Sagara Sangamam

Balakrishna, fondly called Balu, is an economically disadvantaged but multi-talented dancer, adept at the Indian classical dances of Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, Kathak, etc. His simple and very honest soul does not permit him to attain professional success in the commercial world that requires a certain level of moral laxness. Madhavi, a wealthy young woman and a dance patron, notices his talent and acts as his benefactor, helping him secure an opportunity to participate in a high-level classical dance festival.

Balu's aging mother passes away from the afflictions of poverty, two days before his performance. Balu, who was very attached to her, is emotionally devastated and fails to participate in the dance festival. Madhavi nevertheless, gives him support and encouragement and sets him on the mend. Balu gradually develops a fondness for Madhavi as their relationship grows. He hides his love for her but eventually picks up the courage to express it. Balu discovers that, while Madhavi shares his feelings, she is a married woman separated from her husband. Her husband later returns to unite Madhavi and Balu, but Balu decides to sacrifice his love, showing respect for the institution of marriage.

Years pass, and Balu, a disappointed man, has become an inconsolable alcoholic and a newspaper journalist/art critic. Once he critiques a dancer, Sailaja, for a lack of concentration on her form and more towards the audience, which results in them having a fight. The article is in-turn read by Madhavi, who turns out to be Sailaja's mother, and has lost her husband. She finds out about Balu, his medical condition, never ending love for her, and her family. In a bid to revive his will to live and his passion for his art, she tends to his medical needs through his friend, Raghu, and solicits Balu to be the dance instructor for her daughter. She does not come in front of him, worried that he would not be able to cope with the news of her being a widow. However, a situation arises where she saves him from falling into a well. She comes in front of him wearing a bhindi. He later learns the truth about her husband and his condition deteriorates.

The film ends with Sailaja's on-stage performance with Balu watching her in a wheelchair, his health completely deteriorated. He dies while watching her performance. A heartbroken Raghu takes him away quietly, without interrupting the performance. Madhavi, devastated, follows them with an umbrella, covering Balu from the rain.

• Kamal Haasan as Balakrishna "Balu"
• Jaya Prada as Madhavi
• Sarath Babu as Ragupathy
• S. P. Sailaja as Sailaja, Madhavi's daughter
• Sakshi Ranga Rao as Balu's uncle
• Dubbing Janaki as Balu's mother
• Chakri Toleti as Teen photographer
• Potti Prasad as Madhavi's servant
• S. K. Misro as Film choreographer
• Manju Bhargavi as Classical dancer
• Geetha as Dance assistant
• Mohan Sharma as Venugopala Rathnam, Madhavi's husband

Kamal and R. C. Sakthi wanted to make a film on a subject, about a dancer who was an alcoholic, which they named "Anupallavi" when K. Viswanath approached him with a similar subject, Kamal felt he had to do the film. On the sets of the film, Gopi Krishna, one of the choreographers, insisted that Kamal should train for at least a month. Kamal was one of the top stars of the time, doing multiple shifts, and had to find the time. Kamal said it was the "greatest sacrifice from my side".[3] Playback singer S. P. Sailaja was recruited to play a prominent role, thereby making her debut as an actress and it also remains the only film she had acted in so far.[4] K. Viswanath who is related to Sailaja, decided that she would fit perfectly in the role of Kamal Haasan's pupil, after seeing the photos.[5] Sailaja recalled: "I was reluctant as I was trained only in Bharatanatyam, but in the film I had to perform other dance forms like Kathak too. While shooting my introductory song "Om Namah Shivaya" at Ravindra Bharathi, I became nervous on the stage and refused to act".[6] Chakri Toleti did the role of a photographer boy in the film.[7][8] Thotta Tharani said that the budget was drastically cut for the song in which Kamal dances on the well.[9]

The film score and soundtrack was composed by Ilaiyaraaja . The lyrics for the Telugu version were written by Veturi, while Vairamuthu has written the lyrics for the Tamil version and Sreekumaran Thampi for Malayalam version. The song "Vedam Anuvanavuna" is based on Hamsanandi Raga.[10] The song "Om Nama Sivaya" is based on Hindolam Raga.[11][12] The song "Naada Vinodam" is based on Shree ranjani Raga.[13] The song "Balakanakamaya" is based on a Thyagaraja kirtana and was composed on Atana raga .[14] The song "Thakita Thadimi" is based on Shanmukhapriya Raga .[15] "Vevela Gopemmala" is based on Mohanam raga and "Mounamelanoyi Ee Marapurani Reyi" is based on Pahadi raga .

Sagara Sangamam was released on 3 June 1983. The film had a highly successful run in the theatres; it ultimately ended as a box-office success. The Tamil version Salangai Oli was released on the same day as Sagara Sangamam and successful run in the theatres.[16] This is the first film that ran more than 100 days in 4 Indian southern states of Andhra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. Reviewing Tamil version Salangai Oli for Kalki gave a mixed review praising the song "Thakita Thadhimi" but felt for other songs K. V. Mahadevan should have been approached and criticised the film's length and concluded saying its true that art never dies but the film ?.[17]

The film was premiered at the 9th IFFI in 1984, and retrospectively at the 45th IFFI in the Celebrating Dance in Indian cinema section.[18][19] The film was dubbed into Russian, and was screened at the Moscow International Film Festival, Asia Pacific Film Festival[20] and AISFM Film Festival.[21]

The film is listed among CNN-IBN's list of 100 greatest Indian films of all time.[25]

• Sagara Sangamam at IMDb