Kanyasulkam (film)

Girisam (NTR) the cunning bluff master lives at the expense of Putakoollamma (Chayadevi), who runs a mess. He befriends a wench Madhuravani (Savitri). To escape from debts, he accompanies Venkatesam (Master Kundu), to whom he teaches English, in his village. There he tries to woo Venkatesam's widowed sister Buchamma (Janaki). Venkatesam's father Agnihotravadhanlu (Vinnakota Ramannapanthulu), despite pleas from his wife Venkamma (Hemalatha) agrees to perform the marriage of his nine-year-old daughter Subbamma (Baby Subhadra) to the rich old man Lubdhavadhanlu (Govindarajula Subbarao) for a bride price negotiated by Ramappa Panthulu (CSR), a paramour of Madhuravani.

To thwart the marriage, Karataka Sastry (Vangara), a stage actor and brother-in-law of Agnihotravadhanlu dons his disciple Mahesam (Master Sudhakar) in a girl's attire and lures Ramappa Panthulu with a huge sum to cancel the earlier proposal and marry his "daughter" (Mahesam in disguise) to Lubdhavadhanlu. With the help of Madhuravani, the so-called marriage is performed. Lubdhavadhanlu later learns the truth and also a lesson. Meanwhile, Girisam elopes with Buchamma to Vizag and seeks the help of lawyer and social reformer Soujanya Rao (Gummadi). All the characters shift to Vizag. Madhuravani narrates the entire drama to Soujanyarao. He lauds Madhuravani and chides Girisam. Girisam and Buchamma are married.

• N. T. Rama Rao as Gireesam
• Sowcar Janaki as Buchamma
• Savitri as Madhuravani
• C.S.R as Ramappa Pantulu
• Govindarajula Subba Rao as Lubdhavadhanlu
• Vinnakota Ramanna Panthulu as Agnihotravadhanlu
• Vangara as Karataka Sastri
• Gummadi as Advocate Sowjanya Rao Pantulu
• Peketi Sivaram as Police Constable
• Chadalavada as Polishetty
• Suryakantham as Meenakshi
• Chaya Devi as Putakullamma
• Hemalatha as Venkamma
• Master Sudhakar as Mahesam
• Master Kundu as Venkatesam
• Baby Subhadra as Subbi
• Urvasi Sarada as little girl in the song

During the production of Devadasu (1953), producer D. L. Narayana approached N. T. Rama Rao for playing the titular role. Rama Rao could not accept the proposal due to scheduling conflicts, and Akkineni Nageswara Rao was cast for the same. However, Narayana was adamant to make a film with Rama Rao, and chose to adapt Gurajada Apparao's play Kanyasulkam.[1] Due to the play's popularity, Narayana asked writer Vempati Sadasivabrahmam to make changes to the narrative and plot points from the play, with a view to avoid predictability.[1]

Narayana produced the film for his production company Vinodha Pictures, and signed P. Pullaiah to direct it.[2] R. Hanumantha Rao, who was the film's assistant director, also served as the editor.[3] Sadasivabrahmam also worked on the screenplay and dialogue apart from adapting the play into a script. He also adapted the poem "Poornamma", which is a part of Apparao's poetry compilation Mutyala Saralu, into one of the subplots to ease the audience into the milieu.[2] N. Prakash served as the cinematographer assisted by Jaihind Satyam and R. N. Nagaraja Rao.[3]

Rama Rao played Gireesham, the anti-heroic protagonist of the play whose character arc was altered in the end as part of the scripting changes. Savitri was cast as Madhuravani, a prostitute and the other protagonist of the play.[2] Narayana approached Jamuna to play Buchamma, but her father opposed this idea unwilling to see her act as a young widow on screen.[4] Sowcar Janaki was later cast for the same.[2] C. S. R. Anjaneyulu, Govindarajula Subba Rao, Vinnakota Ramanna Panthulu and Gummadi were cast in other supporting roles. Peketi Sivaram and Sharada made cameo appearances in the film.[2]

Pasumarthi Krishnamurthy choreographed the dance sequences.[3] Godagankar and Vali were signed as the art directors, and were aided by Haribabu and K. Nageswara Rao in the production design.[3] Sets were erected at Revathi, Sarayu and Venus Cine Studios in Kodambakkam, Madras (now Chennai) where majority of the principal photography was wrapped up.[3] The post production activities were completed at Vijaya Laboratory Film Centre Pvt. Ltd. in Madras.[3]

Music composed by Ghantasala.

• Kanyasulkam at IMDb