Chakra Dhari


Chakra Dhari is a 1948 Indian Tamil-language film produced by Gemini Studios. V. Nagayya and Pushpavalli star, while Gemini Ganesan who was a budding actor then, appeared in a minor role. A year after its initial release, the film was re-released with a new partly coloured copy.

Plot

Gora is a potter who lives in a village near Pandharpur in Maharashtra. He is a strong devotee of Lord Panduranga. He is not interested in earning money which worries his wife Thulasi. Venkat is Gora's elder brother and an affluent man. His wife Sona does not like Gora and his family. One day while Gora was mixing clay, his child Hari comes there, playing. Gora was in a devotional ecstasy and did not notice his child. The child is killed trampled under the mud. Thulasi threatens to destroy the idol of Panduranga but Gora tries to kill her with an axe. She tells Gora that he should not touch her in future and he also vows that he will not touch her. However, Thulasi gets her sister Shantha to marry her husband Gora so that they can beget a child, however, Gora refuses to touch Shantha too. The sisters seduce Gora one night. Gora is shocked and cuts off his hands for breaking the vows. Lord Panduranga and his consort Rukmini come in disguise and help Gora. Due to their divine powers, happiness is restored in the family. Gora gets back his hands and Hari is brought back to life. The whole family becomes devotees of Lord Panduranga.

Cast

;Adapted from the film credits.
N. Narasimhan, Raja Rao,
K. T. K. S. Mani as Thieves
  • Balaraman, K. Sampathkumar as Officers
  • Panduranga Das, T. S. B. Rao,
Vijaya Rao as Bhandari Devotees
  • Chopra and A. Chandra as Dancers
  • S. R. Lakshmi as Betel Seller
  • Kumari V. Thulasi as Flower Seller
  • B. Ramakrishna Rao as Bangle Seller
  • Pudukottai Seenu as Areca Nut Seller
  • Balan as Beggar

    Production

This tale has been filmed many times in many languages such as Marathi, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu and twice in Tamil.

Soundtrack

Music was composed by M. D. Parthasarathy with P. S. Anantharaman as assistant. Parthasarathy also sang one or two songs. Lyrics were penned by Papanasam Sivan, Kothamangalam Subbu and Sangu Subramaniam. Singers are V. Nagayya and Nagarcoil Mahadevan. Playback singers are S. S. Mani , T. V. Rathnam, Balasaraswathi and M. Kalpagam.
The song Kadhali Radhaiyai kalangavittan is set in the raga Kharaharapriya.
No.SongSinger/sLyricistDuration -
1"Vaa Vaa Ambuliye"T. V. RathnamKothamangalam Subbu02:22-
2"Salangai Kulunga Vaa"M. KalpagamKothamangalam Subbu02:42 /-
3"Ayane Mayane"S. S. ManiKothamangalam Subbu03:30-
4"Aiyamaare Vanga Ammaamare Vanga"Kothamangalam Subbu07:16-
5"Kannale Vettadhe Ennaiye"Kothamangalam Subbu08:43-
6"Unakkum Enakkum"NagayyaKothamangalam Subbu03:07-
7"Enna Ruchiyo, Aha, Enna Ruchiyo"NagayyaKothamangalam Subbu-
8"Vittalanai Panivom"NagayyaKothamangalam Subbu-
9"Kanne Thaalelo"T. V. RathnamKothamangalam Subbu-
10"Kakkai Sirakinile"NagayyaKothamangalam SubbuPapanasam Sivan03:21
11"Prabhu Pandu Ranga"Nagayya02:47Papanasam Sivan-
12"Pandu Rangan Karunayale"Nagayya02:07Papanasam Sivan-
13"Bhakthiyudan Puganzhndhu Paaduvome"Nagarcoil Mahadevan02:03Papanasam Sivan-
14"Poojai Seithome"T. V. Rathnam and group02:29Papanasam Sivan-
15Musical Dance02:31-
16"Oradiyal Ulagalanda"NagayyaSangu Subramaniam01:40-
17"Kadhali Radhaiyai Kalangavittan"M. Kalpagam02:43-

Reception

The film was a success at the box-office. Film historian Randor Guy wrote in 2008 that the film is "Remembered for its soul-filling music, fine photography and Nagayya’s performance."