''Ramayanam'', also known as ''Bala Ramayanam'' (), is a 1997 Indian

Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India *Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language ** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode S ...

-language mythological film directed by

Gunasekhar Gunasekar (born 2 June 1964) is an Indian film director and screenwriter known for his works in Telugu cinema. He has directed films in action, romance, mythological, and historical drama genres. He has won a National Film Award, multiple N ...

and produced by

M. S. Reddy Mallemala Sundara Rami Reddy (15 August 1924 – 11 December 2011), popularly known as M. S. Reddy and Mallemala, was an Indian film producer, director, screen writer and lyricist in Telugu cinema and a writer known for his contribution to ...

. Based on the Hindu epic ''

Ramayana The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th to 4th centuries BCE, and later stages e ...

'', the film features overs 3000 child actors. It stars N. T. Rama Rao Jr. as

Lord Rama Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular ''avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Being ...

and

Smitha Madhav Smitha Madhav is a Carnatic Classical Singer and Bharatanatyam Dancer. Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of India and one of the two main classifications of Indian Classical Music (the other being H ...

Sita Sita (; ) also called as Janaki and Vaidehi is a Hindu goddess and the female protagonist of the Hindu epic, '' Ramayana''. She is the consort of Rama, the avatar of the god Vishnu, and is regarded as a form of Vishnu's consort, Lakshmi ...

. The film is released on 11 April 1997. It received the National Film Award for

Best Children's Film Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporation, ...

and two

Nandi Awards The Nandi Awards are the awards that recognise the excellence in Telugu cinema, Telugu theatre and Telugu television, and Lifetime achievements in Indian cinema. Presented annually by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, the award is named af ...

Plot

The story deals with lord

Rama Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular ''avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Being ...

and his retaliation against

Ravana Ravana (; , , ) is a rakshasa king of the island of Lanka, and the chief antagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana'' and its adaptations. In the ''Ramayana'', Ravana is described to be the eldest son of sage Vishrava and rakshasi Kaikesi. ...

for the kidnapping of his wife goddesses

Cast

* N. T. Rama Rao Jr. as

* Narayanam Nikhil as

Lakshmana Lakshmana ( sa, लक्ष्मण, lit=the fortunate one, translit=Lakṣmaṇa), also spelled as Laxmana, is the younger brother of Rama and his loyalist in the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He bears the epithets of Saumitra () and Ramanuja () ...

* Swathi Kumar as

* Arun Gangadhar as Anjaneya * Aditya Varma as

Dasharatha Dasharatha ( Sanskrit: दशरथ, IAST: Daśaratha; born Nemi) was the king of the Kosala kingdom and a scion of the Suryavamsha dynasty in Hinduism. He ruled from this capital at Ayodhya. Dasharatha was the son of Aja and Indumati. He ...

* Chiranjeevi as Bharata * Manisha Chudamani as

Kausalya Kausalya () is the senior queen-consort of Kosala in the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. She is the mother of Rama, the titular hero of the epic, and the senior wife of Dasharatha, who ruled Kosala from its capital of Ayodhya. In some later acco ...

* Vasundhara as

Kaikeyi Kaikeyi (Sanskrit: कैकेयी, IAST: Kaikeyī) is the second consort of King Dasharatha, and a queen of Ayodhya in the Hindu epic Ramayana. Out of Dasharatha's three wives, Kaikeyi exerts the most influence. Formerly the princess of ...

* Suma as

Sumitra Sumitra ( sa, सुमित्रा, IAST: Sumitrā) is a princess of Kashi in Hindu mythology. The wise Sumitra is the third queen consort of Dasharatha, the king of Kosala, who ruled from Ayodhya. She is the mother of the twins Lakshmana ...

* Svetha Rao as

Urmila Urmila () is a princess featured in the Ramayana. She is the younger sister of Sita, and the wife of Lakshmana, the younger brother of Rama. Legend Urmila is the daughter of King Janaka of Mithila and Queen Sunayana, and the younger sister ...

* Sunaina as Sabari

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Madhavapeddi Suresh. Songs: # "Adi Subhodaya Vela" - '' S. P. Balasubrahmanyam'' # "Virisi Viriyani Malliyalara" - '' K. S. Chithra'' # "Sitaramula Kalyanam " # "Ramayya Rajavutadanta" # "Purajanula Sambaramu" - '' S. P. Balasubrahmanyam'' # "Entha Manchivadivayya" # "Andabayani Jantaga" - ''

K. J. Yesudas Kattassery Joseph Yesudas (born 10 January 1940) is an Indian playback singer and musician who sings Indian classical, devotional and film songs. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest singers in the history of Indian Music and also as a ...

'', '' K. S. Chithra'' # "Budi Budi Adigulu" # "Adigadigo Modalayindi" - '' S. P. Balasubrahmanyam'' Poems: # "Aa Surya Bhagavanudu" - B. Sai Karthikeya # "Hari Hari Entha Maata" # "Vande Sri Raghuvamsa" # "Gaduvu Lopala" # "Aagumaagumu Talli" # "Nanu Talliga " # "Dharma Samsthapanarthammu" # "Poulastya Brahmaga" - B. Sai Karthikeya # "Vinumo Raghava" # "Ramayanammu" - Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna Slokas: # "Jata Kataha Sambhrama" (from Shiva Tandava Stotram) # "Kausalya Supraja Rama" (from Suprabhatam/

Valmiki Ramayana The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th to 4th centuries BCE, and later stages e ...

) - Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna # "Sri Anjaneyam" (from Anjaneya Dandakam)

Production

The film's cast features over 3000 child actors.

Critical response

Upon release, the film received positive reviews from critics.

Awards

The film received National Film Award for

in 1997 for "presenting the classical Indian epic in an entertaining narrative style with child actors playing all legendary characters with ease and nerve." Director

and producer

were presented the award. ;

(in

) * Best Children's Film - Gold -

* Bbest Child Actress - Swathi

References

External links

* 1997 films 1990s Telugu-language films Films based on the Ramayana Hindu mythological films Films directed by Gunasekhar Indian children's films Best Children's Film National Film Award winners Films scored by Madhavapeddi Suresh {{child-film-stub