Navarathri

Navaratri is a 1966 Telugu-language drama film, produced by A. V. Subba Rao under the Prasad Art Pictures banner and directed by T. Rama Rao. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Savitri, with music composed by T. Chalapathi Rao. The film is a remake of the Tamil film with the same title (1964), and has Savitri reprising her role. Nageswara Rao got high critical acclaim for his portrayal of nine characters. This film is regarded to have some of the finest ever performances by him. In the song Addala Meda Vundi, heavy star cast Jayalalitha, Kanchana, Jamuna and Girija make guest appearances as patients admitted in mental hospital. Plot The plot of the movie is based on what happens during Navaratri (Nava means Nine and Ratri means Night). The film opens with the narrator explaining that there are nine types of human behaviors (Navarasam), such as Wonder, Fear, Compassion, Anger, Equanimity, Disgust, Elegance, Bravery and Bliss and that Nageswara Rao's nine roles represents one character per role. Radha (Savitri) is the only daughter of a rich man. When she happily celebrates Navaratri festival at her home with her friends, her father informs her about the visit of a groom and his parents for her wedding. Radha is reluctant to the proposal as she wants to marry her college mate Venu Gopal. After arguments with her father, she leaves home without her father's knowledge at the first Navaratri night. First Night (Wonder): She searches for her lover in the college hostel, but finds that he has gone to get married. Radha feels cheated by Venu and attempts suicide, where she is stopped by a widower Anand (Akkineni Nageswara Rao). He takes her to his house and introduces her to his daughter. He urges her to tell her address to drop her safely. Unwilling to return home, she leaves the place the next early morning.