Ammalakkalu

Ammalakkalu is a 1953 Indian Telugu-language drama film that was produced by Lena Chettiar on Krishna Pictures banner and directed by D. Yoganand. The film stars N. T. Rama Rao, Padmini and Lalitha, with music composed by C. R. Subburaman. It was simultaneously shot in Tamil as Marumagal. The Tamil version was released on 14 April 1953.

Plot

This is the plot of the Telugu version.
Ramaiah and Kistaiah are close friends and farmers. Ramaiah's family consists of his wife, Sugunamma, and two sons, Sundar and Kumar, and a daughter, Rupa, who are struggling for their daily needs. Under the guidance of Kistaiah, Ramaiah starts a small contract business in the town, for which Kishtaiah organizes the amount by mortgaging his wife's jewelry. Ramaiah settles in the town, pays the debt, and also promises to couple up Kishtaiah's daughter Usha with his son Kumar.
Meanwhile, Ramaiah's sons move to town for education. Ammalakkalu heckles Usha, which offends Kistaiah, so he too joins Usha in the same school. Years roll by, Kumar and Usha grow up together, and they love each other. Ramaiah arranges his elder son Sundar's marriage to a shrewish woman named Shanta.
During the time of the wedding of Kumar and Usha, Ammalakkalu provokes Sugunamma, and she insults Kistaiah's wife when a rift arises between families. Kistaiah becomes furious, leaves the venue, and breaks up the marriage of Usha and Kumar. So, Usha and Kumar proceed with a registered marriage, while soft-hearted Ramaiah welcomes the couple into his home. But Sugunamma and Shanta are very cold towards Usha. Kumar goes abroad for higher studies, and Usha faces a lot of difficulties in her in-laws' house.
The rest of the story involves how Usha resolves these problems and reunites the family.

Cast

N. T. Rama Rao as Kumar
Padmini as Usha
Lalitha as Shanta
Surabhi Balasaraswathi as Rupa

;Telugu version

Relangi as Riyo
Amarnath as Sundar
Dr. Sivaramakrishnaiah as Achchaiah
B. R. Panthulu as Ramaiah
D. Balasubramaniam as Kishtaiah
Suryakantham as Seshamma
Rushyendramani as Sugunamma
Surabhi Kamalabai as Parvathi

; Tamil version

S. V. Sahasranamam as Durai
T. R. Ramachandran as Suri
B. R. Panthulu as Ramasamy
D. Balasubramaniam as Krishnaswamy
V. K. Ramasamy as Subedhar
Kallapart Natarajan
"Master" Sudhakar as young Kumar
C. T. Rajakantham as Gunalakshmi
K. S. Angamuthu as Nallamma
M. Saroja as Thara
M. Lakshmiprabha as Doctor Kasturi
S. D. Subbulakshmi as Rajamma
Indra Acharya as Doctor Kamala
K. S. Adhilakshmi as wife of Subedhar
V. Suryakantham as Thangamma
Baby Saraswathi young Usha

;Dance

Soundtrack

The music was composed by C. R. Subburaman with background music to be completed later by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy and party after the untimely death of C. R. Subburaman. T. K. Ramamoorthy acted as his assistant in several films and was asked by the producer to complete the music for the film. Tunes for both languages are the same.
However, there was one song in the film, "Undaloi Undaloi"/"Aanukkoru Penn Pillai," that was composed by G. Ramanathan.
;Telugu soundtrack

Song	Singers	Length
"Penugonu Manasula"	A. M. Rajah & P. A. Periyanayaki	03:27
"Kannemaavi Thotalona"	Jikki & A. P. Komala	02:45
"Kannemaavi Thotalona"	A. M. Rajah & P. A. Periyanayaki	03:56
"Nee Kosam"	Pithapuram Nageswara Rao & M. L. Vasanthakumari	03:51
"Oo Neeve Naa Prema"	A. M. Rajah & P. A. Periyanayaki	02:27
"Undaloi Undaloi"	P. A. Periyanayaki & A. P. Komala	11:10
"Maaradavela Maaramu"	A. M. Rajah & P. A. Periyanayaki	03:48
"Rupaa Rupante"	Pithapuram Nageswara Rao & A. P. Komala	02:18
"Lallaa Lallaa"	Pithapuram Nageswara Rao & R. Balasaraswathi Devi	03:01
"Jhan Jhan Jhan"	A. P. Komala	00:26

;Tamil soundtrack

Song	Singers	Lyrics	Length
"Kanavilum Nanavilum Inai Piriyaadha"	A. M. Rajah & P. A. Periyanayaki	Udumalai Narayana Kavi	03:31
"Chinna Chinna Veedu Katti"	Jikki & A. P. Komala	Udumalai Narayana Kavi	03:50
"Chinna Chinna Veedu Katti"	A. M. Rajah & P. A. Periyanayaki	Udumalai Narayana Kavi	03:18
"Nianikkira Maaadhiri Ellaam"	T. R. Ramachandran & M. L. Vasanthakumari	Udumalai Narayana Kavi	03:51
"Oo Neethaan En Sondham"	A. M. Rajah & P. A. Periyanayaki	Udumalai Narayana Kavi	03:01
"Aanukkoru Penn Pillai"	P. A. Periyanayaki, A. P. Komala & A. G. Rathnamala	Udumalai Narayana Kavi	12:15
"Pesaadha Maounam Aamo"	A. M. Rajah & P. A. Periyanayaki	Udumalai Narayana Kavi	04:23
"Romaani Maambazham Roobamthaan"	T. R. Ramachandran & A. P. Komala	Udumalai Narayana Kavi	02:15
"Laali Suba Laali"	C. R. Subburaman & P. A. Periyanayaki	Udumalai Narayana Kavi	03:05
"Jal Jal Jal Kingkini Aada"	A. P. Komala	K. D. Santhanam

Reception

Reviewing Ammalakkalu, a critic from Zamin Ryot wrote that the story is not smooth, and turns into an unprofitable whorehouse with seams. The film fared well at the box office in both languages, but Ammalakkalu was more successful. In Ammalakkalu, the duet song sung by Relangi became popular in Telugu districts of the then-Madras State. Ammalakkalu became popular through theatrical re-runs.