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	[[Category:Indian drama films]]		[[Category:Indian drama films]]
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	~~[[Category:Indian films]]~~
	~~[[Category:Tamil-language films]]~~
	[[Category:Works based on Shakuntala (play)]]		[[Category:Works based on Shakuntala (play)]]

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{{For|other depictions of Shakuntala in film|Shakuntala (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Sakuntalai
| image = Sakuntalai poster.jpg
| border = no
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Ellis R. Dungan]]
| producer =
| screenplay = [[Kalki Sadasivam|T. Sadasivam]]
| story = [[Kālidāsa|Kalidasa]]
| starring = [[M. S. Subbulakshmi]]<br />[[G. N. Balasubramaniam]]
| music = Thuraiyur Rajagopala Sharma
| cinematography = Caridi Cuttak<br />'''Art by''': Nagoor
| editing = [[Ellis R. Dungan]]<br />G. K. Bhaskar
| studio = Rayal Talkie Distributors<br />Chandra Prabha Cinetone
| distributor = Rayal Talkie Distributors
| released = 12 December 1940
| runtime =
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}
'''''Sakuntalai''''' is a 1940 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language film directed by [[Ellis R. Dungan]] and starring [[M. S. Subbulakshmi]] and [[G. N. Balasubramaniam]].<ref name="shakuntala_chennaionline">{{Cite web |year=2004 |title=Film World's singing star |url=http://archives.chennaionline.com/music/Carnaticmusic/2004/12mssubbulakshmi14.asp |access-date=2008-10-25 |website=chennaionline}}</ref><ref name="anandan">{{Cite book |last=Film News Anandan |title=Sadhanaigal padaitha Tamil Thiraipada Varalaaru |publisher=Sivagami Publications |year=2004 |location=Chennai |pages=28:22 |language=ta}}</ref><ref name="dungan">[http://www.sangam.org/articles/view2/?uid=691 Reminiscences on Directing M.S., the Musician-Movie Star by Ellis R. Dungan]</ref>

== Plot ==
''Sakuntalai'' is the story of the mythological queen [[Shakuntala]], whose tale is told in the ''[[Mahabharata]]'' and dramatised by ''[[Kalidasa]]'' in the play ''[[Abhijñānaśākuntalam]]''.

== Cast ==
[[File:Shakunthala 1940 film 3.jpg|thumb|350px|right| [[K. Thavamani Devi]] and [[M. S. Subbulakshmi]] in ''Sakuntalai'']]
[[File:Shakunthala 1940 film 4.jpg|thumb|right| [[M. S. Subbulakshmi]] in ''Sakuntalai'']]
{{Col-begin|width=60%}}
{{col-break|width=50%}}
;Male cast
*[[G. N. Balasubramaniam]] {{small|B.A.(Hons.)}} as Dushyanta
*[[Serukalathur Sama]] as Kanwa
*S. R. Kalyanasundaram as Saradwata
*T. P. S. Mani as Durvasa
*[[K. Sarangapani]] as Madhavya
*[[N. S. Krishnan]] and T,S.Durairaj as Fishermen
*P. G. Venkatesan as Cartman
{{col-break|width=50%}}
;Female cast
*[[M. S. Subbulakshmi]] as Sakuntalai
*[[Radha Viswanathan|Radha]] as Bharata
*[[T. A. Mathuram]] as Priyamvada
*Sakuntala Bai as Anasuya
*Golden Saradambal as Gouthami
*M. S. Ramani as Sarangrava
*[[K. Thavamani Devi]] as Menaka
{{col-end}}

== Production ==
Subbulakshmi and her husband [[Kalki Sadasivam|T. Sadasivam]] formed Royal Talkies to produce their own films. They decided to make a movie based [[Shakuntala]]'s life and asked director [[K. Subramanyam]], to direct the film. Subramaniam was not able to do so because of prior commitments and recommended Ellis Dungan to be hired instead.<ref name="dungan" /> Sadasivam wrote the screenplay and [[Papanasam Sivan]] was hired to write the lyrics. Carnatic singer [[G. N. Balasubramaniam]] was cast as [[Dushyanta|King Dushyanta]]. The comedic duo of [[N. S. Krishnan]] – T. A. Mathuram were also among the cast.<ref name="anandan" /> Dungan introduced several new techniques to Tamil cinema in this film. The scene where ''Shakuntala'' loses her ring was shot in slow motion through a glass tank filled with water. In his autobiography (''A Guide to Adventure: An Autobiography'', Dorrance Publishing Company (2002)), Dungan wrote the following about his use of a European dancer for adding glamour to the film :

