# Dagudu Moothalu

Dagudu Moothalu (transl. Hide and seek) is a 1964 Indian Telugu-language comedy film produced by D. B. Narayana and directed by Adurthi Subba Rao, who also wrote the screenplay. Based on a story by Mullapudi Venkata Ramana, it stars N. T. Rama Rao and B. Saroja Devi. In Dagudu Moothalu, the distant relatives of an ailing man attempt to usurp his wealth, while making sure that his grandson, the rightful heir, does not inherit the said wealth.
Ramana took plot details of the 1936 American film Mr. Deeds Goes to Town – the title character inheriting a huge property and subsequently being branding a lunatic by miscreants who are after his wealth – but then wrote a story creating new characters and situations, Dagudu Moothalu. The film was released on 21 August 1964, and became a commercial success. It was later remade in Tamil as Avan Pithana? (1966) and in Hindi as Jwaar Bhata (1973).

## Plot

The film begins with a millionaire, Viswasundara Rao, who has ostracized his son Prasad for marrying an impoverished girl, Lakshmi. After six years, the couple dies, leaving their kid Sundarayya as an orphan. Knowing it, Viswasundara Rao confesses his guilt and moves forward to search for his grandchild, but in vain. Then, a beneficent Danayya embraces the child. Later, the Danayya couple departs, placing their five young daughters under the care of Sundarayya. Years roll by, and destiny makes Sundarayya run a small-scale hotel adjacent to his grandfather's mill. Unbeknownst to it, ailing Viswasundara Rao is still in quest of his grandson, when many relatives surround to usurp his wealth: his elder brother's son-in-law Bhushanam & his daughter Ammadu, younger's daughter-in-law Suramma & her son Papai. Papai & Ammadu fall in love.
Once, a beauty, Subbulu, gets acquainted with Sundarayya while absconding from a forced marriage. He shelters her, she nears him & babies, and the two crush. Fortunately, Subbulu holds Viswasundara Rao's caretaker post and soon gains credence. Meanwhile, he turns terminally ill when Bhushanam schemes with Suramma by compelling Viswasundara Rao to adopt Papai, provided he espouses Ammadu. On that eve, Subbulu sees Prasad's photograph at Sundarayya's house and detects that Sundarayya is the true heir. Viswasundara Rao and Sundarayya unite and Sundarayya becomes the manager of the estate businesses, following which Viswasundara Rao passes away after publicly endorsing his totality to Sundarayya. Hereupon, the knaves plot by counterfeiting a fake will that stipulates Sundarayya should imperatively knit Ammadu. Discerning it, Sundarayya plays a backward trickery by giving his acceptance and setting up an engagement. Anyhow, Subbulu quits assuming it is a fact. Though Sundarayya tries to talk convincingly, she is not ready to listen. Ergo, Sundarayya engages in messing up the function when Bhushanam forges him as insane and gets him escorted to a mental asylum. Sundarayya absconds when the misinterpreted public cast stones on him. Sundarayya becomes dejected at the sudden turn of events. Therein, Subbulu moves on, gives upliftment, and makes him surrender. At last, with Papai & Ammadu's aid, the judiciary acquits Sundarayya as non-guilty, and the culprits are penalized. Finally, the movie ends happily with the marriages of Sundarayya & Subbulu and Papai & Ammadu.

## Cast

* N. T. Rama Rao as Sundara Rao Jr. "Sundarayya"
* B. Saroja Devi as Subba Lakshmi "Subbulu"
* Gummadi as Viswasundara Rao
* Ramana Reddy as Bhushanam
* Padmanabham as Papayi
* Allu Ramalingaiah as Siddhanthi Gavarayya
* Suryakantham as Sooramma
* Sharada as Ammadu
* Raavi Kondala Rao as the family doctor
* Radha Kumari as Bhushanam's wife

## Production
### Development

In 1962, producer D. B. Narayana of D. B. N. Productions assigned Mullapudi Venkata Ramana to write the story and dialogues for his next production, which would star N. T. Rama Rao. Ramana took plot details of the 1936 American film Mr. Deeds Goes to Town – the title character inheriting a huge property and subsequently being branding a lunatic by miscreants who are after his wealth – and wrote a story creating new characters and situations, Dagudu Moothalu. Adurthi Subba Rao was hired to direct, and wrote the screenplay based on Ramana's story. Cinematography was handled by P. L. Roy, and editing by T. Krishna.

### Casting and filming

N. T. Rama Rao was cast as the male lead Sundarayya, and Dagudu Moothalu was his first film under Adurthi's direction. He was paid a remuneration of ₹40,000 (equivalent to ₹2.9 million or US$35,000 in 2023). B. Saroja Devi was cast as the female lead Subbulu, and was paid ₹80,000 (equivalent to ₹5.9 million or US$70,000 in 2023). Raavi Kondala Rao played the family doctor, thereby making his entry as a professional actor. During the shoot, Saroja Devi had a ligament tear; because of this, the sets which were constructed for filming the songs "Mella Mella Mellaga" and "Adagaka Icchina Manase" in Vauhini Studios had to be dismantled, leading to escalated costs and production delays. Distraught, Adurti rushed to Saroja Devi's Bangalore home, and was ready to replace her with Krishna Kumari, but realised her condition was worse than they had imagined. The songs were eventually filmed around Lal Bagh, Ulsoor Lake and Cubbon Park.

## Soundtrack

The soundtrack was composed by K. V. Mahadevan.

## Release and reception

Dagudu Moothalu was released on 21 August 1964, with Navayuga Films acquiring the distribution rights. The film was commercially successful, and was later remade in Tamil as Avan Pithana? (1966) and in Hindi as Jwaar Bhata (1973).