Jalaja (film) – Wikipedia

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1938 Indian film

Jalaja
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Promotional poster
Original title ஜலஜா அல்லது நாட்டிய மஹிமை
Directed by R. R. Gautam
G. K. Seshagiri
Screenplay by Manjeri S. Isvaran
Dr. V. Raghavan
G. K. Seshagiri
Story by Manjeri S. Isvaran
Dr. V. Raghavan
G. K. Seshagiri
Produced by G. K. Seshagiri
Starring Bhanumathi
Lakshmi
G. K. Seshagiri
K. S. Gopalakrishan
Cinematography Rajnikant Pandya
Minoo Billimoria
Edited by Fakir Mohammad
Music by A. N. Kalyanasundaram

Production
company
Distributed by General Film Distributing Co.

Release date
Country India
Language Tamil

Jalaja or Natya Mahimai (transl. Jalaja or The Glory of Dance) is a 1938 Indian Tamil-language dance film written by Manjeri S. Isvaran, Dr. V. Raghavan and G. K. Seshagiri. The film was directed by R. R. Gautam and G. K. Seshagiri and produced by Sagar Renaissance Theatre.[2] It stars Bhanumathi[a], Lakshmi, G. K. Seshagiri and K. S. Gopalakrishan[b] in lead roles. The film is marked as India’s first dance film.[2] It is also dedicated to Bhanumathi’s cousin, Bharatanatya Art Expert Srimathi Varalakshmi, who died early on in the film’s production. No print of the film is known to survive, making it a lost film.[3]

Cast according to the song book[2]

Production[edit]

The film was produced by Sagar Renaissance Theatre, and directed by R. R. Gautam and G. K. Seshagiri. Manjeri S. Isvaran and R. S. Murthi were assistant directors. The story and dialogues were written by Manjeri S. Isvaran, Dr. V. Raghavan and G. K. Seshagiri. The photography was handled by Rajnikant Pandya and Minoo Billimoria. The audiography was done by V. M. Desai, Dinshaw Billimoria and Reuben Moses. Roora Mistry took care of the film’s settings while Fakir Mohammad handled the editing. The film was processed by Gangadhar Narvekar and Pranchavan Shukla.[2] While the song book only credits S. Shanmugam as the Nattuvanar in the orchestra, Film News Anandan credits him as just the dance choreographer.[4] Hari Krishnan believes that S. Shanmugam is actually Shanmugasundara Nattuvanar of Thiruppanandal, who was an associate of Vadivelu Pilai, the duo’s choreographer before he died in 1937.[3] G. K. Seshagiri played the hero, Rajagopalan, while Varalakshmi of the Varalakshmi-Bhanumathi duo was hired to play the heroine, Jalaja. Production began in 1937 in Bombay and on 3 November, Varalakshmi died suddenly.[3] Her cousin Bhanumathi, also known as Kumbakonam Bhanumathi, was asked to replace her role, which she accepted.[3][5][6] The film had a second title, Natya Mahimai, meaning the glory of dance.[2][3][6] K. S. Gopalakrishnan, a congress party worker turned film director played the Mudaliar.[2] He is often confused with another film director, K. S. Gopalakrishnan.[7]Bhudo Advani, a Bengali actor played one of the Mudaliar’s servants.[2]Kumari Rukmani played Rukmini, Jalaja’s younger sister.[2][8] Lakshmi, who played Rajagopalan’s wife, Lalitha, was introduced in this film.[3]

Soundtrack[edit]

The music was directed by A. N. Kalyanasundaram, who also composed most of the songs.[2][4] However, two classical songs in the film were composed by Ramalinga Swamigal and Muthu Thandavar respectively. The song, “Aduvum Seivar”, is an altered version of the padam, “Aduvum Solluval” composed by Subbarama Iyer.[2]

A. N. K’s Orchestra[2]
No. Song Singer(s) Ragam Composer Length
1 “Aduvum Seivar” Kokila Saurashtram A. N. Kalyanasundaram
2 “Theruvil Varano” Rukmini Khamas Muthu Thandavar
3 “Kadhal Kaniyai” K. S. Gopalakrishnan A. N. Kalyanasundaram
4 “Inneramagilum” Kokilam Begada
5 “Kanne Varai” Pankajam Sindhu Bhairavi
6 “Innum Dayavu” Lakshmi, Bhanumathi Khamas Ramalinga Swamigal
7 “Ananda Natesa” Bhanumathi A. N. Kalyanasundaram
8 “Samanam Evarum” Bhanumathi, K. S. Gopalakrishnan
9 “Adum Arase” Kokilam
10 “Kadhalai Arindor” Bhanumathi Hamir Kalyani

Reception[edit]

The film was distributed by the General Film Distributing Co., which was based in Madras.[2] According to Hari Krishnan, “there is no information about how Jalaja fared at the box office. Regardless, the success of the film provides us with new perspectives on thinking about the ways in which Bharatanatyam was circulating in the period [during the 1930s] immediately following the work of the [Madras] Music Academy and [Rukmini Devi] Arundale.” In an August 1938 Filmindia magazine, Baburao Patel reports that, “Jalaja failed to draw and people in town think that it was due to bad direction. The story is reported to be weak and a bad selection of artistes is also given as a reason.”[9] In September of the same year, Patel continues with, “the original Jalaja is now expected to be revived after a number of changes.”[10] No print of the film is known to survive, making it a lost film.[3]

Notelist[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Patel, Baburao (May 1938). “Filmindia”. Vol. 4, no. 1. p. 67. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Jalaja or Natya Mahimai (song book) (in Tamil). Devi Press Ltd., Madras. 1938.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Krishnan, Hari (2019). Celluloid Classicism (in Tamil). Wesleyan University Press. pp. 105–116. ISBN 978-0-8195-7888-4. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  4. ^ a b Film News Anandan (2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [Tamil film history and its achievements] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivagami Publishers. Archived from the original on 25 June 2020.
  5. ^ Ramani, V. V. (26 November 2011). “Styles, past and present: Documentary on Kumbakonam Bhanumathi”. The Hindu. Archived from the original on 21 May 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  6. ^ a b “Kumbakonam K. Bhanumathi”. sangeetnatak.gov.in. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  7. ^ Guy, Randor (26 December 2008). “Panakkari 1953”. The Hindu. Archived from the original on 25 July 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  8. ^ “Kumari Rukmani” (PDF). Natchathra Malai (in Tamil): 22–23. 1947.
  9. ^ Patel, Baburao (August 1938). “Filmindia”. Vol. 4, no. 1. p. 126. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  10. ^ Patel, Baburao (August 1938). “Filmindia”. Vol. 4, no. 1. p. 195. Retrieved 6 June 2020.