Swarnakamalam
స్వర్ణకయలం
Theatrical Release poster
Directed byK. Viswanath
Written byK. Viswanath
Sainath (dialogue)
Produced byC. H. V. Appa Rao
K. S. Rama Rao (presenter)
StarringVenkatesh
Bhanupriya
CinematographyLok Singh
Edited byG. G. Krishna Rao
Music byIlayaraja
Production
company
Bhanu Art Creations
Release date
  • 15 July 1988 (1988-07-15)
Running time
143 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTelugu

Swarnakamalam (Telugu: స్వర్ణకయలం) (transl. The Golden Lotus) is a 1988 Indian Telugu-language dance film written and directed by K. Viswanath.[1] The film stars Venkatesh and Bhanupriya in the lead, while Sharon Lowen appears in a special role.[2] The choreography is helmed by Kelucharan Mohapatra, and Sharon Lowen with soundtrack by Ilaiyaraaja.[3][1] The song sequences were extensively shot at the Valley of Flowers National Park, the Nanda Devi National Park, the Shanti Stupa and Bhringesvara Siva Temple at Dhauli; and other locations in Visakhapatnam.[4]

Featured in the Indian panorama section of the 12th IFFI,[5] the Asia Pacific Film Festival and the Ann Arbor Film Festival,[6][7][2] it fetched three Indian Express Awards, three state Nandi Awards, and two South Filmfare Awards, including Nandi Award for Best Feature Film and Filmfare Best Film Award (Telugu).[8][9]

Plot

Shanti Stupa at Dhauli, where the song "Shiva Poojaku" was filmed
Pushpawati River rushing out at the Valley of Flowers National Park, where the song "Ghallu Ghallu" was shot
Meenakshi portrayed by Chandrasekhar in the film

Meenakshi (Bhanupriya) and Savitri (Devilalita) are daughters of a Kuchipudi doyen, Vedantam Seshendra Sharma. While a highly accomplished artist in his field, Seshendra Sharma is not well-off and has not been able to afford for his daughters, a conventional education. Both of them have achieved a respectable degree of proficiency — Savitri in Carnatic classical music and Meenakshi in classical dance.

Savitri, the elder daughter, is grateful for her knowledge and interest and looks forward to a life that will require her to hone her skills in the art. Meenakshi, on the other hand, is bitter about the lack of opportunity that she feels in the field of classical dance in India and resolves to make a simpler and more pleasurable life for herself as soon as possible, while confiding her ambitions only to her sister.

Chandrasekhar (Venkatesh) is a tenant who has just moved in next door. He is a painter and is shown to be handling movie promotions as a large part of his work. He develops an interest in the neighbors and tries to help them in whatever way he can, partly because of his (unconfessed) interest in Meenakshi and partly because of his interest in the art which seems to be slowly fading from public life.

The rest of the film is largely built around Meenakshi's journey from skepticism to devotion in her pursuit of dance. Chandrasekhar is shown to be an important catalyst in this transformation. Meenakshi becomes an accomplished dancer through the direction of renowned Odissi dancer Sharon Lowen, and gets the opportunity to go to the United States and perform. She learns of Chandrasekhar's love for her, and finally unites with Chandrasekhar, confessing her love for him as well.

Cast

Production

The production design was helmed by Arun D. Ghodgaonkar, with cinematography by Lok Singh.[4] Casting was done by K. Viswanath, including American dancer Sharon Lowen, who portrayed herself as a veteran Odissi artist.[2]

Soundtrack

The music for the film was composed by Ilaiyaraaja and released on ECHO Music Company.

No.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."Ghallu Ghallu Ghallumantu"Sirivennela SitaramasastriP. Susheela, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam5:02
2."Aakasamlo Aasala Harivullu"Sirivennela SitaramasastriS. Janaki4:29
3."Kothaga Rekkalochena"Sirivennela SitaramasastriS. P. Balasubrahmanyam & S. Janaki4:29
4."Koluvaiyunnade Devadevudu"Shahuji I[10]P. Susheela & S. P. Balasubrahmanyam4:57
5."Andela Ravamidhi Padamulada"Sirivennela SitaramasastriS. P. Balasubrahmanyam & Vani Jairam6:59
6."Siva Poojaku Chivurinchina"Sirivennela SitaramasastriP. Susheela & S. P. Balasubrahmanyam6:04
7."Cheri Yasodaku Sisuvithadu"Annamacharya KeerthanaS. P. Sailaja4:35
8."Aathmathvam"Adi Shankara from Siva Manasa PujaS. Janaki3:07
9."Natarajane"Sirivennela SitaramasastriS.P. Sailaja3:08
10."Sakhi Hey"Jayadeva from Gita GovindaTrupti Das5:48
Total length:50:27
Swarnakamalam
Film score by
Ilaiyaraaja
Released1988
GenreSoundtrack
Length50:27
LabelEcho Music
ProducerIlaiyaraaja
Ilaiyaraaja chronology
Rudraveena (film)
(1988)		 Swarnakamalam
(1988)		 Varasudochhadu
(1988)

Awards

Nandi Awards - 1988[11]
Filmfare Awards South - 1988
Cinema Express Awards - 1988

References

  1. 1 2 Ranjana Dave (30 June 2011). "The meaning in movement". The Asian Age. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 Kumar, Ranee (26 May 2016). "Sharon Lowen, an envoy of Indian culture". The Hindu.
  3. ↑ "Sell Domains | Buy Domains | Park Domains". Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  4. 1 2 http://www.indianbackgroundscore.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=164 indianbackgroundscore.com
  5. ↑ "Indian Panorama for 12th IFFI Festival" (PDF).
  6. ↑ "Dance without frontiers: K Viswanath – Director who aims to revive classical arts". 2 May 2017.
  7. ↑ 30 Jun 2011 - Ranjana Dave (30 June 2011). "The meaning in movement". The Asian Age. Retrieved 4 September 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ↑ Subramanium (5 September 2005). "'So many parallels in our life". The Hindu. p. 01. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012.
  9. ↑ "Directorate of Film Festival" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  10. ↑ Shahaji Maharaja of Tanjore (20 December 1955). "Pallaki Seva Prabandham" (PDF). Saraswati Mahal Library. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  11. ↑ "నంది అవార్డు విజేతల పరంపర (1964–2008)" [A series of Nandi Award Winners (1964–2008)] (PDF). Information & Public Relations of Andhra Pradesh. Retrieved 21 August 2020.(in Telugu)
  12. ↑ Vidura. C. Sarkar. 1989.
  13. 1 2 3 Express News Service (11 March 1989), "Cinema Express readers choose Agni Nakshathiram", The Indian Express, p. 4, retrieved 7 October 2016
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