Chandralekha
South’s films currently fall out on Bollywood and Pan India makes strong money. The craze of South’s films, which started with muscle power, is now increasing continuously. But few people know that before independence, a veteran director of South had made a Pan India film. Not only this, this film was successful in getting money rains at the box office. The name of this film is Chandralekha and it was released in 1943.
Director opened anecdote
In 1943, Tarachand Barjatya was a film distributor. He had not yet established the Rajshri Productions. Thinking about increasing his business, he met SS Vasan of Gemini Pictures, one of the biggest filmmakers of Tamil cinema. Vasan was making an ambitious period drama called Chandralekha. Barjatya persuaded him to make a film in Hindi as well. Suraj Barjatya recently told Mid-Day, ‘He (by the makers of Chandralekha) dubbed and re-shot some parts with the actors to match the actions of the lips. When the dubbed version was ready to be released, Mr. Vasan told my grandfather to meet him and talk to him ‘talk on business “. Eventually, Vasan gave Barjatya the all -India distribution rights of the film, which gave the Tamil film a chance to release across the country for the first time.
Film released in two languages in 1948
Chandralekha was released in two languages in 1948 and was later dubbed into more languages, making it actually an all -India film. Suraj Barjatya said about the film, ‘Chandralekha was the Bahubali of his time. It was as big as today’s Pushpa, it did that kind of business. In fact, Chandralekha broke all collection records after its release. The film was made on a budget of ₹ 30 lakh which makes it the most expensive Tamil film of its time. Interestingly, the film performed well in Tamil but it was not enough to recover the cost. Its business in Hindi was completely different. Chandralekha earned ₹ 1.55 crore, which became the highest -grossing Indian film by beating luck. The next year the rain broke the record. But for decades, Chandralekha was the only South film to keep the crown (until Bahubali 2 broke the bank in 2017).
Chandralekha’s legacy
Chandralekha, directed by Vasan, starred TR Rajkumari, MK Radha and Ranjan. George W.M. Robert Mcare, a novel by Reynolds, or, the film based on a chapter in the French Bandit in England is the story of two brothers (Veerasinhan and Sasankan) who fight to rule their father’s kingdom and marry Chandralekha, a dancer of a village. The success of the film converted Vasan into the country’s most demanded director. The market of North India also opened for Tamil films, which gave future stars a chance to make a place in the Hindi belt. Many sequences of the film were re -made in period drama in later years.
Latest bollywood news