rama Rao liked the acting of Harinath and recomended him for the role of Lord Krishna in the film Bheeshma directed and produced by B.A.Subba Rao.
For the role of Seeta they auditioned may artists. Finally some one informed about Mani who did a small dance sequence in the film Raani Ratnaprabha. Rama Rao saw that film again in a special screening and liked her. She was chosen for the role of Seeta. T.G.Kamala another noted artist dubbed her voice in the film. Mani later changed her name to Geetanjali and did many roles and later married to another actor Ramakrishna. Her son recently started acting in films.
Excellent action by NTR, Harianth, Geetanjali, great direction by NTR, excellent music by Galipenchala Narasimha Rao, excellent camera work of Ravikanth Nagaiach and Artwork of TVS Sharma made this film worth watching even after so many years.