Seetha Kalyanam (1934 film)
Encyclopedia
Seetha Kalyanam (Seetha's Wedding) is a 1934 Tamil
film produced by Prabhat Film Company
. It was the first film for musicians Papanasam Sivan
and Veenai S. Balachander. The film was remade in Telugu
in the same year.
's (S. Jayalakshmi
) swayamvara
. Sita's father King Janaka
(V. Sundaram Iyer) arranges a swayamvara for his daughter. He announces a contest and declares that whoever can wield Shiva Dhanush (Shiva
's bow) will be given Seetha's hand in marriage. After several kings and princes fail to do so, Rama
(S. Rajam), the prince of Ayodhya, wields the bow and marries Sita.
. V. Shantaram
wanted to make a Tamil film using his sets from his 1933 Marathi film Sairandhri. Sairandhri was a financial failure and Shantaram was looking to underwrite its cost by making a Tamil film reusing its sets at Kolhapur. He wrote to Sound and Shadow, a Chennai
-based movie magazine asking for help. The people who ran the magazine — film directors Murugadasa (Muthuswamy Iyer), A. K. Sekhar, K. Ramnoth, and G. K. Seshagiri, their financial backer — agreed to help Shantaram. The four of them with V. Sundaram Iyer and his children — S. Jayalakshmi, S. Rajam
and Veenai S. Balachander — went to Kolhapur to participate in the new film. The children's music tutor, Papanasam Sivan
was hired to write the lyrics for the songs. Shantaram's cousin, Baburao Pendharkar directed the film with K. Ramnoth as his assistant. The film was later remade in Telugu with a different set of actors, with K. Ramnoth as cinematographer and A. K. Sekhar as art director. The songs were not pre-recorded. They were recorded live on the set with the actors singing them in their own voices, while the orchestra players played their instruments beyond the camera range. Instruments which could be carried easily — like the harmonium, violin, flute, tabla and clarinet — were mostly used.
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
film produced by Prabhat Film Company
Prabhat Film Company
Prabhat Film Company popularly known as Prabhat Films was an Indian film production company and film studios, formed in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India in 1929, towards the end of silent films' era, by the noted film director V. Shantaram, along with V.G. Damle, K.R. Dhaiber, S. Fatelal and S.B...
. It was the first film for musicians Papanasam Sivan
Papanasam Sivan
Papanasam Sivan was a prominent composer of Carnatic music and a singer.A famous composer, Sivan was also known as Tamil Thyagayya. Using Classical South Indian as a base, Sivan created numerous hits popularised by M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar and M. S...
and Veenai S. Balachander. The film was remade in Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
in the same year.
Plot
Seetha Kalyanam is the story of SeethaSITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
's (S. Jayalakshmi
S. Jayalakshmi
Sundaram Jayalakshmi was a Tamil film actress who played lead parts in movies of the 1930s and 1940s. Carnatic musicians S. Rajam and S. Balachander were her brothers....
) swayamvara
Swayamvara
Swayamvara , in ancient India, was a practice of choosing a husband, from among a list of suitors, by a girl of marriageable age. Swayam in Sanskrit means self and vara means choice or desire ....
. Sita's father King Janaka
Janaka
Janaka or Raja Janaka were the kings of Videha Kingdom. Their capital was Mithila, which is believed to be present day Janakpur, Nepal...
(V. Sundaram Iyer) arranges a swayamvara for his daughter. He announces a contest and declares that whoever can wield Shiva Dhanush (Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
's bow) will be given Seetha's hand in marriage. After several kings and princes fail to do so, Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
(S. Rajam), the prince of Ayodhya, wields the bow and marries Sita.
Production
The film was made under the banner of Prabhat Film CompanyPrabhat Film Company
Prabhat Film Company popularly known as Prabhat Films was an Indian film production company and film studios, formed in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India in 1929, towards the end of silent films' era, by the noted film director V. Shantaram, along with V.G. Damle, K.R. Dhaiber, S. Fatelal and S.B...
