Thodi Kodallu

Thodi Kodallu
Thodi Kodallu
Film score by Master Venu
Released	1957
Genre	Soundtrack
Length	35:58
Producer	Master Venu

Thodi Kodallu
Thodi Kodallu
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Adurthi Subba Rao
Screenplay by	Adurthi Subba Rao; D. Madhusudhana Rao; Acharya Aatreya
Based on	Nishkruti (novel); by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
Produced by	D. Madhusudhana Rao
Starring	Akkineni Nageswara Rao; Savitri
Cinematography	P. S. Selvaraj
Edited by	Adurthi Subba Rao
Music by	Master Venu
Production; company	Annapurna Pictures
Distributed by	Navayuga Films
Release dates	11 January 1957 (Telugu); 1 February 1957 (Tamil);
Running time	182 minutes
Country	India
Languages	Telugu; Tamil

Thodi Kodallu (transl. Sisters-in-law) is a 1957 Indian Telugu-language drama film directed and edited by Adurthi Subba Rao who co-wrote the script with D. Madhusudhana Rao and Acharya Aatreya. Madhusudhana Rao produced the film under Annapurna Pictures. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Savitri with music composed by Master Venu. The film is based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's Bengali novel Nishkriti, and was simultaneously made as the Tamil film Engal Veettu Mahalakshmi (1957); both films were made simultaneously by the same banner and director, and some of the scenes and artists are the same in both versions. Thodi Kodallu won the Certificate of merit for Best Feature Film in Telugu.^[2]

Plot[edit]

The film begins with a wealthy, conjoined joint family. Advocate Kutumba Rao is his paterfamilias, an introvert & oblivious. He resides with his wife Annapurna and their progeny. Ramanaiah, his younger, looks after their farms in the village with his virago wife, Anasuya. Besides, Kutumba Rao raises his cousin Satyam, an idealist who knits benevolent Susheela, and they have a son, Babu. Annapurna & Susheela share beyond relationship. Annapurna is very fond of Babu, whom she rears above her own. Since she is ailing, Susheela takes up the family tasks and operates them disciplinarily.

After civilizing, Satyam was appointed in their rice mill, led by his venomous distant relative Vaikuntam. Soon, he resigned, being unable to tolerate fraud therein. On the eve of Dasara, they invite Ramanaiah's family when Anasuya envies Susheela's esteem. Ergo, she slowly sows vicious seeds in Annapurna, creating a rift that makes Satyam's family quit, and they walk to the village. Now, Anasuya clutches the household authority and usurps the entire wealth. Parallelly, Vaikuntam entraps Ramanaiah via his amour Navaneetam and addicts him to all vices.

Following his ideals, Satyam cultivates barren lands with Susheela, associates with all the jobless peasants, and conducts communal agriculture. Besides, Ramanaiah & Vaikuntam spoiled the total heisted by Anasuya. They also snatched the amount of a client, Tirupataiah, by forging Kutumba Rao’s signature, which is about to claim. Learning it, Satyam clears it by mortgaging Susheela’s jewelry to shield his brother’s honor and handovers the counterfeited document.

Meanwhile, Anasuya’s intrigues break out when Annapurna angers and collapses, making Anasuya reform. It is time for harvest when Ramanaiah & Vaikuntam ploy to grab it on behalf of Kutumba Rao. Satyam hinders it, and the government seizes the crop when he summons Kutumba Rao. Being incognizant of the fact, enraged Kutumba Rao heads to the village, where rebukes and about to neck out Satyam. Simultaneously, Ramanaiah & Vaikuntam covetously try to destroy the proof but are caught. At that point, Kutumba Rao comprehends the virtue of Satyam & Susheela, welcomes them back, and allocates their lands permanently to the farmers. At last, they return home when Ramanaiah’s family is to exit, and Susheela changes their intention. Finally, the movie ends happily with the family’s reunion.

Cast[edit]

Telugu cast[edit]

Akkineni Nageswara Rao as Satyam
Savitri as Susheela
S. V. Ranga Rao as Kutumba Rao
Relangi as Ramanaiah
Jaggayya as Vaikuntham
Chadalavada as Tirupataiah
Allu Ramalingaiah as Ayomayam
P. Kannamba as Annapurna
Suryakantam as Anasuya
Rajasulochana as Navaneetam
Parvati as Kamala
Kameswaramma
Master Kundu
Master Sharat Babu as Babu
Rood, the dog

Tamil cast[edit]

Savithri as Susheela
A. Nageswara Rao as Gopu
Kannamba as Annapoorna
S. V. Ranga Rao as Lawyer Ganapathi
M. S. Sundari Bai as Anusooya
K. A. Thangavelu as Subbu
P. Rajasulochana as Sanjala
M. N. Nambiar Vaikuntam
Ezhumalai as Thirupathi
Root the dog
Sarathbabu
Sampath
Angamuthu
Santhanam
Master Kunthu
Seshagiri Rao
Subba Rao
Master Krishnamoorthi
Ramakrishnan
Parvathi as Kamala

Dance

E. V. Saroja
A. K. Chopra
Nataraja Dance School Girls

Production[edit]

The film was produced by D. Madhusudhana Rao under his own banner Annapurna Pictures and was directed by Adurthi Subba Rao, who also did the editing. The story was based on Sharat Chandra Chatterjee's Bengali novel Nishkruti. Dialogues were penned by Sridhar. Cinematography was handled by P. S. Selvaraj. S. Krishna Rao was in charge of art direction while A. K. Chopra handled the choreography. The film was also made in Telugu with the title Thodi Kodallu.

