Bala Nagamma (1959 film)

Bala Nagamma is a 1959 Indian Telugu-language fantasy swashbuckler film directed by Vedantam Raghavayya. The film stars N. T. Rama Rao, Anjali Devi, and S. V. Ranga Rao with music composed by T. V. Raju. It is a remake of the 1942 Telugu film of the same name.

Plot
The film begins with Queen Bhulakshmi, wife of King Nava Bhoja, penances Shiva for progeny. Ultimately, she acquires the boon, and according to the Lord's mandate, she procures a fruit from the tree by stepping on an anthill. At this, enraged Nagendra is about to kill her, but she begs for life until her motherhood. After a while, Bhulakshmi is blessed with seven daughters and decides to repent. Anyhow, Nava Bhoja bars and attempts to shield her but gets a victim of a snake bite and dies. Now, the King coercively knits a shrew, Manikyamba, who oppress the kids. Plus, she molds Nava Bhoja, a henpecked husband, via a witchcraft paste and goads him to slaughter the girls. Generous father cannot make it, so he quits them in the forest, where the Bhulakshmi aura rears them.

Years pass, and King Ramavardhi, the ruler of Panuganti, is the sibling of Bhulakshmi, who sends his seven sons to detect his niece. Whereat, the younger Karyavardhi, spots the last girl, Balanagamma, and they crush. Now, the seven sisters' splices, their cousins, Karyavardhi & Balanagamma, are blessed with a baby boy, Balavardhi. Besides, Mayala Marathi, the splenetic wizard, resides on the outskirts of his ghost den. Once, he challenges his paramour Sangu to nab a gorgeous in the universe and picks Balanagamma. At the same time, Karyavardhi proceeds to the battlefield, drawing a chalk outline for protection and designating his acolyte, Thalari Ramudu, as a guard. However, Marathi's chicanery abducts Balanagamma by transforming her into a dog. Knowing it, Karyavardhi onslaughts with his men on Marathi, whom he turns as the status and even incinerates Sangu. Spotting it, Balanagamma attempts suicide, and Bhulakshmi's aura secures her, stating that her son will safeguard her at the age of 12. Hereupon, Balanagamma tactically resisted Marathi for 12 years.

As time passes, Balavardhi learns about Marathi's atrocity. Ergo pledges to relieve his parents and steps in with Thalari Ramudu. Amid this, he shields a kingdom from a tiger hunt and conjoins its princess. Following, seeking guidance from Nagendra, Balavardhi intrudes into Marathi's palace through a florist, Tambala Pedi. He is acquainted with his mother and, with wit, extracts the life secret of Marathi, i.e., amalgamated beyond the seven seas; one pillar is the floor and in the parrot's neck. Balavardhi acquires it after an adventurous journey. At last, he ceases Marathi, making his father & family normal. Finally, the movie ends on a happy note with a family reunion.

Production
Bala Nagamma was remade from the 1942 film of the same name. Relangi and Lanka Satyam, who appeared in the 1942 film, returned in the remake.

Soundtrack
The soundtrack of the film was composed by T. V. Raju, while the lyrics were written by Samudrala Jr.
 * Telugu Songs

Playback singers are Ghantasala, Pithapuram Nageswara Rao, P. Leela, Jikki, P. Susheela, S. Janaki and K. Rani.

Music by Pamarthi. Lyrics by Kuyilan and Kambadasan.
 * Tamil Songs

Reception
The Indian Express in its review dated 11 March 1960 reviewing the Tamil-dubbed version noted the theme "will not be without fascination for our Tamil folk on account of the touch of the super-natural dominating the theme" but praised S. V. Ranga Rao as "providing major attraction".