Bangaaradha Manushya

Infobox Film
name = Bangaaradha Manushya


image_size =
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director = Siddalingaiah
producer =
writer =
narrator =
starring = Rajkumar
Bharathi
music = G. K. Venkatesh
cinematography =
editing =
distributor = Srinidhi Productions
released = 1970
runtime =
country = flagicon|India India
language =
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0315255

"Bangaaradha Manushya" ( _kn. ಬಂಗಾರದ ಮನುಷ್ಯ) is a Kannada language film released in 1970. It starred Rajkumar and Bharathi, and ran for over two years at the States Theatre in Bangalore.

When the movie was released in 1970, it was panned by the critics.Fact|date=April 2007 However, the movie went on to become a massive hit and today is viewed as a milestone in Rajkumar's career.

Plot

The plot of "Bangaarada Manushya" revolves around Rajeeva Rajkumar who comes to visit his sister, only to find the sister's husband dead and the family in need of financial help. After the elder brother leaves without any help, he decides to stay with his sister and help them out.

With the help of a family friend (Balakrishna), he gets back the family owned land and starts cultivating it. He also sends the two sons of his sister to city for higher studies and also helps a friend of theirs with education. He resurrects 25 acres of land that were left out by the villagers as baron land, and becomes rich. He also is in love with the neighbor's daughter (Bharathi), whom he plans to marry eventually.

The two kids complete their studies and are married off, one of them to his brother's daughter. Now the downhill starts, with his wife dying in an accident and one of the sister's sons questioning his loyalty. Eventually he walks out of the family, without a trace.

The film was directed by Siddalingaiah and music was composed by G. K. Venkatesh. All the five songs of the movie, "Nagu Naguta Nali, Aagadu Endu , Aaha Mysooru Mallige, Baala Bangaara Neenu" and "Hani Hani Goodidre" have become massive hits and never faded away.

The Impact

"Bangaaradha Manushya" had tremendous impact on moviegoers. The city youth, inspired by the movie's central theme - returning to ancestral village, left their jobs and came back to their respective villages and took to agriculture.

The Book Bangarada Manushya

A. N. Prahlada Rao has written a a book named "Bangarada manushya" which is the chronicle of Dr. Rajakumar, who is a popular Kannada film actor. The Book Bangarada Manushya released in 2005.

Kannada film industry has a glorious history of over 70 years. When its first-ever film SATI SULOCHANA was released in 1934, no one ever predicted that a legendary star would rise on the horizon of the Kannada silver screen after 20 years of its inception.

A phenomenon called RAJKUMAR entered the threshold of Kannada filmdom, in 1954 with a memorable role in the film BEDARA KANNAPA, and rode it like a Colossus for over half a century. A new era in Kannada film had begun by his entry.

Though the history of Kannada films is resplendent with Universal appeal, there was no concerted effort to chronicle its progress in a systematic way. In this backdrop, the book BANGARADA MANUSHYA authored by Sri. A.N. Prahlada Rao stands out as an authentic reference volume on the history ofKannada Film Industry in general and on the movie life ofinevitably Dr. Rajkumar in particular, the life and works of Dr. Rajkumar are linked with the growth and progress of Kannada Film Industry itself. This book has emerged as a classic on Kannada cinema and about Dr.Rajkumar. Dr. Rajkumar was a living legend and icon of Kannada pride. He was known for his simplicity and bountiful human values. He reigned the kannada screen for five decades from 1950 to 2000. BANGARADA MANUSHYA is a well researched work on the life and films of Dr. Rajkumar. This is an assiduous and enduring work of art. This has adopted distinct and striking methodology in unraveling the life and films of a megastar which are entwined with masses.

Until 1954 the year in which Dr. Rajkumar entered the films, there were only Forty one Kannada films produced, even though the industry was two-decade old by then. His maiden film BEDARA KANNAPPA was the first Kannada film, which won the National award. This work is divided into Sxteen chapters easy for reading. The book chronicles the thespian’s progress in filmdom and elaborates on many issues including the role of Dr.Rajkumar in many pro-people and linguistic movements that determined the scope of Kannada language of the State.

