''Sardar Paparayudu'' is a 1980 Indian Telugu-language historical fiction film written and directed by

Dasari Narayana Rao Dasari Narayana Rao (4 May 1942 – 30 May 2017) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, actor, producer, lyricist, and politician, primarily known for his work in Telugu cinema. Over his four decade career, he directed more than 150 feature ...

. Produced by Kranthi Kumar, it stars N. T. Rama Rao in the

title role The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piëce. The title o ...

, alongside

Sridevi Sridevi Kapoor (née Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan; 13 August 1963 – 24 February 2018), known mononymously as Sridevi, was an Indian actress who worked in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada language films. She is regarded as one of ...

and Sarada, with music composed by Chakravarthy. The film was a commercial success and was remade in

Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...

as '' Sarfarosh'' (1985).

Plot

Ramu, a sincere police officer, is in love with Vijaya, the daughter of a corrupt politician, Dharmaraju. Although Dharmaraju maintains a respectable image in public, he is secretly involved in unethical activities. Along with his associates, Satya Murthy and Nyayapathi, Dharmaraju exploited the poor by collaborating with the British. Years earlier, the trio framed a freedom fighter, Sardar Paparayudu, for the murder of a king, Vijayaraghavaraju, in the Andaman Islands. As a result, Paparayudu was sentenced to life imprisonment. Upon meeting Ramu, Dharmaraju is shaken by the young officer's striking resemblance to Sardar Paparayudu. It is soon revealed that Ramu is, in fact, Paparayudu's son. His mother, Seeta, is the wife of Paparayudu. Dharmaraju's fears intensify when Sardar Paparayudu is released from prison, seeking vengeance for his wrongful imprisonment. A conflict arises between Paparayudu and Ramu, as the former seeks justice against Dharmaraju. In a climactic confrontation, Paparayudu sacrifices himself to protect his son and others. In his dying moments, he embraces Ramu, reconciling with him before passing away.

Cast

Production

Development

The idea for ''Sardar Paparayudu'' came about when producer Kranthi Kumar, who had previously worked on smaller, women-centric films such as Sarada (1973), ''Jyothi'' (1976), ''Kalpana'' (1977), and ''Ame Katha'' (1977) decided to make a film with the reigning superstar N. T. Rama Rao.

was selected to direct, with Kranthi Kumar, and Palagummi Padmaraju participating in honing the script along with Dasari Narayana Rao. Originally titled ''Paparayudu'', the film's name was later changed to ''Sardar Paparayudu'' for added emphasis. ''Sardar Paparayudu'' was the third collaboration between Rama Rao and director Dasari Narayana Rao, following successful films like ''Manushulantha Okkate'' (1976) and '' Circus Ramudu'' (1980).

Casting

Rama Rao was cast in the dual roles of the father, Paparayudu, and his son, Ram Mohan. His portrayal of these two distinct characters, with unique mannerisms and dialogue, was a highlight of the film.

played the female lead, and Rao Gopal Rao took on the role of the antagonist, Dharmaraju. Other notable cast members included Gummadi as Baba and

Mohan Babu Manchu Bhakthavatsalam Naidu, credited and also known as Mohan Babu, is an Indian actor and film producer known for his works predominantly in Telugu cinema. An alumnus of the Madras Film Institute, Mohan Babu has acted in more than 500 films ...

as a British soldier.

Filming

The film's production was notable for its extensive period settings, especially during sequences portraying pre-independence India. Rama Rao took special care in distinguishing the two characters he portrayed, ensuring their personalities and dialogue were unique. Additionally, Rama Rao fulfilled a long-held desire to portray

Alluri Sitarama Raju Alluri Sitarama Raju (4 July 1897 or 1898 – 7 May 1924) was an Indian revolutionary who waged an armed rebellion against the British Raj, British colonial rule in India. He led the Rampa Rebellion of 1922, Rampa rebellion (1922–1924) whic ...

in a dream sequence in the song "Vinara Bharatha Veera Kumara," a Burrakatha composed by Sri Sri. There was a notable incident during the filming when Rama Rao sustained a wrist injury, which led to a belief that the film would be a box-office success, following a pattern in his earlier films.

Music

The music was composed by Chakravarthy. Sri Sri, Rajasri, and Dasari Narayana Rao penned the lyrics. The Burrakatha "Vinara Bharatha Veera Kumara," written by Sri Sri and performed by Burrakatha Benarjee, became an iconic piece in the film. The song was later included in many historical retrospectives on Telugu cinema. After the movie's initial release, the song "Jyothilakshmi Cheerakattindi" was added to extend the film's appeal.

Reception

Venkatram of ''

Andhra Patrika ''Andhra Patrika'' was an Indian Telugu-language newspaper founded by Kasinathuni Nageswara Rao on 9 September 1908. It was initially a weekly publication and later transformed into a daily newspaper. It played an influential role in India� ...

'' appreciated the direction, screenplay and dialogues by Dasari Narayana Rao, songs by Chakravarthy and the performances of the cast. ''Sardar Paparayudu'' was a commercial success. The film's powerful dialogues, penned by Dasari Narayana Rao, resonated with audiences, leading to high sales of

LP records The LP (from long playing or long play) is an analog sound storage medium, specifically a phonograph record format characterized by: a speed of rpm; a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter; use of the "microgroove" groove specification ...

and cassettes of the audio track of the film. The film's re-recording, especially in the pre-independence era sequences, was highly praised. Rama Rao's dual-role performance was celebrated, with particular attention paid to the distinct mannerisms of both characters.

References

External links

* {{Dasari Narayana Rao, state=collapsed 1980 films 1980s Telugu-language films 1980s Indian films 1980s historical action films Fictional revolutionaries Alternate history films Indian epic films Films set in Andhra Pradesh Films about corruption in India Films about rebellions Films directed by Dasari Narayana Rao Films scored by K. Chakravarthy Films set in the British Raj Films set in the Indian independence movement Indian films about revenge Indian historical action films Indian nonlinear narrative films Films based on real people Indian prison films Telugu films remade in other languages