Down memory lane
P. SURYA RAO
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Octogenarian screen Sita gets together with Lava and Kusa.
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Photo: Raju. V
Looking back Anjali Devi
Eighty-year-old veteran actress Anjali Devi is a household name not only among film lovers, but also has quite a fan following with the rest. She has been the heroine of almost all heroes of yesteryears and is still leading an active life. Anjali Devi is an ardent devotee of Sri Satya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi.
Bolisetti Radhakrishna Murthy, secretary, Somanath Natya Mandali, organised an elaborate function at Gokaraju Laila Gangaraju Kala Vedika, Vijayawada, to felicitate Anjali Devi, who played the character of Sita in the hit movie, Lava Kusa. Nagaraju and Subramanyam, who played Lava and Kusa, were also felicitated.
Anjali Devi recollected her association with Vijayawada, saying that her father-in-law was a resident of that city and her Anjali Productions office was also set up there. Nagaraju and Naga Subramanyam, who played Lava and Kusa as eight-year-olds, also went down memory lane. They said they were extremely happy about acting in the movie with greats like NTR and Anjali Devi. Anjali Devi said though she missed her flight and even the train, she came all the way from Chennai in a car because of her love for Vijayawada and her innumerable fans there.
Tuneful keertanas
Popuri Gayatri and her talented daughter, Pallavi, rendered several Annamacharya keertanas melodiously with devotional fervour at a programme arranged by Annamacharya Sankeertana Mandali at Sri Sivaramakrishna Kshetram, Vijayawada,
Pappu Sadasiva Sastri, a well-known singer of Annamacharya keertanas, was the compere. Some of the keertanas sung by Gayatri and Pallavi were Vinnapalu Vinavale, (bowli), Bramha Kadigina Padamu (mukhari), Entamatramunu Evvaru Dalachina, ( Ragamalika) and Deva Devam Bhaje. The singers were ably accompanied by Ganduri Srinivasa Sastri (violin), I. Anjaneya Sastri (mridangam) and K. Kishore (ghatam).
Slick drama
Under the banner of Somanath Natya Mandali, a popular mythological drama (padya natakam), Gayopakhyanam, was staged at Velidandla Hanumantaraya Grandhalayam Hall in Vijayawada. Lord Krishna, insulted by Gaya, who is flying in the Pushpaka Vimanam, is angered and vows to punish him. Gaya seeks Arjuna’s intervention in saving him from the Lord’s wrath. He is finally granted a boon by Lord Krishna.
The scenes were slickly presented by experienced actors Vijayasarathi as Krishna, B. Vijaya Sayi as Arjuna, K. Venkatchari as Gaya, B. A. Naidu as Dharmaraju, D. Joga Rao as Bheema and L. Joga Rao as Narada. The technical production, costumes and instrumental support were flawless. The harmonium and tabla were played by Apparao, Venugopalachari and Ajay.
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