Mayabazar
About Mayabazar
Balarama promises his sister Subhadra that his daughter Sasirekha will marry her son Abhimanyu. After the Pandavas lose their kingdom in the dice game, he breaks the promise and gives Sasirekha to Duryodhana's son. Krishna and Bhima's son Ghatotkacha use magic to put the lovers back together. Ghatotkacha drops the disguise, routs the Kauravas, and sends them to Hastinapura. Sasirekha's parents accept the marriage. He gives the credit to Krishna, who appears as Vishnu.
Cast & crew
More about Mayabazar
K. V. Reddy directed. Nagi Reddi and Chakrapani produced it at Vijaya. It was shot at the same time in Telugu and Tamil, with a few cast changes. Marcus Bartley photographed it. C. P. Jambulingam and G. Kalyanasundaram edited it. Ghantasala wrote the music. It opened on 27 March 1957. The Telugu version runs 184 minutes. The Tamil version runs 174 minutes. The story is the folk tale Sasirekha Parinayam, using people from the Mahabharata.
Themes
Making
Reddy shot two language versions together at Vijaya. Bartley handled the camera on the magic and the wedding that the parents finally accept.
Look
Marcus Bartley photographed the two versions, including Ghatotkacha's magic and Krishna's appearance as Vishnu.
Music
Ghantasala wrote the music.
Preservation
Prints of the Telugu and Tamil versions survive.
Notes
- N. T. Rama Rao plays Krishna. S. V. Ranga Rao plays Ghatotkacha. Savitri plays Sasirekha.
- Akkineni Nageswara Rao plays Abhimanyu in Telugu. Gemini Ganesan plays him in Tamil.
- Pingali Nagendrarao wrote the Telugu lyrics. The song Lahiri Lahiri carries the first moonlight illusion in an Indian film, shot by Marcus Bartley.
- Ghatotkacha's last act is to name Krishna, not himself.
Scenes
- Balarama gives Sasirekha to Duryodhana's son after the dice game.
- Ghatotkacha sheds the disguise and drives the Kauravas off.
- Krishna appears as Vishnu while Ghatotkacha sings.
Influenced by
- The Mahabharata
- Sasirekha Parinayam
Also available
- Wikimedia Commons (మాయాబజార్ 1957.webm)
