SAMTHEBESTEST

Gundamma Katha (1962) : Brief Review -

A classic family comedy chaos led by NTR, ANR, Savitri, and Jamuna. While William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew has inspired many screen adaptations, the Kannada film Mane Thumbida Hennu was loosely based on it. Its success led to a Telugu remake titled Gundamma Katha. What elevated this version was its iconic star cast-especially the pairing of two of Telugu cinema's biggest legends, NTR and ANR, sharing equal screen space. That itself is a treat for fans. The presence of Savitri and Jamuna as the female leads adds further weight to the ensemble. With veterans like Suryakantham and S. V. Ranga Rao joining the mix, full credit goes to director Kamalakara Kameswara Rao for assembling such a stellar cast. What he delivers is a timeless, lighthearted family entertainer. Although the story borrows a piece of an idea from Shakespeare's play, it quickly charts its own course. It follows two brothers, Anjaneya and Raja, who marry the daughters of Gundamma-Lakshmi, the kind and patient stepdaughter, and Saroja, the pampered and arrogant one. The twist? The brothers hide their real identities to win their brides. Post-marriage, Raja sets out to reform Saroja, while Lakshmi, happy to discover her husband's true background, gracefully takes charge as the ideal homemaker. Every character leaves an impact, with strong performances all around. The real winner, however, is the screenplay-blending family values, chaos, comedy, and romance in just the right doses. Despite its dated moments, Gundamma Katha still holds relevance today. Those very clichés have become templates for many films that followed. Except for the title, I liked everything else about the film. A thoroughly enjoyable watch.

RATING - 7.5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Tenali Ramakrishna (1956) : Brief Review -

ANR rules the film with his portrayal of Ramakrishna despite its historical inaccuracies. Another Telugu historical feature that brings two legends, ANR and NTR, together-and they do full justice to it. As noted by contemporary critics, the film suffers from historical inaccuracies but is never boring. Running for over 2 hours and 40 minutes, Tenali Ramakrishna is an entertaining and important watch for every Andhra person. Portraying the legendary character of Tenali Ramakrishna was no easy task, and ANR knew that it's not every day you get to play such an iconic role. He ensured that people would remember him for Tenali Ramakrishna. NTR plays the role of Krishnadevaraya, who is overshadowed by Ramakrishna, but there's no sign of insecurity. He is fine in his role, even though the character arc isn't in a strong position. It's definitely hurtful to see our ancient king committing such childish mistakes. I can understand how the locals must have felt. The storyline begins with the struggling days of Ramakrishna, who, after being rejected by Tatacharya, prays to Maa Jagadamba. The Goddess appears and blesses him with the boon of becoming a Vikatakavi (jester), destined to entertain others. Soon after, he solves the problem of dividing 17 elephants for King Krishnadevaraya and is immediately honoured with a position in the royal court. He earns his name through many more clever deeds and displays of wit. Now, he must guide his king, who is at risk of going astray, while enemies prepare to invade-and Ramakrishna himself is exiled from the kingdom. The screenplay could have been better, and several fictional additions take the film away from reality. Being a musical, there are too many songs-just too many. B. S. Ranga's scale is huge, but the vision wasn't flawless. A few misses, but overall a good film that explores an important personality from our history books. Watch it for that.

RATING - 6.5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Pelli Chesi Choodu (1952): Brief Review -

An early family comedy-drama on the dowry system by L. V. Prasad that has all the entertaining ingredients. Many Hindi audiences are familiar with Jeetendra and Rekha's Shaadi Ke Baad (1972), so let me tell you-that was a remake of this L. V. Prasad comedy satire. Made in the early '50s, Pelli Chesi Choodu creates a chaotic yet entertaining atmosphere around a serious topic like dowry and societal inequality. The film focuses on Venkat and Ammadu's marriage, which is abandoned during the wedding ceremony due to a lack of dowry. Venkat's father cancels the marriage because there is no dowry, leaving Ammadu and her family shattered. She attempts suicide but is saved in time. Guilty and still in love with Ammadu, Venkat then lives with her secretly, and they even have a child. To keep their marriage hidden from his father and society, Venkat and Ammadu put on an act-Venkat pretends to be mentally ill, and Ammadu plays his nurse. Will this charade last when Venkat's father is planning a new marriage for his son? NTR appears a little late, and his entry scene isn't heroic at all. However, he gets all the hero-driven elements eventually. Comedy, music, romance, drama, and emotional scenes-he gets to do all of it. Yandamuri Joga and Gade Balakrishna have substantial roles, and they are simply amazing. They entertain you like anything. G. Varalakshmi plays a central character with simplicity and portrays the typical obedient girl from a middle-class family with grace. Savitri has a smaller role but performs well. The rest of the supporting cast is also fine. The music is supportive, and the lyrics are poignant (I'm saying this based on the English subtitles). Reddy sir knew how to craft a healthy, entertaining family comedy while tackling sensitive issues-and this is one of the earliest prime examples of his finesse. I reckon it must have become the talk of the village back in the day for breaking the silence on the dowry system and honour culture.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.