Swathi Kiranam

Swathi Kiranam
File:Swathi Kiranam.jpg
Directed by	K. Viswanath
Produced by	V. Madhusudhan Rao
Written by	M. V. S. Haranatha Rao (dialogue) Jandhyala (dialogue)
Screenplay by	K. Viswanath
Story by	K. Viswanath
Starring	Mammootty Raadhika Sarathkumar Master Manjunath Jayanthi Sakshi Ranga Rao Dharmavarapu Subramanyam Ananth
Music by	K. V. Mahadevan
Cinematography	Kasthoori
Edited by	G. G. Krishna Rao
Production company	Meher Chaithanya Niketan Trust, Meher Nagar
Distributed by	Swathi Productions
Release date	1 January 1992 (1992-01-01)
Running time	130 minutes
Language	Telugu

Swathi Kiranam (English:Dawn of Light) is a 1992 Telugu musical drama film directed by K. Viswanath. Produced by V. Madhusudhan Rao, the film starred Mammootty in his Telugu debut, Master Manjunath and Raadhika. The film is about an egotistical music teacher envious of the extraordinary talent of his prodigious young disciple. It is loosely based on the English language film Amadeus. The film was showcased among the Indian panorama section, at the 1992 International Film Festival of India, the Asia Pacific Film Festival, the Moscow Film Festival and the AISFM Film Festival. The film has garnered the Filmfare Award for Best Music Direction and the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer. The film was dubbed into Malayalam as Pranavam.

Plot

The film starts with a shabby old man living as a recluse near a famous temple. When he ventures out into the village, he is beaten by the shepherds who believe that he is a thief. When they hand him over to the police, the officer in charge identifies him as a once-famous musician, Anantha Rama Sharma (Mammooty), hailed as Sangeeta Samrat (Emperor of music), who has been missing for four years. The inspector Radhakrishna (Achyuth) informs his aunt (Jayanthi), who teaches music in his native village, of this and the past of Anantha Sharma is narrated through flashback.

Flashback begins

Anantha Rama Sharma is a widely respected Carnatic singer with a big ego. This is established when he rejects the Padma Shri bestowed upon him by the Government of India, as he believes that the other awardees are not worthy to be mentioned alongside him.

Gangadhar (Master Manjunath) lives in the same village. He rejects the society's norms (taking music classes and going to school) and spends his time sitting by the riverside. The river inspires him to sing many songs in different tunes. His music teacher, also the policeman's aunt, recognizes his talent and tries to nurture it. His school teacher (the music teacher's brother) is also fond of Gangadhar.

Gangadhar wants to become a great singer, like Ananta Sharma, and his father (Dharmavarapu Subrahmanyam) encourages him. His day comes when Anantha Sharma is honored in an auditorium. Gangadhar sings a song ("Aanathi Neeyara") in honor of Anantha Sharma, which many consider to be much better than any of Anantha Sharma's works. The boy is hailed as a child prodigy by everyone including Anantha Sharma's wife.

Anantha Sharma wants to imprison Gangadhar's talents. So he asks Gangadhar to stay in his house and learn music as one must be well-experienced to sing on stage. Anantha Sharma goes to the extent of copying one of Gangadhar's tunes and singing it on stage to win back his glory. But Gangadhar and Ananta's wife find this out. He now feels guilty and defends himself by saying that he did it as he was afraid this child would destroy his name and fame.

In this emotional moment, he suffers a heart-attack. To show his gratitude towards his adopted mother, Gangadhar kills himself so that there is no competition for Anantha Sharma. The incident shocks the villagers and they call Anantha Sharma a murderer. To escape their wrath and insults, he runs away and becomes a recluse.

Flashback ends

Ananta Sharma is still unconscious while in the police station. When he awakes, he finds himself in the house of Gangadhar's music teacher. The music teacher's husband tells him that they have forgiven him and asks him to return to his house. At his house, he finds his wife giving music classes (an institute named "Gangadhar Music Academy") for young children.

He sits down amongst the children learning the music basics from his wife. The movie ends with a scene when a young girl next to him chides him gently by correcting his way of singing a basic song note.

Cast

• Mammootty as Anantha Rama Sharma
• Master Manjunath as Gangadhar
• Raadhika as Sarada
• Achyuth as Inspector Radhakrishna
• Jayanthi as Radhakrishna's aunt
• Dharmavarapu Subramanyam as Gangadhar's father
• Sakshi Ranga Rao
• Dubbing Janaki
• Ananth Babu

Soundtrack

All music is composed by K. V. Mahadevan.

Track list

No.	Title	Lyrics	Singer(s)	Length
1.	"Theli Manchu"	Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry	Vani Jayaram	4:43
2.	"Om Guru (Slokam)"	Traditional	Vani Jayaram	1:53
3.	"Sruthi Neevu"	C. Narayana Reddy	Vani Jayaram, K. S. Chithra	4:26
4.	"Shivani Bhavani (Male)"	Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam	3:28
5.	"Sangeetha Saahitya"	C. Narayana Reddy	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam	4:49
6.	"Pranathi Pranathi (Female)"	C. Narayana Reddy	Vani Jayaram	4:20
7.	"Jaliga Jabilamma"	Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry	Vani Jayaram, K. S. Chithra	3:39
8.	"Shivani Bhavani (Female)"	Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam	3:29
9.	"Konda Konallo"	Vennelakanti	Vani Jayaram	4:48
10.	"Pranathi Pranathi (Male)"	C. Narayana Reddy	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra	4:05
11.	"Aanathineeyara"	Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry	Vani Jayaram	7:10
12.	"Vaishnavi Bhargavi"	Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry	Vani Jayaram	4:14
Total length:				51:04

Awards

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
1992	Vani Jayaram (for song "Aanathi Neeyara")	National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer	Won
1992	K. V. Mahadevan	Filmfare Award for Best Music Director – Telugu	Won

External links

• Swathi Kiranam on IMDb