A chapter about the abduction of Dr.Rajkumar by the notorious forest brigand Veerappan sheds new light on the whole episode.This book can also be a reference volume on Kannada film industry, as it has lot of details on the growth and development of the industry, containing the names of all Directors, Music Directors and Heroines who have acted with Dr.Rajkumar, and some old photographs of archival value.The first 9 chapters chronicle the story of the thespian under the canvass of the Kannada film industry’s earlier history.

Introduction

Details about the advent of Cinema in India and also tags on to the similar development in Kannada cinema. Though Sati Sulochana is recorded to be the first ever Kannada Cinema, the book tries to date this event still further. According to the author Mrichcha katika — a silent movie was the first ever attempt by kannnadigas.

The entry

The entry is the title of the second Chapter. Mutturaj son of Singanallur Puttaswamaiah enters into the tinsel world through the film SRINIVASA KALYANA albeit in a minor role as part of a group. And then moves to become the hero of legendary BEDARA KANNAPPA which catapulted the drama artiste of the professional theater into a towering film personality. In the next seven chapters different characters played by this great doyen have been classified.

Mythological Films

This is the chapter where the details of all the Twenty one mythological roles played by Dr.Rajkumar have been vividly detailed. The chapter also dwells in detail of all the facts, including the technological aspects of the films like, who directed the film, who was the female lead, who composed music, who choreographed the dances and what was the film about and the viewing trend of the public in those days.

Historical Films

This is the next chapter. Dr.Rajkumar had acted in about 8 films based on historical themes. This chapter also places before us a very different path trod by Dr.Rajkumar and fellow

artistes in joining together to produce films in order to pool resources. The result was the production of RANADHEERA KANTEERAVA a Kannada film based on the heroic deeds of the king of same name who belonged to the famed Wodeyars clan of Mysore.

Films based on the theme of Devotion

This chapter deals with extraordinary role played by Dr.RajKumar. Devotion as the only way to salvation is the principle depicted in these films. Dr.Rajkumar exulted in portraying all the subtle nuances of a true devotee. This chapter has succeeded in bringing out essence of the acting talents of Dr.Rajkumar. It is interesting here to note that the thespian made his foray into filmdom as a devotional hero.

Films based on the themes of Folklore

In the next chapter, it is noted that the early years of Kannada cinema have been documented where only the themes of folklore formed the major ingredient of movie making. Films with social subjects were taboo in those days. The medium of fantasy, graphics and fights were the major components of those films. Dr.Rajkumar played the roles of the hero who was an incarnate of all the virtues and who wins over the bad elements, with great aplomb. In total he had appeared in Twenty two films of this genre and this chapter vividly depicts the themes of all these films.

Films based on Novels

This chapter details an era, one may say a golden era, in the history of Kannada Cinema where many great novels of the Kannada literary world provided the backdrop. Dr.Rajkumar has done justice to all the characters. The chapter informs us about how the Kannada Literary scene became an integral part of the Film Industry.

Films based on Detective Stories

According to the author, the trend set by the bond movies of the Hollywood has to become the new genre of Kannada Cinema too. He opines that this new shift was a change from the Sociological themes and was well received by the viewers. Dr.Rajkumar has acted in Ten films of this new trend.

Sociological Films

This is where the true screen identity of Dr.Rajkumar as the savior of all the good, as the loving son and a dotting brother, of the hero who fought against all oppression and evils of society was established and a universally accepted image of Dr.Rajkumar as a Good Samaritan emerged. This is described meticulously by the author.

Milk and Honey

Dr.Rajkumar was a true gentleman. He used to interact with every one on the sets with same dexterity and politeness. This chapter depicts the character of Dr.Rajkumar the communicator and his cordial relationship with the co-stars and the technicians of the industry.

