CineGoer.com - Nostalgia

Sowcar (1950)

APK | January 09, 2008

Sowcar Janaki and NTR

Nagi Reddy-Chakrapani started to produce movies under Vijaya Productions, to give us some of the best movies of Telugu Classical Era.

Aaluri Venkata Subbarao got TB, and in the hospital that he was getting treatment, he was placed next to a Bengali. He learnt Bengali from him, and went on to translate the works of Sarat Chandra and publish it back in Tenali under the pen-name of Chakrapani. Renowned director C. Pullayya asked him to write the script for his next movie, which he finished and subsequently titled 'Dharmapatni'. After the movie, he went back to publishing, bringing out a monthly magazine. Later he shifted base to Madras, to BNK Press, owned by Nagi Reddy. Their legendary camaraderie, both on personal and work levels, started from here.

Being the brother of director BN Reddy, he dealt with the publicity and promotion of all their movies along with handling the management of BNK Press. Chakrapani wrote the script for BN Reddy's Swarga Seema. Later, Nagi Reddy took Vauhini Studios for lease, which was running at losses; he also bought the plot next to it and renamed the enterprise as Vijaya Studios. Nagi Reddy-Chakrapani started to produce movies under Vijaya Productions, to give us some of the best movies of Telugu Classical Era.

LV Prasad, who had directed Griha Pravesham, was choosen as the director for their first venture, Sowkar.

The story went thus. Changayya is a wealthy Sowkar whose son Satyam is studying the city. His neighbor is Ramayya; Changayya is affectionate towards his daughter Subbulu and wants to make her his daughter-in-law. Satyam is also all for this idea. But due to some conflict in the village courtesy Bangarayya, Ramayya provides the police witness against Changayya citing his hand present in the messy affair. The two families are thereafter estranged. They start off with petty fights, getting worse every day culminating with Satyam and Ramayya's son Narayana ending up in jail after being framed. The local goon Rangadu plans to rob Changayya's place, but his plans are spoiled by Subbulu and Ramayya. Both the families end their spat with remorse, and become friendly once again. Satyam and Subbulu marry, and all's well that end's well.

Though Athreya was the first choice to script the movie, due to unforeseen circumstances and ill-health, Chakrapani finally ended up writing the dialogues for Sowkar. Similarly, the role of Sunnam Rangadu was to go to Sadasiva Rao, but the part was played in the end by SV Rangarao. His mannerisms, accent and walk gave a new dimension to the character of a rowdy, and was much liked by the audiences. Vallabhajosyula Sivaram, who played Narayana in the movie, later became a sound engineer for Vauhini. Srivatsava, who plays Narayana's father Ramayya in Sowkar, later portrayed the role of Rayalu in Malleswari.

Padmanabham auditioned for the role by performing some mimicry bits in front of the makers. When they told him he can get a role, but needs to shave his head for that, he came back with a shaved head and bagged a small role. Chadalavada Kutumba Rao and Vallam Narasimha Rao of the Praja Natya Mandali entered into films with this movie.

Ghantasala composed the music for this movie, while Master Venu, who trained under Naushad, conducted the orchestra. Samudrala penned the lyrics for the songs, including a Harikatha used for the first time in a movie for the rural-based theme created a natural situation and need for it. These days most movies have a tag, but Sowkar seems to have started the trend way back. Its tag is 'Iruguporugula Katha'.

Sowkar was appreciated by the critics and public alike, but the box-office did not see ringing cash registers. It was a slightly 'different' movie for that era, meaning the theatrical aspect present in movies of those days was toned down to a large extent. The reality in the movie was difficult for the audiences to accept at one go, but the music was a hit. Vijaya Productions became an established production house. It is well-known today the kind of movies they have given and Sowkar was the beginning of every trend that they set and every mould they modified.