Bhatti Vikramarka
Encyclopedia
Bhatti Vikramarka is a 1960 Telugu film directed by Jampana Chandrasekhara Rao and produced by Polisetty Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Murthy. It is a commercial hit film ran for 100-days.
. It also shows some of the Bethala Kathalu (Stories of Vetala
).
Indra
invites Vikramarka to Heaven and requests him to decide who is the best dancer between Rambha
and Urvasi
. Vikramarka gives two garlands to them to wear and dance. The garland worn by Urvasi stays fresh, whereas that one worn by Rambha withers. He judges Urvasi as the best dancer, as she is fearless about her performance and win. As a token of gratitude, Indra gifts him a Simhasanam with 32 Salabhanjika
s.
Prachandudu performs 99 yagnas and in search of 100th yagna to achieve some magical powers. Mantrikudu told him to invite Vikramarka for the sacrifice. He agrees and reaches the Smasanavatika, where he told him to get Vetala, who is hanging from a tree. He cuts the rope and getting Vetala on his shoulder back. While his return he narrates a tricky social problem and asks Vikramarka to answer. After successfully answering all the stories, Vetala instructs him about the ill intention of Prachanda. Prachanda on his return asks Vikramarka to perform Sashtang Pranam. The cautious Vikramarka tells him as a king he does not know how to do it and requests him show how to do it. He kills Prachanda while he is on Pranam and gets the magical powers.
Accident
on the sets of Narasu Studios, Guindy, Madras on March 13, 1959. The Bhatti Vikramarka shooting required a fire, and a fire was made by using petrol and straw. Mukkamala and Anjali Devi were on the sets. The bamboo setting was ablaze and the flames rose high fast. The fire spread to the adjacent sets too and caused a huge damage of a lakh and half rupees. It took them for more than 90 minutes for the fire brigades to bring the fire under control. This was the worst fire disaster in the history of Telugu cinema.
The plot
The story is based on the historical characters of Bhatti and VikramarkaVikramaditya
Vikramaditya was a legendary emperor of Ujjain, India, famed for his wisdom, valour and magnanimity. The title "Vikramaditya" was later assumed by many other kings in Indian history, notably the Gupta King Chandragupta II and Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya .The name King Vikramaditya is a...
. It also shows some of the Bethala Kathalu (Stories of Vetala
Vetala
A vetala is a ghost-like being from Hindu mythology. The vetala are defined as spirits inhabiting corpses and charnel grounds...
).
Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
invites Vikramarka to Heaven and requests him to decide who is the best dancer between Rambha
Rambha
Rambha in Hindu mythology is the Queen of the Apsarases, the magical and beautiful female beings in Devaloka.She is unrivalled in her accomplishments in the arts of dancing, music and love-making...
and Urvasi
Urvasi
Urvashi Urvashi Urvashi in Hindu legend. She was a celestial maiden in Indra's court and was considered the most beautiful of all the Apsaras....
. Vikramarka gives two garlands to them to wear and dance. The garland worn by Urvasi stays fresh, whereas that one worn by Rambha withers. He judges Urvasi as the best dancer, as she is fearless about her performance and win. As a token of gratitude, Indra gifts him a Simhasanam with 32 Salabhanjika
Salabhanjika
Salabhanjika refers to the sculpture of a woman, displaying stylized feminine features, standing near a tree and grasping a branch. The name of these figures comes from the Sanskrit śālabañjika meaning 'breaking a branch of a sala tree'...
s.
Prachandudu performs 99 yagnas and in search of 100th yagna to achieve some magical powers. Mantrikudu told him to invite Vikramarka for the sacrifice. He agrees and reaches the Smasanavatika, where he told him to get Vetala, who is hanging from a tree. He cuts the rope and getting Vetala on his shoulder back. While his return he narrates a tricky social problem and asks Vikramarka to answer. After successfully answering all the stories, Vetala instructs him about the ill intention of Prachanda. Prachanda on his return asks Vikramarka to perform Sashtang Pranam. The cautious Vikramarka tells him as a king he does not know how to do it and requests him show how to do it. He kills Prachanda while he is on Pranam and gets the magical powers.
Cast
- Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao as Vikramarka Maharaju, King of Ujjain
- Kanta RaoKanta RaoTadepalli Lakshmi Kanta Rao, better known as Kanta Rao , was an Indian film actor and film producer from Andhra Pradesh, India. He acted in more than 400 Telugu mythological, social and folklore movies. He also acted in a few Hindi, Kannada and Tamil movies. He produced about five films under the...
as Bhatti, Minister of Ujjain - Anjali DeviAnjali DeviAnjali Devi is a veteran Telugu actress and producer. She is well known for her mythological role as Sita in Lava Kusha and roles in movies like Suvarna Sundari and Anarkali.- Biography :...
as Prabhavathi Devi, daughter of King Chandrasena - S. V. Ranga RaoS. V. Ranga RaoSamarla Venkata Ranga Rao Popularly Known as S.V.R. was an Indian Theater actor, Tollywood actor, director and producer...
as Mantrikudu - Relangi Venkataramaiah as Tirakasu, Shilpacharya
- Balakrishna as Assistant to Mantrikudu
- NagabhushanamNagabhushanamNagabushanam was a comedian, villain, and character actor in Telugu cinema and theatre fields. His first film was Palletooru under the direction of Tatineni Prakash Rao. He acted in about 395 films during the 1950s to 1980s...
as Prachandudu - MukkamalaMukkamalaMukkamala Krishna Murthy is a lawyer turned actor who was active in Telugu movies in the 1950s and the 1960s. He was a stage actor in his student days and was popular in the role of French General Bussy in Bobbili Yuddham, a stage play based on the historical Bobbili Yuddham...
- Kuchala Kumari
- GirijaGirija (actress)Girija is an early Telugu film actress and comedian of 1950 and 1960s. Her first movie is Kasturi Sivarao's Paramanandayya Shishyula Katha . She acted in many films with Relangi Venkataramaiah and became famous hit comedian pair...
as Arakasu, wife of Tirakasu
Features
There was FireFire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
Accident
Accident
An accident or mishap is an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstance, often with lack of intention or necessity. It implies a generally negative outcome which may have been avoided or prevented had circumstances leading up to the accident been recognized, and acted upon, prior to its...
on the sets of Narasu Studios, Guindy, Madras on March 13, 1959. The Bhatti Vikramarka shooting required a fire, and a fire was made by using petrol and straw. Mukkamala and Anjali Devi were on the sets. The bamboo setting was ablaze and the flames rose high fast. The fire spread to the adjacent sets too and caused a huge damage of a lakh and half rupees. It took them for more than 90 minutes for the fire brigades to bring the fire under control. This was the worst fire disaster in the history of Telugu cinema.
Songs and Poems
- Jaire Jambhaire Okasari Ravemi Sundari
- Kannepilla Sogasu Choodu Maharaja Vanneladi Nagavu Naadi
- Kommulu Thirigina Magavaru Kongu Thagilite Poleru
- Manasaara Preminchinaara
- Natinchana Jagalane Jayinchana (Dance song of Rambha and Urvasi)
- Ninu Nammi (Slokam)
- O Nelaraja Vennela Raja Nee Vannelanni Chinnelanni Makeloyi (Singers: Ghantasala and P. Susheela)
- O Saila Sutha Mataa Pati Padaseva Niratamu Neeva
- O Sundari Andame Vindura Pondara
- Satyamayaa Guruda Nityamayaa
- Suklam Baradharam Vishnum (Slokam)
- Vinta Aina Vidhi Vilasam Idena (Singer: Ghantasala)