Savithiri (1941 film)

Savithri
Savithri
	Film poster
Tamil	சாவித்திரி
Directed by	Y. V. Rao
Screenplay by	T. C. Vadivelu Nayakar
Based on	Savitri and Satyavan a story from Mahabharata
Starring	Shanta Apte; M. S. Subbulakshmi; Y. V. Rao; V. A. Chellappa
Cinematography	Yusuf Mulji
Edited by	N. M. Shankar
Music by	M. Rajagopala Sharma; Kamal Das Gupta
Production; company	New Theatres Studio
Distributed by	Rayal Talkie Distributors of Madura
Release date	4 September 1941;
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Savithiri is a 1941 Indian Tamil-language film directed by Y. V. Rao. The film featured himself as Satyavan and Shanta Apte as Savitri.[1]

Plot

Savithiri is a beautiful and chaste princess. Princes in the neighbouring Kingdoms are intimidated by her beauty and purity and no one wants to marry her. Savithiri's father King Aswapati tells her to go out and find her own husband. She finds a young man, Sathyavan, who is the son of a blind king now living in the forest in exile. Savithiri brings the young man to her Kingdom. In the meantime, Narada tells Asvapati that Savithiri has made a bad choice because Sathyavan is destined to die in one year. However, Savithiri insists on marrying Sathyavan. The king finally agrees and they are married. Savithiri goes to live with her husband in the forest. She takes to a life of austerities. On the day Sathyavan is to die, she accompanies him into the forest to cut firewood. While he was cutting a tree, Sathyavan collapses. Yama comes and takes his soul. Savithiri follows Yama but Yama tells her not to follow him. But she insists and talks about Dharma with Yama. Finally, Yama is impressed by her talks and tells her to ask any boon except the life of Sathyavan. First she asks for eyesight to her father-in-law and the restoration of his Kingdom. Then she asks for an heir to her father's Kingdom and finally she asks for 100 children to herself. This places Yama in a dilemma. If she is to have 100 children, then Sathiyavan must live to give her those children. Fully impressed by this virtuous woman's arguments, Yama returns the life of Sathyawan.

Cast

The list is adapted from the film titles (See External links)

Male cast

Y. V. Rao as Sathyavan
V. A. Chellappa as Yamadarman
K. Sarangapani as Sumali
K. Doraisamy as Thyumathsenan
P. Sundar Rao as Aswapathi
T. S. Durairaj as Santhana Sharma
Shripada Shankar as Minister
M. R. Durairaj as Kadakethu
P. S. Ramudu as Mannar Chetty
Jaganatha Iyengar as Chitraguptan
Sriramulu, Anandan as Sage's Sons

Female cast

Shanta Apte as Savithiri
M. S. Subbulakshmi as Narada
P. Bhanumathi as Malavi Devi
Golden Saradambal as Padmavathi Devi
T. S. Krishnaveni as Madanika
S. R. Lakshmi as Nirmala

Production

Shanta Apte was a popular Marathi and Hindi star. She did not know Tamil, but insisted that she will learn the language and lend her own voice in the film. She studied under a tutor in Pune for one year and became proficient in the language.[1] M. S. Subbulakshmi was cast in the role of Narada, a male Vedic Sage.[2] The film was produced in New Theatres Studio in Calcutta (now Kolkata).[3]

Soundtrack

Music was composed by M. Rajagopala Sharma while Kamal Das Gupta was in charge of orchestration. "Bruhi Muhundeti" is a kriti by Sadasiva Brahmendra. Other lyrics were penned by Papanasam Sivan.

S/N	Song	Singer/s	Duration (m:ss)
1	"Bruhi Mukundethi Rasane"	M. S. Subbulakshmi	02:17
2	"Maname Kanamum"		01:55
3	"Aggini Endrariyayo Karpudaya Mangayarai"		02:34
4	"Deviyai Poojai Seivay"		02:08
5	"Mangalamum Peruvar"		02:10
6	"Sollu Kulandaai"		03:21
7	"Deviyai Poojai Seivai"		03:30
8	"Jayadeviye Jagadambike Karunaiyai Arulvai Devi"	Shanta Apte	02:17
9	"Anandamaana Ullasamudan Villaiyaduvom Paduvom Paattugalai"		01:54
10	"Ado Devi, Ado Pogiran.. Iha Para Sukhamum"		02:43
11	"Maaye, Yenadu Thaye"		01:59
12	"Kulamigu Piraviyin"		02:19
13	"Thaasan Uyirkku Mandraadum"	V. A. Chellappa	02:54

Release

Savithiri was released on 4 September 1941 at Madurai, Trichy and Coimbatore.[4] In Madras it was released on 17 October.[5]

Reception

The film did not fare well in the box-office. Film historian Randor Guy said the film is remembered for "the fine performances of MS, Rao, Chellappa and Shantha Apte, and MS's songs many of which became hits."[1]

References

Guy, Randor (5 March 2010). "Savithiri (1941)". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
Sai, Veejay (29 September 2015). "Celebrating a legend: A century of MS Subbulakshmi through 10 songs". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 21 March 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
Gopalakrishnan, P.V. (20 February 2017). "Filmy Ripples: Movie Studios (Part 1)". Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
"Savithiri". The Indian Express. 30 August 1941. p. 2. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
"Savithiri". The Indian Express. 18 October 1941. p. 4. Retrieved 15 June 2021.

External links

Savithiri at IMDb
Savithiri on YouTube - Full-length film

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[hindu-1] Guy, Randor (5 March 2010). "Savithiri (1941)". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.

[2] Sai, Veejay (29 September 2015). "Celebrating a legend: A century of MS Subbulakshmi through 10 songs". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 21 March 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2021.

[3] Gopalakrishnan, P.V. (20 February 2017). "Filmy Ripples: Movie Studios (Part 1)". Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.

[4] "Savithiri". The Indian Express. 30 August 1941. p. 2. Retrieved 15 June 2021.

[5] "Savithiri". The Indian Express. 18 October 1941. p. 4. Retrieved 15 June 2021.