Why is it Epic?
When the evolution of Mankind is observed, society is established to create security for a person physically and emotionally. But the very foundations of the society are questioned when human values and morals become a rarity. Innocent, helpless individuals become a prey for such situation and get scattered like birds leaving for different trees. They carry the heavy feeling of isolation and leave for their respective destinations. This very fact was brilliantly portrayed in Matrudevobhava in a heart wrenching manner and that is why it is called an Epic- when seen from any dimension!
Behind the Epic..
The film’s storyline is based from a Malayalam film ‘Akshaduthu’. K.S.Rama Rao, the head of Creative Commercials production house adapted this story for Telugu and made the necessary changes. K.Ajay Kumar, the director of Telugu version made a brilliant screenplay based on the Malayalam story line and made the film with great care. Dialogues by G.Satya Murthy (Composer Devi Sri Prasad’s father). Veturi’s lyrics, M.M.Keeravani’s music along with background score are like two eyes for a film like this. Madhavi’s amazing acting (She acted in the Malayalam original as well) gave new life to the film. Veturi got the National Award for best lyricist for ‘Raalipoye Poova Neeku Raagalendhuke’ in this film. Another song, ‘Venuvai Vacchanu Bhuvananiki’ has phenomenal lyrics as well. This song remains to be one of the greatest renditions in Playback singer Chitra’s career. It is the composer Keeravani’s personal favorite too.
Brief Storyline:
The film begins with the backdrop of an Ashram where Peddaswami (Charuhasan), Anantha Swami (Subbaraya Sharma) embrace all the religions and propagate the fact that there is only one religion and that is Humanity. Sarada (Madhavi) and Satyam (Nassar) are orphans in the ashram and they grow up there. They get married later and the couple has four kids. Satyam is a lorry driver by profession and he befriends drunkards ( Brahmanandam and Dharmavarapu Subhrahmanyam). Satyam gets addicted to drinking in the due course of time. The liquor store owner Apparao (Tanikella Bharani) eyes Sarada and attempts to rape her. The attempt fails when Satyam discovers this and physically assaults Apparao. A defeated Apparao plans for revenge on Satyam and Sarada. In the meantime, Satyam- Sarada’s son meets with an accident and unfortunately the boy becomes physically handicapped. To make things worse, Apparao murders Satyam and his family along with Sarada and four kids become orphans. As if it isn’t the real end, more and more troubles come by. Sarada gets diagnosed by Cancer, and realizes that her lifespan is very less. She decides to give her kids to adoption to various families with the help of Anantha Swami. In the due course of time she gives her three kids to various families (Allurama lingaiah, Kota Srinivasa Rao and Narayana Rao). But nobody comes forward to take the physically handicapped boy for adoption. A troubled Sarada waits for her death and hopes to see her kids on Deepavali day but sadly when the festival arrives and kids comes to see her- she leaves this World.
Great Reception:
The film was made with a mediocre budget of 37 Lakhs in the year 1993. The audience did not bother about the film much initially. After three weeks of its release, when the film boxes were in the verge of going back, the film earned a positive talk and ran for 100 days successfully. The second half is tearfully heart wrenching making the audience terribly sad.
Maatrudevobhava will always be remembered for the attempt to bring back the Human values in the hearts of people and the perfect way in which it was made.
