View source for Batasari

{{short description|1961 film}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Batasari
| image          = Batasari.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[P. S. Ramakrishna Rao|Ramakrishna]]
| screenplay     = [[Samudrala Sr.]]
| based_on       = {{based on|''Bardidi''|[[Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay|Saratchandra Chatterjee]]}}
| producer       = Ramakrishna
| starring       = <!--Order per on-screen credits-->[[P. Bhanumathi]]<br />[[Akkineni Nageswara Rao]]
| cinematography = M. Sundaraam
| editing        = V. Venkat
| music          = [[Master Venu]]
| studio         = [[Bharani Pictures]]
| released       = {{Film date|df=y|1961|6|30|Telugu}} {{Film date|df=y|1961|7|21|Tamil}}
| runtime        = 146 minutes
| country        = India
| language       = {{ubl|Telugu|Tamil}}
}}
'''''Batasari''''' ({{translation|Wayfarer}}) is a 1961 Indian [[Telugu language|Telugu]]-language [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]], produced and directed by [[P. S. Ramakrishna Rao|Ramakrishna]] of [[Bharani Pictures]]. It was [[Multiple-language version|simultaneously made]] in [[Tamil language|Tamil]] as '''''Kaanal Neer''''' ({{translation|Mirage}}). Based on the [[Bengali language|Bengali]] novel ''Bardidi'' ({{translation|Elder sister}}) by [[Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay|Saratchandra Chatterjee]], the film stars [[P. Bhanumathi]] and [[Akkineni Nageswara Rao]], with music composed by [[Master Venu]]. ''Batasari'' was released on 30 June 1961, and ''Kaanal Neer'' on 21 July. Both versions did not succeed commercially.
== Plot ==
{{more plot|date=November 2022}}
Surendranath / Suren, a lone wolf, is the maternal grandson & heir of Zamindar of Dharapuram. He stays with his father, Raghavaiah, & stepmother, Sundaramma, and she raises Suren with mollycoddle. Suren currently ranks in graduation and sets his sights on stepping into [[England]] for higher education. Sundaramma dismisses it, so peeved, Suren quits and proceeds to [[Madras]]. Appa Rao, a wealthy, resides with his son, Siva Chandra, and two daughters, Madhavi & Prameela. Madhavi is an honorable young widow and takes care of family tasks. Today, Suren approaches Apparao for a post; he appoints him as a tutor to Prameela and provides a roof. Madhavi gazes at Suren's distrait nature and covertly concerns his things in time. Hereupon, a strange adoration blossoms between them, and Suren silently endears without viewing her. It creates rumors that anguish Madhavi, and she scolds Suren for neglecting his duty. Thus, he exits, being upset on an aimless journey, and meets a fatal accident. Soon after the recovery, Raghavaiah carries Suren back, notifying Appa Rao. The detachment disconcerts the two, but they accept fate.
Meanwhile, Suren's grandfather passes away, and he crowns his terrain, which green eyes his sly Diwan Alwar. Following this, he splices benevolent Shanti, who worships him. However, Suren does not reciprocate because his heart longs for Madhavi. Parallelly, Appa Rao expires, Siva Chandra wedlocks shrew Kanti, and she scorns Madhavi. Then, she walks out to her in-law's house, which is under the regime of Suren, but Pullaiah, her peasant, envies it. Shanti molds Suren as a good Samaritan who handles his liabilities and hinders the atrocities of Diwan. Anyhow, his health deteriorates due to the post-effective of the accident. Shanti seeks to share all aspects of Suren's life when he divulges his holy love for Madhavi. As of now, Suren requests Shanti to get Madhavi to view it once before leaving his breath, which she denies. Besides, Pullaiah ruses with Diwan and vends Madhavi's assets. Engaged, Madhavi moves to confront Suren, being unbeknownst. Thereupon, she silently behinds discerning Suren and about to depart. Suren is aware of the totality and rushes for Madhavi. Simultaneously, Shanti becomes flat imploring before goddesses as she is conscious it will result in her husband's death. At last, with great difficulty, Suren reaches Madhavi and dies in her lap with the first look when she, too, accompanies him. Finally, the movie ends by showing the duo are immortal.
