Bommala Pelli

Bommala Pelli (lit. 'Wedding of dolls'; colloquially: Fake wedding) is a 1958 Indian Telugu-language romantic drama film, directed by R. M. Krishnaswamy. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, Jamuna and Mynavathi. It was simultaneously produced in Tamil as Bommai Kalyanam.

Plot
Suryam / Kannan is a playful teenage boy, in the cusp between puberty and adolescent, the son of the famous and well-to-do lawyer Perayya / Varatharajan and Parvathamma / Thangam. While playing football, he meets Radha, the daughter of a well respected freedom fighter family of Simhadri / Veeramuthu and Seshamma / Maragatham. At first sight both fall in love.

Perayya / Varatharajan is a modest man, but Parvathamma / Thangam is a greedy woman. Parvathamma / Thangam wishes to marry off Suryam / Kannan to her brother Chalamayya / Sonachalam's and Bhadramma / Perundevi's daughter Bullemma / Kannamma and invites them to her place. Bullemma / Kannamma is a naïve girl and Thimaiyya / Mannar, Bhadramma / Perundevi's brother loves her. Perayya / Varatharajan likes the simplicity of Simhadri / Veeramuthu's family and agrees on the alliance of Suryam / Kannan and Radha. When Parvathamma / Thangam opposes this, Perayya / Varatharajan, in order to carry on with the wedding, lies to her that Simhadri / Veeramuthu will present a large dowry. The wedding takes place.

After the wedding, Bhadramma / Perundevi, who is furious that Bullemma / Kannamma is not the bride, instigates Parvathamma / Thangam to query regarding the dowry. A scuffle takes place between the two families and Parvathamma / Thangam wishes to send back Saroja / Radha to her parents place, but Suryam / Kannan sides with Saroja / Radha and accepts her whole-heartedly. Meanwhile, Chalamayya / Sonachalam wishes to leave home, but Bhadramma / Perundevi, who is in agony, decides to stay back and plans to create hatred between Parvathamma / Thangam and Radha. In turn, Parvathamma / Thangam tortures Saroja / Radha in every possible way, but Saroja / Radha fights back and keeps calm. Matters get worse when Perayya / Varatharajan dies, but not before seeking a promise from Suryam / Kannan not to disobey Parvathamma / Thangam. Suryam / Kannan and Radha's marriage life hits a roadblock. When coming to know that Parvathamma / Thangam treats Saroja / Radha very badly, Simhadri / Veeramuthu steps in and takes Radha, who is driven away by both Parvathamma / Thangam and Bhadramma / Perundevi, away to his place.

When Suryam / Kannan comes back, Parvathamma / Thangam and Bhadramma / Perundevi lie to him that Saroja / Radha had gone to her parents place along with Simhadri / Veeramuthu, without seeking their consent. That night, Saroja / Radha tries to meet Suryam / Kannan, but Parvathamma / Thangam would not let Saroja / Radha in. Meanwhile, Bullemma / Kannamma unwittingly lets know Suryam / Kannan regarding this incident and Suryam / Kannan goes to Simhadri / Veeramuthu's place to explain, in order to take back Radha. Simhadri / Veeramuthu spells out to Suryam / Kannan clearly that Saroja / Radha would not go to Suryam / Kannan's place as long as Parvathamma / Thangam is there. Taking this opportunity, Parvathamma / Thangam and Bhadramma / Perundevi force and arrange Bullemma / Kannamma to be married to Suryam / Kannan. Observing all this, Chalamayya / Sonachalam and Thimaiyya / Mannar attempt to abduct Bullemma / Kannamma, but fail. To make matters worse, Parvathamma / Thangam sends a letter to Saroja / Radha informing that Suryam / Kannan would remarry and restricts Saroja / Radha not to interfere in Suryam / Kannan's life any more.

On the engagement day, Suryam / Kannan who is badly disturbed by the events, falls from the first floor of his balcony and is badly injured. Upon hearing this, Saroja / Radha rushes to Suryam / Kannan's place, was stopped by Simhadri / Veeramuthu, but later consents after hearing to Radha's plea. Suryam / Kannan is happy to see Saroja / Radha around, tells her not to leave him even though Parvathamma / Thangam mistreats her and Saroja / Radha assures this. At this juncture, Parvathamma / Thangam and Bhadramma / Perundevi further humiliate Simhadri / Veeramuthu to the worst, which drives him to sell his mansion to compensate with much dowry. Parvathamma / Thangam tries all her best to drive Saroja / Radha away, but to no avail and she becomes violent. Saroja / Radha hides in one of the rooms, but Parvathamma / Thangam tries to force open the door, when the door collapse onto Parvathamma / Thangam. At the same time, Simhadri / Veeramuthu parades the dowry items from his home throughout the streets, much to the residents' dismay and reaches Suryam / Kannan's place. Upon seeing all this, Bhadramma / Perundevi and Bullemma / Kannamma flee.

Parvathamma / Thangam realises her error on her deathbed and seeks apology from Suryam / Kannan, Saroja / Radha and Simhadri / Veeramuthu then dies. Suryam / Kannan and Saroja / Radha reunite and live happily.

Cast

 * Telugu

Soundtrack
The music was composed by K. V. Mahadevan.
 * Telugu songs

Lyrics were by Acharya Aatreya.

Lyrics were by Udumalai Narayana Kavi & A. Maruthakasi. The song "Nillu Nillu Megame" by P. Susheela, K. Jamuna Rani & Group did not take place in this film.
 * Tamil songs

Reception
Bommala Pelli fared slightly better than Bommai Kalyanam, which ran for 50 days in theatres. Bommai Kalyanam was panned by Kanthan of Kalki.