Sweet are these Melodious Songs

This is a rare study of the songs both sung by and enacted by the actor. A rare insight into the quality of lyrics, their impact on the society and the effect they have caused in the minds of the listeners, spectators, their longevity and the reasons for it, and the mellifluous tunes created by the doyens of Music. These songs are elaborately discussed in this chapter. Incidentally, Dr.Rajkumar is the only actor who has sung innumerable Film Songs.

Interaction with the Community

Another humane aspect of Dr. Rajkumar’s character is this: He immediately responds the call of the community at the time of its crisis. This has been vividly dealt with in this chapter. Starting from the year 1961 in which the film actors came out for the first time for the rescue of draught struck people of Karnataka, to the incident in 2004 where in the dispute between the exhibitors, distributors and producers reached a crescendo, Dr.Rajkumar took the lead to fight for the justice and the cause of Kannada. His leading role in many public movements which some times turned the course of the history of Kannada language and the Kannada Cinema is vividly dealt with in this chapter.

Pomp and Pageantry

This is the chronological depiction of the many accolades and awards that were bestowed on the actor and the sociological impact they created by the mere fact that Dr. Rajkumar is taking part in that function. Coronation of Dr. Rajkumar as the KARNATAKA RATNA, the jubilation of all Kannadigas when he was conferred the Dada Saheb Phalke Award and his grand birthday celebration which was a landmark function in Karnataka and details of many such functions have been described here. The way the book narrates the other aspects of the function, such as the love of people, the humbleness of Dr.Rajkumar, his humility, his innocence are effectively portrayed in this chapter.

Accolades

Every award received by this veteran actor in his illustrious career, which spans over Five decades has been Synopsis of the Book BANGARADA MANUSHYA a Chronicle Work on Dr. Rajakumar by A.N. Prahlada Rao. Noteworthy among them is the fact that Dr. Rajkumar earned the best actor award given by the State Government for a whopping 9 times, the feat which is unsurpassed even to this day. He is the only person who has received the Dada Saheb Phalke Award from Karnataka.

Incarceration

Abduction of Dr.Rajkumar by the notorious forest brigand Veerappan is the darkest period in the life of Dr. Rajkumar. He was in the captivity of the brigand for a total of 108 days and those days were of a great turmoil. The grief and anxiety of his large number of fans is unparalleled in the annals of any Film Industry, and this chapter tells us in detail the agony filled days and the jubilation of people when Dr.Rajkumar came back from forest.

Unique Achiever is the Last Chapter

It surmises the achievements of this great man both on and off the screen. This book can also be a referral volume on Kannada film industry, for it is rich in details of the growth and evolution of the Kannada Film Industry.

Reviews

The book, after its release has to its credit some rare reviews. Prajavani, a leading Kannada daily had acknowledged that the book is very useful to the students of cinema. While Samyukta Karnataka has said that the book is repository information, KannadaPrabha identifies it as a honey pot of humanitarian values. Kolalu, a local daily from Mandya describes the book as an ardent effort of collecting the water of the ocean in an arnate bowl, while Aragini- cine weekly published from Bangalore has started that this is a rare and welcome effort, when books on cinema are rare.

In quintessence BANGARADA MANUSHYA is a unique attempt in cinema literature. It successfully tries to fill the void and can be acclaimed as the only effort of its kind in Kannada film literature in particular and in Southern India, in general.

Photographs

The midsection of the book is a photo album having about Sixty unusual and rare photographs that include the pictures of the veteran receiving the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award.

This book is much appreciated and praised by Dr. Rajkumar himself.

English Vertion

The English translation of his book 'Bangarada manushya' named as “Dr. Rajkumar: The Inimitable Actor With A Golden Voice” has been relesed at New Jercy, America on 10th May 2008. The same book has also released at London by Edward Thimson, Senetor during the month of August 2008.

External links