Swathi Kiranam

Swathi Kiranam
Poster
Directed by	K. Viswanath
Written by	M. V. S. Haranatha Rao (dialogue) Jandhyala (dialogue)
Screenplay by	K. Viswanath
Story by	K. Viswanath
Produced by	V. Madhusudhana Rao
Starring	Mammootty Radhika Sarathkumar Master Manjunath
Cinematography	Kasthuri
Edited by	G. G. Krishna Rao
Music by	K. V. Mahadevan
Production companies	Meher Chaithanya Niketan Trust, Meher Nagar
Distributed by	Swathi Productions
Release date	1 January 1992 (1992-01-01)
Running time	130 minutes
Language	Telugu

Swathi Kiranam (transl. Dawn of Light) is a 1992 Telugu-language musical drama film directed by K. Viswanath. Produced by V. Madhusudhana Rao, the film starred Mammootty in his Telugu debut, Master Manjunath, and Radhika, along with Achyuth, Jayanthi, Sakshi Ranga Rao, Dubbing Janaki and Dharmavarapu Subramanyam in supporting roles. The film is about an egotistical music teacher envious of the immense talent of his prodigious young disciple, and depicts their tumultuous relationship.

Swathi Kiranam was featured in the Indian panorama section of the 24th IFFI,^[1] the Asia Pacific Film Festival, the Moscow Film Festival and the AISFM Film Festival.^[2][3] The film has garnered the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer, Filmfare Award for Best Music Direction and the Akkineni Award for Best Home-viewing Feature Film.^[4][5] Over the years, the film has accumulated a cult following for its music, and lyrics.^[2] The lyrics were penned by Vennelakanti, Sirivennela Seetarama Sastry, C. Narayana Reddy, and Madugula Nagaphani Sarma.^[4]

Plot

A shabby old man, living as a recluse near a famous temple in Tapeswaram, is haunted by apparitions of a young boy singing. He ventures out into the village, only to be caught by shepherds who believe him to be a thief. When they hand him over to the police, Inspector Radhakrishna identifies him as a once-famed musician, Anantha Rama Sharma, hailed as the Sangeeta Samrat (Emperor of Music), who has been missing for four years. Radhakrishna informs his aunt, who teaches music in their native village. Sharma's past is then narrated through a flashback.

Sharma is a highly respected but arrogant Carnatic composer and singer. His inflated self-esteem is evident when he rejects the Padma Shri award, claiming that his fellow recipients are unworthy of being honored alongside him. In the same village lives Gangadhar, a schoolboy from a working-class family. He disregards conventional schooling and music lessons, preferring to sing by the riverside, where he experiments with alternative renditions of songs by effortlessly transposing them into different ragas. Gangadhar's aunt, a music teacher, notices his talent and encourages him, while his school teacher, initially frustrated when he alters the class prayer, becomes impressed after hearing his version. Gangadhar’s parents, who run a tiffin center, also support his musical aspirations.

During a local religious ceremony attended by Sharma and his wife, Sharada, the music teacher, arranges for Gangadhar to perform for him. At the event, Sharma interpolates a Vedic chant, the mantra pushpam, with his own melody. Later, Gangadhar imitates this approach during his own performance, shocking the attendees. Sharma rebukes him, insisting that compositions must be performed as originally intended. Humiliated, Gangadhar faces criticism from his teacher and father and attempts suicide but is stopped by his parents. Though confused by Sharma’s hypocrisy, he agrees to apologize. When Gangadhar visits Sharma’s home, he overhears Sharma and Sharada composing a song at the request of the Bharathi Peetham organization. He takes notes and approaches Sharada, who hints at her husband’s double standards. She encourages Gangadhar to audition for Sharma’s music school. At the audition, he performs an innovative re-rendition of the composition in another raga but is rejected. Sharada, however, develops a maternal attachment to him and supports his growth. Gangadhar continues to train and perform across the region, gaining recognition. Meanwhile, Sharma secretly replays Gangadhar’s taped audition, increasingly disturbed by the boy’s talent.

