''Daiva Balam'' () is a 1959

Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...

-language

swashbuckler film A swashbuckler film is characterised by swordfighting and adventurous heroic characters, known as swashbucklers. While morality is typically clear-cut, heroes and villains alike often, but not always, follow a code of honor. Some swashbuckle ...

, produced and directed by Ponnaluru Vasanthakumar Reddy. It stars

N. T. Rama Rao Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (28 May 1923 – 18 January 1996), often referred to by his initials NTR, was an Indian actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, film editor, philanthropist, and politician who served as the Chief Minister o ...

, Jayasri and music composed by

Ashwatthama Ashvatthama (, , also spelt as Ashwatthama and Ashvatthaman) is a character in the ancient Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. He is the son of Drona, the royal preceptor to the Kuru princes—the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Ashvatthama is a close ...

. The film is the debut of Shobhan Babu in the film industry. The film is known to be one of the earliest Telugu film containing sequences in

Eastmancolor Eastmancolor is a trade name used by Eastman Kodak for a number of related film and processing technologies associated with color motion picture production and referring to George Eastman, founder of Kodak. Eastmancolor, introduced in 1950, was o ...

Plot

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom ''Malwa'' ruled by Ugrasena, who dotes on his daughter, Rupa. According to her horoscope, she is going to knit a pleb. Ugrasena furiously affirms that he should change his daughter's fate, so he seeks the whereabouts of the boy Chandrasena via astrologers and edict to eliminate him. He flees and is sheltered in an ''ashram'' with his mother, Annapurna. Years roll by, and Rupa is acquainted with Chandrasena while hunting, and they crush. King Ugrasena announces tournaments in the capital in which Chandrasena prevails and is honored. That night, Chandrasena proceeds to meet Rupa covetously, but soldiers capture him. Annapurna pleads with Ugrasena when he detects Chandrasena is the same and commands to prey him for the demon, but he slaughters it, elopes with Rupa, and lands at a death house. Hence, Ugrasena announces a high reward for Rupa's retrieval when two callows, Takku & Tikku, move. In the death house, an enchanter seizes Rupa, and Gandharva Rani entrusts the challenge to Chandrasena to acquire a musical tree from "Chambala Island," ruled by wizard Kanakaksha. After an adventurous journey, Chandrasena gets therein when Kanakaksha's daughter Champa allures him, via whom he achieves the tree and relieves Rupa. Kanakaksha recoups Chandrasena by transforming into a garland, and helpless, Takku-Tikku catches Rupa. Parallelly, Kanakaksha insists Chandrasena wed Champa, which he denies. So, he torments him when Rupa, who skipped, moves to the island with the aid of the musical tree and sets her beloved free. Chandrasena slaughters Kanakaksha and blasts the island, and they return to Malava when Ugrasena realizes they cannot turn the fortune. Finally, the movie ends on a happy note with the marriage of Chandrasena & Rupa.

Cast

as Chandrasenudu *Jayasri as Rupa * Shobhan Babu as Enchanter * Gummadi as Ugrasena * Relangi as Takku *

Ramana Reddy Ramana Reddy (1 October 1921 – 11 November 1974) was an Indian character actor, comedian and producer known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema. In a career spanning 24 years, he acted in more than 200 movies. Ramana Reddy and Relang ...

as Tamaram * Mukkamala as Kankaksha * Vangara as astrologer Jaganatha Pandit *

Kasturi Siva Rao Kasturi Siva Rao (6 March 1913 – 24 February 1966) was an Indian actor, comedian, playback singer, producer and director known for his works in Telugu cinema. He was one of the first star comedians of Telugu cinema. Career Kasturi Siva Rao st ...

as Madhava * Girija as Champa *Malathi as Annapurna *Mohana as Gandharva Rani

Soundtrack

Music composed by

References

{{Reflist 1950s Telugu-language films 1950s Indian films