Bhakta Tukaram

Bhakta Tukaram is a 1973 Indian Telugu-language biographical film based on the life of the saint-poet Tukaram, produced by P. Adinarayana Rao under the Anjali Pictures banner and directed by V. Madhusudhana Rao. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Anjali Devi and Sivaji Ganesan, with music also composed by Adinarayana Rao.

Plot
The film is based on the story of Tukaram, an advent devotee of Panduranga in the 17th century in Dehu village of present-day Maharashtra. Tukaram is kindhearted and ameliorates everyone, for which he absorbs his property. He leads a family with two wives, Avalai Jija Bai & Rukma Bai, and 2 infants. However, he is not interested in worldly matters. He is constantly immersed in the adoration of the Lord—Mumbaji Go Swamy, who presents himself as holy and exploits public faith for his own gain. Tukaram permanently exiles him, so resentful Mumbaji causes him much pain, lavelling him as an atheist, and ostracizing him. Hence, his family suffers from starvation even though no one comes forward to support him when Rukma Bai passes away. Devastated Tukaram quits questioning the existence of God when Panduranga appears and endorses his divinity as Abhang s to scripture. Now Tukaram awakes the devotion via singing and becomes eminent, which impresses emperor Shivaji, who facilitates him with material gifts but refuses courteously.

At this point, Mumbaji's envy is boundless, so he uses a brothel, Bahina Bai, to lure Tukaram when he shows the reality of life, how her beauty shrinks in old age and makes her a devotee. Later, Mumbaji claims that Tukaram stole his verses when Pandit Rameswara Bhattar, a religious authority, arrives and orders Tukaram to immerse his works in the river and never publicly discuss religion, which he does. The river Ganga retrieves it, affirming it as sacred when Rameswara Bhattar becomes his follower. Meanwhile, Mumbaji hides the Lord's statue, indicates Tukaram, and complains to Shivaji. So, he lands at Dehu to test Tukaram when, with his holy power, he restores the statue. Now, Mumbaji intrigues by notifying Shivaji's presence therein to the Mughals, but the Lord protects him at the behest of Tukaram. Knowing it, the enraged Mughal Empire amputates Mumbaji, which Tukaram retrieves, and he bows his head down. At last, the Lord invites Tukaram to Vaikuntha with the mortal body by sending his vehicle Garuda. Finally, the movie ends with Tukaram going to heaven, giving his ultimate preaching to follow righteousness, truth, peace, kindness & mercy.

Cast

 * Akkineni Nageswara Rao as Tukaram
 * Anjali Devi as Avali Bai
 * Sivaji Ganesan as Shivaji
 * Nagabhushanam as Mumbaji Goswamy
 * Dhulipala as Rameswara Bhatta
 * Sakshi Ranga Rao as Nandi
 * Bhanu Prakash as Neeloji
 * Nagaraju as Lord Panduranga
 * P. J. Sarma as Gangadhar Pandit
 * Potti Prasad as Varaham
 * Kanchana as Bahina Bai
 * Sriranjani Jr. as Rukma Bai
 * Baby Sridevi as Kaasi (Tukaram's daughter)
 * Baby Rani

Production
Akkineni Nageswara Rao played Tukaram, and Sivaji Ganesan played Shivaji without taking any remuneration for the film.

Soundtrack
Music composed by P. Adinarayana Rao.