== Cast ==
*[[P. Bhanumathi]] as Madhavi
*[[Akkineni Nageswara Rao]] as Surendranath / Suren
*[[J. V. Ramana Murthy]] as Siva Chandra
*[[Mudigonda Lingamurthy]] as Diwan Alwar
*[[Vangara Venkata Subbaiah|Vangara]] as Pullaiah
*[[B. R. Panthulu]] Apparao
*Vinnakota Ramanna Pantulu as Raghavaiah
*Boddapati as Anjaiah
*Doraiswamy as Zamindar of Dharapuram
*[[Sowcar Janaki]] as Shanthi
*[[Devika]] as Manorama
*[[Suryakantham (actress)|Suryakantham]] as Sundaramma
*[[Chhaya Devi]] as Poornamma
*[[L. Vijayalakshmi]] as Dancer
*[[Lakshmirajyam]] as Dancer
*Baby Sasikala as Prameela
== Production ==
''Batasari'' is based on the novel ''Bardidi'' by [[Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay|Saratchandra Chatterjee]]. It was simultaneously filmed in Tamil as ''Kaanal Neer''.<ref name="RandorGuy" /> The Telugu version was originally titled ''Yendamavulu''. Before and during the shoot, for inspiration, [[Akkineni Nageswara Rao]] was asked by [[P. S. Ramakrishna Rao|Ramakrishna]] to watch [[Uttam Kumar]]'s performance in the [[Bardidi|1959 film version]] of ''Bardidi''. Nageswara Rao complied, and even donned the getup just like Kumar, but held to his own on histrionics.<ref name="Narasimham">{{Cite news |last=Narasimham |first=M. L. |date=26 May 2016 |title=Batasari (1961) |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/batasari-1961/article8649926.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006174319/http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/batasari-1961/article8649926.ece |archive-date=6 October 2017 |access-date=25 November 2022 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>
== Soundtrack ==
Music composed by [[Master Venu]]. Lyrics were written by [[Samudrala Sr.|Samudrala Sr]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bhatasari (1961)-Song_Booklet |url=https://indiancine.ma/documents/COM/info |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20221124132118/https://indiancine.ma/documents/COM/info |archive-date=24 November 2022 |access-date=24 November 2022 |website=Indiancine.ma}}</ref> For ''Kaanal Neer'', the lyrics were written by [[Kannadasan]] and [[Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Neelamegam |first=G. |title=Thiraikalanjiyam&nbsp;— Part 2 |date=November 2016 |publisher=Manivasagar Publishers |edition=1st |location=Chennai |pages=19 |language=Tamil}}</ref>
{|class="wikitable"
|+Telugu Track List
|-
!Song Title !!Singers !!Length
|-
|"O Batasari"
|[[P. Bhanumathi]]
|2:54
|-
|"Kanulakudoche Chetikandani"
|P. Bhanumathi, [[Jikki]]
|2:45
|-
|"Lokamerugani Baala"
|P. Bhanumathi
|3:23
|-
|"Uppakara Chinthaye"
|P. Bhanumathi
|3:02
|-
|"Oho Maharaja"
|Jikki
|3:34
|-
|"O Maata"
|[[P. Susheela]]
|3:16
|}
{|class="wikitable"
|+ Tamil Track List
|-
! Song !! Singers !! Lyrics !! Length
|-
| "Ulagam Theriyaa Payire" || [[P. Bhanumathi]] || Kannadasan || 03:22
|-
| "Manamenum Maaligai Meedhu" || [[P. B. Sreenivas]], [[K. Jamuna Rani]] || Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam || 02:18
|-
| "Anbaana Enname Paavama... Kanaala Kaanaamale"  || P. Bhanumathi || Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam || 03:02
|-
| "Aasai Mozhi Pesa Vaa" || [[P. Susheela]] || [[Kannadasan]] || 03:09
|-
| "Kannil Therindhum Kaikku Varaadha" || P. Bhanumathi, [[Jikki]] || Kannadasan || 02:35
|-
| "O Matha Jegan Matha... Arul Vizhi Paaraai Daevi" || P. Susheela || Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam || 03:00
|-
| "Vazhi Thedi Vandhaai" || P. Bhanumathi || Kannadasan || 02:39
|-
| "Ammaan Magal Paaru" || Jikki || Kannadasan || 03:22
|}
== Release and reception ==
''Batasari'' was released on 30 June 1961, and ''Kaanal Neer'' on 21 July 1961.<ref name="Narasimham" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=21 July 1961 |title=Kanal Neer |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19610721&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=25 November 2022 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=3 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> ''[[The Indian Express]]'' said, "The standout feature of ''Kaanal Neer'' is the fascinating photography of young Venkat, particularly in the climax. In other technical respects, the film maintains a good standard."<ref>{{Cite news |date=28 July 1961 |title=Kanal Neer |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19610728&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=25 November 2022 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=3 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Both versions did not succeed commercially; according to historian [[Randor Guy]], this was because audiences felt the story was too highbrow.<ref name="RandorGuy">{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=18 May 2013 |title=Kaanal Neer (1961) |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-columns/kaanal-neer-1961/article4727300.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221125091812/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-columns/kaanal-neer-1961/article4727300.ece |archive-date=25 November 2022 |access-date=25 November 2022 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref><ref name="Narasimham" />
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|0259211}}
* {{IMDb title|0263529|Kaanal Neer}}
[[Category:1960s Indian films]]
[[Category:1960s multilingual films]]
[[Category:1960s Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1960s Telugu-language films]]
[[Category:1961 drama films]]
[[Category:1961 films]]
[[Category:Films based on Bengali novels]]
[[Category:Films based on works by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay]]
[[Category:Films directed by P. S. Ramakrishna Rao]]
[[Category:Films scored by Master Venu]]
[[Category:Indian black-and-white films]]
[[Category:Indian drama films]]
[[Category:Indian multilingual films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]