| Malliswari | |
|---|---|
&sq=NATO&lang=en&file=File:Malliswari_1951.JPG) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | B. N. Reddy |
| Based on | Rayalavari Karunakruthyamu by Buchibabu The Emperor and the Slave Girl by Devan Sharar |
| Produced by | B. N. Reddy |
| Starring | N. T. Rama Rao P. Bhanumathi |
| Cinematography | Adi M. Irani B. N. Konda Reddy |
| Edited by | H. R. Narayana Vasu |
| Music by | S. Rajeswara Rao |
Production company | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 175–194 minutes[a] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Telugu |
Mallishwari is a 1951 Indian Telugu-language historical romance film[3] produced and directed by B. N. Reddy under his banner Vauhini Studios. N. T. Rama Rao and P. Bhanumathi star as a couple – Nagaraju and Mallishwari – who are separated by Mallishwari's greedy mother. Mallishwari is sent to the king's palace according to the custom of "Rani Vasam", a tradition during the Vijayanagara Empire wherein young women were fetched to the palace with an offering of gold and jewellery to their parents. The rest of the film focuses on the consequences faced by Nagaraju when he, against all rules, surreptitiously enters the palace to meet Mallishwari.
Reddy wanted to make a film based on Krishnadevaraya's character ever since his visit to Hampi for the filming of his debut film Vandemataram (1939). He employed Devulapalli Krishnasastri to write the film's script and took inspiration from Buchibabu's play "Rayalavari Karunakruthyamu" and Devan Sharar's short story "The Emperor and the Slave Girl". He also incorporated into the script a few incidents from his childhood for the pranks between Nagaraju and Mallishwari. S. Rajeswara Rao composed the film's music, Adi M. Irani and B. N. Konda Reddy provided the cinematography, H. R. Narayana and Vasu edited the film, and A. K. Shekhar was the film's production designer.
The production phase of Mallishwari lasted for two years and the film was released on 20 December 1951. It opened to a tepid response at the box office, but soon saw a growth in ticket sales due to favourable word of mouth. It grossed over ₹8 lakh (₹0.8 million) but underperformed in its initial box-office run. However, it was successful in its re-release.[4] Mallishwari was featured at the Peking Film Festival in Beijing, China on 14, March 1953. B. N. Reddy planned to dub the film into English, but backed out due to budget considerations.
Mallishwari achieved cult status in Telugu cinema and is considered one of the best works of Reddy as a filmmaker. It became the first film script to be serialised in the magazine Vijayachitra, and a few universities in the United States wished to have the film's script as a part of their textual studies. On the centenary of Indian cinema in April 2013, CNN-IBN included Mallishwari in its list, "The 100 greatest Indian films of all time".
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
IFFIwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1998) [1994]. Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema (PDF). Oxford University Press. p. 323. ISBN 0-19-563579-5.
- ^ Kasbekar 2006, p. 221.
- ^ Gudipoodi, Srihari. "Telugu Cinema - Past and Present". Idlebrain. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
Though the film did not do good business, it earned name to the director and technicians. It stands out as a monumental musical in Telugu cinema. B.N.Reddi told me that the film made some money in its second run.
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