''Bhakta Tukaram'' is a 1973 Indian
Telugu-language
biographical film
A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or group of people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from Docudrama, docudrama films ...
based on the life of the saint-poet
Tukaram, produced by
P. Adinarayana Rao under the
Anjali Pictures banner and directed by
V. Madhusudhana Rao. It stars
Akkineni Nageswara Rao,
Anjali Devi and
Sivaji Ganesan
Villupuram. Chinnaiya Manrayar Ganesamoorthy (1 October 1928 – 21 July 2001), better known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan, was an Indian actor and film producer. He was mainly active in Tamil cinema during the latter half of the 20th centur ...
, with music also composed by Adinarayana Rao.
Plot
The film is based on the story of
Tukaram, an advent devotee of
Panduranga in the 17th century in
Dehu village of present-day
Maharashtra
Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
. Tukaram is kindhearted and ameliorates everyone, for which he absorbs his property. He leads a family with two wives, Avalai Jija Bai & Rukma Bai, and 2 infants. However, he is not interested in worldly matters. He is constantly immersed in the adoration of the Lord—Mumbaji Go Swamy, who presents himself as holy and exploits public faith for his own gain. Tukaram permanently exiles him, so resentful Mumbaji causes him much pain, lavelling him as an atheist, and ostracizing him. Hence, his family suffers from starvation even though no one comes forward to support him when Rukma Bai passes away. Devastated Tukaram quits questioning the existence of God when Panduranga appears and endorses his divinity as
Abhang s to scripture. Now Tukaram awakes the devotion via singing and becomes eminent, which impresses emperor
Shivaji
Shivaji I (Shivaji Shahaji Bhonsale, ; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680) was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle dynasty. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the Sultanate of Bijapur that formed the genesis of the ...
, who facilitates him with material gifts but refuses courteously.
At this point, Mumbaji's envy is boundless, so he uses a brothel, Bahina Bai, to lure Tukaram when he shows the reality of life, how her beauty shrinks in old age and makes her a devotee. Later, Mumbaji claims that Tukaram stole his verses when Pandit Rameswara Bhattar, a religious authority, arrives and orders Tukaram to immerse his works in the river and never publicly discuss religion, which he does. The river
Ganga retrieves it, affirming it as sacred when Rameswara Bhattar becomes his follower. Meanwhile, Mumbaji hides the Lord's statue, indicates Tukaram, and complains to Shivaji. So, he lands at Dehu to test Tukaram when, with his holy power, he restores the statue. Now, Mumbaji intrigues by notifying Shivaji's presence therein to the Mughals, but the Lord protects him at the behest of Tukaram. Knowing it, the enraged Mughal Empire amputates Mumbaji, which Tukaram retrieves, and he bows his head down. At last, the Lord invites Tukaram to
Vaikuntha
Vaikuntha (), also called Vishnuloka (), and Tirunatu (Tirunāṭu) in Tamil language, Tamil, is the abode of Vishnu, the Parabrahman , supreme deity in the Vaishnavism, Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism,Gavin Flood, An Introduction to Hinduism' ( ...
with the mortal body by sending his vehicle
Garuda
Garuda (; ; Vedic Sanskrit: , ) is a Hindu deity who is primarily depicted as the mount (''vahana'') of the Hindu god Vishnu. This divine creature is mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain faiths. Garuda is also the half-brother of the D ...
. Finally, the movie ends with Tukaram going to heaven, giving his ultimate preaching to follow righteousness, truth, peace, kindness & mercy.
Cast
*
Akkineni Nageswara Rao as
Tukaram
*
Anjali Devi as Avali Bai
*
Sivaji Ganesan
Villupuram. Chinnaiya Manrayar Ganesamoorthy (1 October 1928 – 21 July 2001), better known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan, was an Indian actor and film producer. He was mainly active in Tamil cinema during the latter half of the 20th centur ...
as
Shivaji
Shivaji I (Shivaji Shahaji Bhonsale, ; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680) was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle dynasty. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the Sultanate of Bijapur that formed the genesis of the ...
*
Nagabhushanam as Mumbaji Goswamy
*
Dhulipala as Rameswara Bhatta
*
Sakshi Ranga Rao
Sakshi Ranga Rao (born Rangavajhula Ranga Rao; – 27 June 2005) was an Indian character actor who worked in Telugu cinema and Telugu theatre, theatre. He appeared in about 450 films over a career spanning four decades, majority of which w ...
as Nandi
*Bhanu Prakash as Neeloji
*Nagaraju as
Lord Panduranga
*
P. J. Sarma as Gangadhar Pandit
*Potti Prasad as Varaham
*
Kanchana as
Bahina Bai
*
Sriranjani Jr. as Rukma Bai
*
Baby Sridevi as Kaasi (Tukaram's daughter)
*Baby Rani
Production
Akkineni Nageswara Rao played
Tukaram, and
Sivaji Ganesan
Villupuram. Chinnaiya Manrayar Ganesamoorthy (1 October 1928 – 21 July 2001), better known by his stage name Sivaji Ganesan, was an Indian actor and film producer. He was mainly active in Tamil cinema during the latter half of the 20th centur ...
played
Shivaji
Shivaji I (Shivaji Shahaji Bhonsale, ; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680) was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle dynasty. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the Sultanate of Bijapur that formed the genesis of the ...
without taking any remuneration for the film.
Soundtrack
Music composed by P. Adinarayana Rao.
References
External links
*
{{V. Madhusudhana Rao
1973 films
1970s Telugu-language films
1970s Indian films
Indian biographical films
Films about Hinduism
History of India on film
Films directed by V. Madhusudhana Rao
Hindu devotional films
1970s biographical films
Cultural depictions of Shivaji