Soundtrack[edit]

Music was composed by Master Venu. All the tunes for all the songs for both languages are the same.

Telugu Track List
Thodi Kodallu

Lyrics were penned by Acharya Aatreya, Tapi Dharma Rao, Kosaraju and Sri Sri. Playback singers are Ghantasala, Madhavapeddi Satyam, P. Susheela, Jikki and K. Rani.

S. No.	Song Title	Lyrics	Singers	length
1	"Kaarulo Shikarukelle"	Acharya Aatreya	Ghantasala	3:39
2	"Shreerastu Shubhamastu"	Acharya Aatreya	P. Susheela	2:53
3	"Town Pakkakelloddura"	Kosaraju	Ghantasala & Jikki	4:48
4	"Aadutu Paadutu"	Kosaraju	Ghantasala & P. Susheela	4:22
5	"Naluguru Kalisi"	Sri Sri	Ghantasala	3:26
6	"Kalakaalam Ee Kalata"	Tapi Dharma Rao	P. Susheela	3:32
7	"Ententa Dooram"	Acharya Aatreya	P. Susheela & K. Rani	3:24
8	"Nee Shoku Choodakunda"	Kosaraju	Madhavapeddi Satyam & Jikki	3:05
9	"Gaalipatam Gaalipatam"	Kosaraju	Ghantasala, P. Susheela & K. Rani	4:04
10	"Bhale Maavayya"	Sri Sri	Jikki	2:45

Tamil Track List
Engal Veettu Mahalakshmi

Lyrics were penned by Udumalai Narayana Kavi, A. Maruthakasi and K. S. Gopalakrishnan. Singer is K. A. Thangavelu. Playback singers are Ghantasala, T. M. Soundararajan, Seerkazhi Govindarajan, S. C. Krishnan, P. Susheela, Jikki, T. V. Rathnam and K. Rani.^[3]

No.	Song	Singers	Lyrics	Length (m:ss)
1	"Kaarile Savaari Seiyyum"	Ghantasala	Udumalai Narayana Kavi	04:00
2	"Sendhiru Maadhum Kalai Maadhum"	T. V. Rathnam & group		03:15
3	"Pattanamthaan Pogalaamadi"	Seerkazhi Govindarajan & P. Susheela		04:30
4	"Aadi Paadi Velai Senjaa"	Ghantasala & P. Susheela		02:37
5	"Uzhudhundu Vaazhvaare...Naattukku Poruttham"	T. M. Soundararajan & group		05:14
6	"Pala Kaalam Vethanai"	P. Susheela		02:58
7	"Pollaadha Payalai Serthida Maattom"	P. Susheela & K. Rani	K. S. Gopalakrishnan	02:15
8	"Mannai Nambi Maram Irukka"	S. C. Krishnan & Jikki		03:27
9	"Kaatthaadi Kaatthaadi"	Ghantasala, P. Susheela & K. Rani		02:59
10	"Pushan Sollai Kedkaame"	K. A. Thangavelu
11	"Vilakketri Vaikkavum Illai"	Jikki	A. Maruthakasi	02:47

Awards[edit]

National Film Awards^[4]
- 1957 - Certificate of Merit for Second Best Feature Film in Telugu

Notes[edit]

^ Aatreya is also credited for dialogues.

References[edit]

^ "Engal Veettu Mahalakshmi". The Indian Express. 1 February 1957. p. 1. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
^ Narasimham, M. L. (19 February 2015). "Blast from the past: Todikodallu (1957)". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
^ G. Neelamegam. Thiraikalanjiyam — Part 1 (in Tamil). Manivasagar Publishers, Chennai 108 (Ph:044 25361039). First edition December 2014. p. 123.
^ "5th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2011.

External links[edit]

[2] Aatreya is also credited for dialogues.

[1] "Engal Veettu Mahalakshmi". The Indian Express. 1 February 1957. p. 1. Retrieved 4 January 2022.

[3] Narasimham, M. L. (19 February 2015). "Blast from the past: Todikodallu (1957)". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.

[4] G. Neelamegam. Thiraikalanjiyam — Part 1 (in Tamil). Manivasagar Publishers, Chennai 108 (Ph:044 25361039). First edition December 2014. p. 123.

[5thawardPDF-5] "5th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2011.

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