Bala Nagamma (1959 film)
Bala Nagamma is a 1959 Telugu-language fantasy swashbuckler film, produced by D. N. Raju, B. S. Raju and P. Venkatapathi Raju under the Sri Venkataramana Films banner and directed by Vedantam Raghavaiah. It stars N. T. Rama Rao, Anjali Devi and S. V. Ranga Rao, with music composed by T. V. Raju. It is a remake of the 1942 film of the same name. Plot. Queen Bhoolakshmi (Hemalatha) prays to Lord Shiva for children and acquires a boon. The Lord orders her to take a fruit from the tree in the front of the temple . To reach, she steps on snake anthill when King Nagendra inside becomes furious, tries to bite her but she requests him to leave until she becomes a mother and he agrees. Bhoolakshmi is blessed with 7 beautiful daughters named Suryanagamma, Chandranagamma, Dakshinakanya, Munikanya, Pagadala Sangamma, Utharakanya, and Balanagamma and dies. After her death, King Navabhoja Raju (C.S.R.) remarries Manikyaladevi(Suryakala) to take care of the children, but the shrew woman harasses the kids and also goads the King to leave the girls in the forest. Bhoolakshmi's aura saves them and they grow up. As years go by, Bhoolakshmi's brother  King Ramavardhi (A. V. Subba Rao) sends his seven sons in search of his niece. In the forest, the younger prince Karyavardhi (N. T. Rama Rao) spots the last girl Balanagamma (Anjali Devi) and both of them fall in love. Now the seven sisters marry the seven princes and Karyavardhi & Balanagamma are blessed with a baby boy. Meanwhile, the wicked wizard Mayala Marathi (S. V. Ranga Rao) challenges his paramour Rani Sangu (Raja Sulochana) to show a beautiful woman in the universe and kidnaps Balanagamma from her palace. After that, he turns Karyavardhi and his army who confronts him, into  statues. Here Balanagamma tries to commit suicide when Bhoolakshmi's aura again protects and explains that her son at the age of 12 will rescue her. At present, Balanagamma plots and resists Marathi in the name of vow "Vratha" for 12-year to which Marathi agrees. Time passes, Balanagamma's son Balavardhi (Mater Satyanarayana) learns that his parents have been held captive by Mayala Marathi. Thereupon, Balavardhi starts, enters the Marathi's den, meets his mother and breakouts the life secret of Marathi. Soon, he sets off on an adventurous journey that takes him across the seven seas to bring  the parrot in which lies the Marathi's life. Finally, he eliminates Marathi, frees his parents and returns home to be appointed as the Prince. Production. "Bala Nagamma" was remade from the 1942 film of the same name. Relangi and Lanka Satyam, who appeared in the 1942 film, returned in the remake. The soundtrack of the film was composed by T. V. Raju, while the lyrics were written by Samudrala Jr. Soundtrack. Playback singers are Ghantasala, Pithapuram Nageswara Rao, P. Leela, Jikki, P. Susheela, S. Janaki and K. Rani. Music by Pamarthi. Lyrics by Kuyilan and Kambadasan. Playback singers are  Seerkazhi Govindarajan, Ghantasala, P. Seenivasan, A. L. Raghavan, P. Leela, P. Susheela, Jikki, R. Balasaraswathi Devi and K. Rani. Reception. "The Indian Express" in its review dated 11 March 1960 reviewing the Tamil-dubbed version noted the theme "will not be without fascination for our Tamil folk on account of the touch of the super-natural dominating the theme" but praised S. V. Ranga Rao as "providing major attraction".