Chakradhari (1977 film)

Chakradhari is a 1977 Telugu-language biographical film, based on the life of the potter-turned-saint Gora Kumbhar. produced by N. R. Anuradha Devi under the Lakshmi Films Combines banner and directed by V. Madhusudhana Rao. The film stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Vanisri, with music composed by G. K. Venkatesh. It is a remake of the 1974 Kannada film Bhakta Kumbara. G.K.Venkatesh, who had composed music for the Kannada version, was chosen as the music director of this movie. 4 songs were retained from the original version.

Plot
The film is based on the life of Gora Kumbhar, an advent devotee of Panduranga between the 11th to 12th centuries belonging to Satyapuri village Maharashtra. Namdev, a great disciple of the Lord, offers Prasāda to which he does not respond when saint Gynadeva says that he may go for some other devotee. At that moment, self-centered Namadeva declares that no one is superior to him. Parallelly, Gora, a potter, leads a good life with his ideal wife, Lakshmi, and a kid, Vittu. Gora is very kindhearted and ameliorates everyone in the village. However, he is not interested in worldly matters and is constantly immersed in the adoration of Panduranga. Once, Namadeva & Gynadeva, in their tour, halt at Satyapuri, where Gora provides hospitality. Here, Gynadeva orders Gora to acknowledge the state of knowledge from the disciples when Gora affirms Namadeva as a half-knowledge fellow. Knowing this, Namadeva seeks the Lord to endorse his duty when he states to search for a mentor to amend his deficiency, and he moves.

Meanwhile, in an awful incident, Gora, while mixing clay, gets involved in a holy ecstasy and plods the child under the mud. Furious, Lakshmi vows in the name of the Lord that Gora should not touch her. From there, Gora works on his own, and he suffers from Lakshmi's rejection. Eventually, she arranges his marriage to her sister Manju under the condition set by Lakshmi's father that Gora treat both similarly. Ergo, Gora refuses to touch Manju, but one night, unfortunately, he touches them, being regretful for the sin; he amputates his hands when Panduranga appears as a potter Ranganna and starts serving him. During that time, Namadeva realizes Gora is his mentor, bows his head down, and divulges Ranganna's true self. At last, the Lord completes his test of Gora, restores his hands, returns his child, and removes his vow. Finally, the movie ends with Gora nobilitated immortal as an advent devotee of Panduranga.

Cast

 * Akkineni Nageswara Rao as Gora Kumbhar / Gora
 * Vanisri as Lakshmi
 * Jaya Prada as Manju
 * Satyanarayana as Namadeva
 * Ramakrishna as Lord Panduranga / Ranganna
 * Gummadi as Lakshmi's father
 * Allu Ramalingaiah as Sangoji
 * Rajababu as Devada
 * Mukkamala as Saint
 * Nagaraju as Gynadeva
 * Mada as Basavanna
 * Mallikarjuna Rao
 * Vennira Aadai Nirmala as Rukmini
 * Rama Prabha as Tulasamma
 * Jaya Malini as item number

Soundtrack
Music was composed by G. K. Venkatesh who was also the composer of the Kannada version. Four songs were retained from the original Kannada versions whereas another song was based on a Kannada song from Bangaarada Manushya movie composed by the same music director.

Other versions
The story of Gora Kumbhar has been an inspiration for various movies and has had various versions in Indian film industry.