Jayabheri

Jayabheri is a 1959 Indian Telugu-language biographical film directed by P. Pullayya who co-wrote the script with Acharya Aatreya. The film is based on the life of poet Kaasinath and stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Anjali Devi. The film was produced by Vasireddy Narayana Rao with music composed by Pendyala Nageswara Rao.

Jayabheri won the Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film in Telugu at the 7th National Film Awards. The music from the film was widely played on the radio. The film was simultaneously released in Tamil as Kalaivaanan.

Plot
During the reign of 1600– the 1700s, during the Vijayanagara Empire at Vidyanagaram. It is the hometown of high scholars and the elite communities where Kasinatha Sastry, an orthodox Brahmin - was raised by his elder brother Viswanatha Sastry & sister-in-law Annapurna.

Once lower strata, Bhagavathar's Bhachanollu visits when extraordinary dancer Manjulavani challenges them on whom Kasi wins. Knowing it, Vishwambhara Sastry, his mentor, admonishes that he has dragged Saraswati on the streets. Here, Kasi argues that art has no barrier; it is only public admiration. Ergo, Vishwambhara Sastry necks Kasi out, but Viswanatha Sastry berates and forcibly makes him apologize.

After that, Kasi & Manju perform a show, ignoring the ordinance of arbiters, and they ostracize him from the religion. Soon, Kasi knits Manju and conducts consorts nationwide, gaining high public appraisal. Emperor Vijayananda Rama Gajapati was impressed and invited them to his court, where Dharmadhikari denounced Kasi because of his ill reputation. Kasi triumphs over all the scholars in the council when he is highly honored and acquires appreciation for Vishwambhara Sastry, too.

Hence, the begrudged Dharmadhikari is in cahoots with courtesan Amruthamba, who converts him into contention. Once, drunken Kasi cannot sing in the court, so he gets arrested when Manju arrives and breaks the conspiracy. Later, Kasi & Manju return to their hometown, but Kasi cannot quit his vices, loses his wealth, and pesters Manju. Learning it, Annapurna covetously approaches him with upbraids, which makes him repent and reform. On her back, Viswanatha Sastry expels her, so she commits suicide when Kasi & Manju retrieve her with their idolization. At last, society realizes the couple's eminence and pleads guilty. Finally, the movie ends happily.

Cast

 * Akkineni Nageswara Rao as Kasinatha Sastry
 * Anjali Devi as Manjulavani
 * Santha Kumari as Annapoorna
 * Rajasulochana as Amrutha
 * Relangi as Bangarayya
 * S. V. Ranga Rao as Raja Vijayananda Rama Gajapati
 * Gummadi as Viswanatha Sastry
 * V. Nagayya as Viswambhara Sastry
 * Ramana Reddy as Narayya
 * Suryakantham as Ratnam
 * Mukkamala as Dharmadhikari
 * Maddali Krishnamurthy
 * Peketi Sivaram as Sanjeevi
 * Chadalavada as Raghavulu
 * Surabhi Kamalabai	as Ranganayaki

Soundtrack
Soundtrack was composed by Pendyala Nageswara Rao. The song "Rasika Raja" is based on Kambhoji raga.

Awards

 * National Film Awards
 * 1959: Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film in Telugu


 * Filmfare Awards South
 * Filmfare Award for Best Film – Telugu