At an event honoring Sharma, Gangadhar requests permission to sing in dedication to him. His performance of “Aanathi Neeyera,” with elaborate svara improvisations, earns widespread acclaim. Soon after, Sharma is invited to felicitate Gangadhar at another function, further wounding his pride. As Gangadhar’s fame grows, Bharathi Peetham requests Sharma to involve Gangadhar in composing songs. Sharma invites him to stay at his home under the pretense of guidance. He dismisses Gangadhar’s attempts at new compositions, calling them lifeless, while secretly transcribing them for himself. Disheartened, Gangadhar retreats to a waterfall, where inspiration strikes after hearing a folk hymn to Lord Shiva. He composes “Shivani Bhavani” and presents it to Sharma, who rejects it but later performs it himself. Shocked, Sharma realizes that Gangadhar witnessed the act. Gangadhar confides to Sharada his sadness at receiving her motherly love but never Sharma’s paternal affection. Sharada interprets Sharma’s transcriptions as tough love intended to nurture the boy, but Sharma angrily reveals his jealousy. He declares that he would rather kill Gangadhar than endure his superiority, before collapsing from a heart attack.

As Sharma recovers in the hospital, Gangadhar and Sharada anxiously await news, singing together in solace. Later, Sharma and Sharada discover Gangadhar missing, leaving behind a letter. In it, he explains that though he failed to recognize Sharma’s jealousy, he could not bear to cause harm to Sharada by alienating her husband. He resolves to end his life so that his music will no longer trouble Sharma. The couple rushes to the railway station, where Gangadhar’s body is being returned to his village. Sharada, devastated, asks whether the boy was killed by God above or by the man beside her.

The film returns to the present, where a now disheveled and guilt-ridden Sharma is advised to seek redemption by embracing music once more. After four years, he reunites with Sharada, who has renamed their music school in Gangadhar’s memory. He finds her teaching a class of children and joins them in their warm-up exercises, his voice frail and out of tune, as Sharada continues leading the lesson with tears in her eyes.

Cast

Production

This film was Mammootty's Telugu debut, and director K. Viswanath had approached S. P. Balasubrahmanyam to dub for the actor in the film. But Mammootty asked Viswanath if he could dub for himself in Telugu, with his own voice, even though he did not know the language at the time. According to SPB, he said: "I can work hard. If you still do not like it, just do it with Balu Sir." Though he could not voice the dialogues, SPB still sang for Mammootty in the film.^[6]

During the composing sessions of this film, the music director K. V. Mahadevan was hospitalized. Hence his close associate and disciple Pughazhendi composed all the songs in the film. However, due to his devotion towards the music director, he still credited K. V. Mahadevan instead of himself ^{[citation needed]}. The song “Aanati Neeyara” is written in Thyagaraja Pancharatna Krithi style by Sirivennela Sitaramasastry. Pancharatna Krithis are unique compositions where there are numerous charanams which progress into a crescendo. This song fetched Vani Jayaram the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer. This film has numerous lyrical compositions sung by different singers, with strikingly different deliveries. "Pranathi Pranathi" is first sung in Naata by the character of Mammootty which is tuned in a different raaga for Master Manjunath to sing. On the other hand, both renditions of the song "Shivani Bhavani" are sung in the same tune, but with differing emotional levels to reflect the two lead characters. This film also marked the first and last collaboration between veteran singers Vani Jayaram and K. S. Chithra.^[7]

Soundtrack

Reception

The film was released on 1 January 1992 on New Year's Day to widespread critical acclaim. In a retrospect interview of the film by iQlik Movies, they call the film an unmistakable epic by writing: "Swathi Kiranam is called an unmistakable epic because it explores the hidden side of a successful Carnatic Music singer - his inner fears, his insecurities just because he watches a child prodigy grow in front of his own eyes." They further go on to praise the performance of the lead cast. They then praise the script, writing: "Dialogues written by Jandhyala are thought provoking and heart touching. The line where a tormented Gangadharam says ,” Mimmalni choosthe maa amma gari la anipisthunnaru..kaani ayyagaru endhuku thandri la kanipinchatledho ardham kavatledhu” (“While I can see a mother in you, I don’t know why I am unable to see a father in sir!”) to Anantha Sarma's wife can make anybody tearful."^[9] Idlebrain included the film in its series of "films that were box-office failures but, that deserve to be ranked as some of the best movies of Telugu industry."^[10]

Other Versions

• Sur – The Melody of Life (2002 film) by Tanuja Chandra
• Qala (2022 film) by Anvita Dutt

Accolades

The film won 1 National Film Award, 1 Nandi Award and 1 Filmfare Award South each. The film was the inaugural recipient of the Nandi Award for Akkineni Award for Best Home-viewing Feature Film.

References

External links

• Swathi Kiranam at IMDb