Shankar Guru (1978 film)

Shankar Guru is a 1978 Indian Kannada-language film directed by V. Somashekhar starring Rajkumar, Jayamala, Padmapriya and Kanchana in lead roles. The supporting cast features Balakrishna, Vajramuni, Thoogudeepa Srinivas and Uma Shivakumar. Rajkumar appeared in a triple role in the film — as a father and his two sons separated in childhood.

Shankar Guru
Theatrical release poster
Directed byV. Somashekhar
Produced byParvathamma Rajkumar
Written byChi. Udayashankar (dialogue)
Screenplay byM. D. Sundar
Starring
Music byUpendra Kumar
CinematographyR. Madhusudan
Edited byP. Bhaktavatsalam
Production
company
Dakshayini Combines
Release date
  • 17 February 1978 (1978-02-17)
[1]
Running time
179 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageKannada
Budget₹35 lakhs
(equivalent to ₹7.4 crores in 2019)
Box office₹3.26 crores
(equivalent to ₹68 crores in 2019)

The film is considered one of the best Kannada films of the 1970s and is seen as a milestone in the career of Rajkumar.[2] It was remade in Tamil as Thirisoolam (1979), in Telugu as Kumara Raja (1978) and in Hindi as Mahaan (1983) in which, Rajkumar's characters were played by Sivaji Ganesan, Krishna and Amitabh Bachchan respectively.[3][4][5] The movie was declared an Industry hit at the box office since it was the first Kannada movie to gross 3.25 crores after seeing a 365 day run [6] and also selling more than 1.5 crore tickets.

Plot

Rajashekhar's (Rajkumar) business partners arrive at his house on his birthday and wedding anniversary with a bouquet of flowers to his pregnant wife Sumati and arrange a meeting that evening. They announce their decision to smuggle idols of deities abroad to which Rajashekhar opposes causing a rift between them killing one of them in the process. Pursued by police, he escapes with his wife Sumathi, only to be stranded at the railway station with his wife going separating from him. Sumati, delivers a baby boy, takes up painting and gets on with life.

Years roll by, Rajashekhar is living in Srinagar, Kashmir as a wealthy estate owner named as Jairaj. Sumati's son Shankar finds out about his father and also learns about his twin brother Guru. Thrilling sequences interspersed with comedy and romance make for a heady climax.

Cast

Trivia
  • The film was a major success and completed a one-year run in theatres.[7]
  • Chi. Udayashankar, the dialogue-writer for the film titled it Shankar Guru after his sons Ravishankar and Chi. Guru Dutt.
  • At the 1977–78 Karnataka State Film Awards, P. Bhaktavatsalam was awarded the Best Editor.
  • Shankar Guru was the debut production of Parvathamma Rajkumar under the banner Vajreshwari Combines.[8][9]
  • This was the second movie of Rajkumar after Kula Gourava in which he played a triple role.
  • This is also the only colour movie in which he played a triple role.
  • This was the first movie in which Prabhakar's character was called Tiger.
  • This was actor Chandrashekhar's second movie with Rajkumar after Raja Nanna Raja.
  • The Telugu version had Kannada actress Jayanthi reprising Kanchana's role while Jaya Prada reprised the role of Padmapriya.
  • The names of all the characters including the henchmen were retained in the Tamil version.[10]
  • During the making of this movie, director S. K. Bhagavan had narrated a story (tragic play) called Lithuania by Rupert Brooke (titled The Return of the Soldier in Russian) to Rajkumar. The film was planned to be shot in Ladakh and some preparation was undertaken, but in the end Rajkumar backed out as he felt the story was too dark. 40 years later, the story was adapted into a movie titled Aa Karaala Ratri(2018).[11]

Soundtrack
Shankar Guru
Soundtrack album by
Upendra Kumar
Released1978
GenreFeature film soundtrack
LabelSaregama

The music of the film was composed by Upendra Kumar with lyrics for the soundtrack penned by Chi. Udaya Shankar.

Track list
No.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."Cheluveya Nota Chenna"Chi. Udaya ShankarRajkumar 
2."Love Me Or Hate Me"Chi. Udaya ShankarRajkumar 
3."Eneno Aase Nee Thanda"Chi. Udaya ShankarRajkumar, Vani Jayaram 
4."Chinna Baallali Ee Raathri"Chi. Udaya ShankarRajkumar 
5."Naa Benkiyanthe Naa Gaaliyanthe"Chi. Udaya ShankarRajkumar, P. B. Sreenivas 
6."Cheluveya Nota Chenna (sad)"Chi. Udaya ShankarRajkumar 

Awards
1977–78 Karnataka State Film Awards

References
  1. "Haalu Jenu A Look back". sandalwoodking.rocks. 11 June 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  2. "The best of Dr Rajkumar". Rediff.com. 17 April 2006. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  3. https://metrosaga.com/best-dr-rajkumar-movie/?amp
  4. "Top ten Kannada films to have been remade". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  5. https://bollyspice.com/framing-movies-take-twenty-four-mahaan-1983/
  6. https://vijaykarnataka.com/entertainment/news/dr-rajkumars-top-five-movies-remade-in-other-languages/articleshow/74475803.cms?story=4
  7. "Rajkumar profile". chitratara.com. Archived from the original on 17 July 2007. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  8. http://www.srivajreshwari.in/about-us/
  10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sgFq14dyMU
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