. V. Shantaram
V. Shantaram
V. Shantaram is a renowned Indian filmmaker, film producer and actor. He is most known for his films like Dr...
wanted to make a Tamil film using his sets from his 1933 Marathi film Sairandhri. Sairandhri was a financial failure and Shantaram was looking to underwrite its cost by making a Tamil film reusing its sets at Kolhapur. He wrote to Sound and Shadow, a Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
-based movie magazine asking for help. The people who ran the magazine — film directors Murugadasa (Muthuswamy Iyer), A. K. Sekhar, K. Ramnoth, and G. K. Seshagiri, their financial backer — agreed to help Shantaram. The four of them with V. Sundaram Iyer and his children — S. Jayalakshmi, S. Rajam
S. Rajam
Sundaram Rajam was an Indian actor, painter and Carnatic musician from the state of Tamil Nadu. He was a student of the Carnatic musician Papanasam Sivan and the elder brother of Tamil film director and musician Veenai S. Balachander. Rajam made his Tamil film debut in the 1934 film Seetha Kalyanam...
and Veenai S. Balachander — went to Kolhapur to participate in the new film. The children's music tutor, Papanasam Sivan
Papanasam Sivan
Papanasam Sivan was a prominent composer of Carnatic music and a singer.A famous composer, Sivan was also known as Tamil Thyagayya. Using Classical South Indian as a base, Sivan created numerous hits popularised by M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar and M. S...
was hired to write the lyrics for the songs. Shantaram's cousin, Baburao Pendharkar directed the film with K. Ramnoth as his assistant. The film was later remade in Telugu with a different set of actors, with K. Ramnoth as cinematographer and A. K. Sekhar as art director. The songs were not pre-recorded. They were recorded live on the set with the actors singing them in their own voices, while the orchestra players played their instruments beyond the camera range. Instruments which could be carried easily — like the harmonium, violin, flute, tabla and clarinet — were mostly used.
Cast and crew
- S. RajamS. RajamSundaram Rajam was an Indian actor, painter and Carnatic musician from the state of Tamil Nadu. He was a student of the Carnatic musician Papanasam Sivan and the elder brother of Tamil film director and musician Veenai S. Balachander. Rajam made his Tamil film debut in the 1934 film Seetha Kalyanam...
- RamaRamaRama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian... - S. JayalakshmiS. JayalakshmiSundaram Jayalakshmi was a Tamil film actress who played lead parts in movies of the 1930s and 1940s. Carnatic musicians S. Rajam and S. Balachander were her brothers....
- SitaSITASITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry... - V. Sundaram Iyer - JanakaJanakaJanaka or Raja Janaka were the kings of Videha Kingdom. Their capital was Mithila, which is believed to be present day Janakpur, Nepal...
- T. V. Seetharama Iyer - DasarathaDasarathaDasharatha was a king of Ayodhya of the Ikshvaku dynasty whose life story is narrated principally in the Hindu epic Ramayana...
- P. Venkata Rao - ViswamitraViswamitraBrahmarshi Vishvamitra is one of the most venerated rishis or sages of ancient times in India. He is also credited as the author of most of Mandala 3 of the Rigveda, including the Gayatri Mantra. The Puranas mention that only 24 rishis since antiquity have understood the whole meaning of, and...
- G. K. Seshagiri
- Kamala - KaikeyiKaikeyiKaikeyi , in the Hindu epic Rāmāyaṇa, was the second of King Daśaratha's three wives and a queen of Ayodhyā. She was the mother of Bharata...
- Rajam - KausalyaKausalyaKausalya in the Indian Rāmāyaṇa epic was the eldest of King Daśaratha's three wives and a queen of Ayodhyā, she was the daughter of the King of the Kosala Kingdom. She was the mother of Rama, the king of Ayodhya, upon whom the story of the Ramayana is based....
- S. Saraswathi - UrmilaUrmilaIn Hindu epic Ramayana, Urmila was the daughter of King Janaka of Mithila and the younger sister of Sita. She was the wife of Lakshmana, the younger brother of Lord Rama. They had two sons, Angad and Dharmaketu....
- Veenai S. Balachander - Musician at Ravana's Court
- Papanasam SivanPapanasam SivanPapanasam Sivan was a prominent composer of Carnatic music and a singer.A famous composer, Sivan was also known as Tamil Thyagayya. Using Classical South Indian as a base, Sivan created numerous hits popularised by M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar and M. S...
- Lyrics, Music - A. N. Kalyanasundaram - Music
- M. S. Subramania Iyer - Dialogue
- K. Ramnoth - Assistant Director
- Baburao Phendharkar - Director