| Sagara Sangamam | |
|---|---|
 Poster | |
| Directed by | K. Viswanath |
| Written by | K. Viswanath Jandhyala (dialogues) |
| Produced by | Edida Nageswara Rao |
| Starring | Kamal Haasan Jaya Prada S. P. Sailaja |
| Cinematography | P. S. Nivas |
| Edited by | G. G. Krishna Rao |
| Music by | Ilaiyaraaja |
Production companies | Arunachalam Vaahini |
| Distributed by | Poornodaya Movie Creations |
Release date |
|
Running time | 160 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Telugu |
Sagara Sangamam (transl. Confluence with the ocean) is a 1983 IndianTelugu-languagedance film written and directed byK. Viswanath and produced byEdida Nageswara Rao. The film starsKamal Haasan,Jaya Prada,Sarath Babu,S. P. Sailaja andChakri Toleti. Upon release, the film received positive reviews and became a box office hit.[1] The film has received twoNational Film Awards, threeFilmfare Awards South and theNandi Award for Best Feature Film (Bronze).
The film was dubbed intoTamil andMalayalam and released asSalangai Oli andSagara Sangamam respectively. Kamal Haasan had lent his voice for all three versions. The film was premiered at the9th IFFI in 1984, and retrospectively at the45th IFFI in theCelebrating Dance in Indian cinema section. The film was dubbed into Russian, and was screened at theMoscow International Film Festival,Asia Pacific Film Festival andAISFM Film Festival.Salangai Oli was released on the same day asSagara Sangamam.
Balakrishna, fondly called Balu, is an economically disadvantaged but multi-talented dancer, adept at the Indian classical dances ofKuchipudi,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 awell. She comes in front of him wearing abhindi. He later learns the truth about her husband and his condition deteriorates.
As Balu is diagnosed terminally ill , Madhavi plans that his name should survive and his talent should not die along with him . Sailaja, suspecting her mother's behaviour towards Balu , leaves the house but is caught by Raghu who brings her back
Sailaja , still in anger with Balu over his comment, half heartedly continues to be his student while he teaches her the step.
The film ends with Sailaja's on-stage performance with Balu watching her in a wheelchair,carrying over the legacy and talent of his dance on her , as his health completely deteriorates. 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 andR. 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".[2] 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.[3] 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.[4] 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".[5]Chakri Toleti did the role of a photographer boy in the film.[6][7] Art directorThota Tharani said that the budget was drastically cut for the song in which Kamal dances on the well.[8]
The film score and soundtrack was composed byIlaiyaraaja . The lyrics for the Telugu version were written byVeturi, whileVairamuthu has written the lyrics for the Tamil version andSreekumaran Thampi for Malayalam version. The song "Vedam Anuvanavuna" is based onHamsanandi Raga.[9] The song "Om Nama Sivaya" is based onHindolam Raga.[10][11] The song "Naada Vinodam" is based onShree ranjani Raga.[12] The song "Balakanakamaya" is based on a Thyagaraja kirtana and was composed onAtana raga .[13] The song "Thakita Thadimi" is based onShanmukhapriya Raga .[14] "Vevela Gopemmala" is based onMohanam raga and "Mounamelanoyi Ee Marapurani Reyi" is based on Pahadi raga .
All lyrics are written byVeturi except where noted; all music is composed by Ilaiyaraaja.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Baala Kanakamaya Chela" | Tyagaraja | S. Janaki | |
| 2. | "Mounamelanoyi Ee Marapurani Reyi" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki | ||
| 3. | "Naada Vinodamu Natya Vilasamu" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam,S. P. Sailaja | ||
| 4. | "Om Namah Shivaaya" | S. Janaki | ||
| 5. | "Thakita Thadimi" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | ||
| 6. | "Vedam Anuvanuvuna Nadam" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. P. Sailaja | ||
| 7. | "Vevela Gopemmala" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. P. Sailaja |
All lyrics are written byVairamuthu except where noted; all music is composed by Ilaiyaraaja.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Baala Kanakamaya Chela (Telugu)" | Tyāgayya | S. Janaki | 03:52 |
| 2. | "Mounamana Neram" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki | 04:33 | |
| 3. | "Nadha Vinodhangal Nadana Sandhoshangal" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam,S. P. Sailaja | 03:58 | |
| 4. | "Om Namah Shivaaya" | S. Janaki | 04:41 | |
| 5. | "Thakita Thadimi Thakita Thadimi Thamdhaanaa" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 04:12 | |
| 6. | "Vedham Anuvilum Oru Naadham" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. P. Sailaja | 05:22 | |
| 7. | "Vaan Pole Vannam Kondu" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. P. Sailaja | 04:34 |
All lyrics are written bySreekumaran Thampi except where noted; all music is composed by Ilaiyaraaja.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Baala Kanakamaya (Telugu)" | Tyagaraja | S. Janaki | |
| 2. | "Mounam Polum Madhuram" | P. Jayachandran, S. Janaki | ||
| 3. | "Nadha Vinodam" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam,S. P. Sailaja | ||
| 4. | "Om Namah Shivaya" | S. Janaki | ||
| 5. | "Thakita Thadimi" | P. Jayachandran | ||
| 6. | "Vedham Anuvil" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. P. Sailaja | ||
| 7. | "Varmegha Varnante Maaril" | P. Jayachandran,P. Madhuri |
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. TheTamil versionSalangai Oli was released on the same day as Sagara Sangamam and successful run in the theatres,[15] being the first film that ran more than 100 days in the four South Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. Reviewing Tamil versionSalangai Oli forKalki 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 ?.[16]Anna newspaper praised the acting, music, cinematography and direction.[17]
The film was premiered at the9th IFFI in 1984, and retrospectively at the45th IFFI in theCelebrating Dance in Indian cinema section.[18][19] The film was dubbed into Russian, and was screened at theMoscow International Film Festival,Asia Pacific Film Festival.[20]
| List of awards and nominations | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
| National Film Awards | June 1984 | National Film Award for Best Music Direction | Ilaiyaraaja | Won | [21] |
| National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | Won | |||
| Nandi Awards | 1983 | Nandi Award for Third Best Feature Film - Bronze | K. Viswanath (Director) Edida Nageswara Rao (Producer) | Won | [22] |
| Nandi Award for Best Actor | Kamal Haasan | Won | |||
| Nandi Award for Best Female Playback Singer | S. Janaki | Won | |||
| Nandi Award for Best Art Director | Thota Tharani | Won | |||
| Nandi Award for Best Editor | G. G. Krishna Rao | Won | |||
| Nandi Award for Best Audiographer | A.R. Swaminadhan | Won | |||
| Filmfare Awards South | 1984 | Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu | Kamal Haasan | Won | [23] |
| Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu | Jaya Prada | Won | |||
| Filmfare Award for Best Director – Telugu | K. Viswanath | Won | |||
The film is listed amongCNN-IBN's list of 100 greatest Indian films of all time.[24]