{{Cquote |I hired a scantily dressed female dancer for the role of a water nymph. She was a young European girl in her late twenties, possessing a beautiful Venus-type figure, who performed acrobatic dances with a male partner in cabaret shows at the Connemara Hotel in Madras. In an unheard-of technique in Indian films, she came up out of a water tank and danced in her rather skin-tight one-piece bathing suit. Believe me, it created quite a bit of excitement among the Indian actors and film.<ref name="dungan" />}}

The completed film was 17,400 Feet in length (around 3 hours run time).<ref name="anandan" /> The film advanced the popularity of singing lead actress [[M. S. Subbulakshmi]].<ref>Students' Britannica India – Volumes 1 – 5 -2000 Page 67 "In 1938 she made her film debut with Sevasadanam which was based on the theme of women's liberation. ... Subbulakshmi achieved immense popularity with her appearances as a singing star in films such as Sakuntalai (1940), Saitri ( 1941) ..."</ref>

== Soundtrack ==
[[File:Shakunthala 1940 film 1.jpg|thumbnail|right|G. N. Balasubramaniam and M. S. Subbulakshmi in ''Sakuntalai'']]
The music was composed by Thuraiyur Rajagopala Sarma while the lyrics were penned by [[Papanasam Sivan]]. There were a total of 24 songs in ''Sakuntalai''. A couple of songs were longer than usual and the gramophone company had to issue special large sized records for them.<ref name="anandan" />

A partial list of songs in the film:

#"Endhan Idadhu Tholum Kannum" – M. S. Subbulakshmi (Karaharapriya)
#"Manamogananga Anangae" – M. S. Subbulakshmi, G. N. Balasubramaniam
#"Premayil Yavum Marandenae" – M. S. Subbulakshmi, G. N. Balasubramaniam
#"Engum Nirai Nadha Bramammae" – M. S. Subbulakshmi
#"Vegudooram Kadal Thandi Povomae" – N. S. Krishnan, T. S. Durairaj
#"Innaikku Kalaila Elundiruchu" – N. S. Krishnan, T. S. Durairaj
#"Anandam En Solvaenae" – M. S. Subbulakshmi (Sindhu Bhairavi)
#"Sugumara En Thabam" – M. S. Subbulakshmi (Behag)
#"Pannedum Naalaai" – M. S. Subbulakshmi (NadhaNaamakriya)
#"Manam Kulira, Ullam Kulira" – M. S. Subbulakshmi

== Reception ==
The film was released on 12 December 1940 and was a box office success.<ref name="anandan" />

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Shakuntala (1940 film)}}
* {{IMDb title|0215179}}
* [https://dsal.uchicago.edu/images/hensley/hensley_search.html?depth=details&id=m002 Photograph of Sadasivam, M. S. Subbulakshmi, Ellis R. Dungan during the shoot of Meera (1945)]
{{Ellis R. Dungan}}

[[Category:1940 drama films]]
[[Category:1940 films]]
[[Category:1940s Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:Films based on works by Kalidasa]]
[[Category:Films directed by Ellis R. Dungan]]
[[Category:Films scored by S. V. Venkatraman]]
[[Category:Films set in ancient India]]
[[Category:Indian black-and-white films]]
[[Category:Indian drama films]]
[[Category:Indian films based on plays]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:Works based on Shakuntala (play)]]

Sakuntalai - Revision history

UpdateBot: robot: Update article (please report if you notice any mistake or error in this edit)

imported>JJMC89 bot III: Moving :Category:Films based on works by Kālidāsa to :Category:Films based on works by Kalidasa per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Speedy