Chenchu Lakshmi is a 1958 bilingual Telugu & Tamil Mythological film, produced and directed by B. A. Subba Rao on B.A.S.Productions banner. Starring Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Anjali Devi in the lead roles and music composed by S. Rajeswara Rao; both of the movies simultaneously shot in Telugu & Tamil, most of the scenes and artists are same in both the versions, it was also made earlier in 1943 with different cast and crew.
The story line is based on the Hindu mythological story. The film begins with marriage Lord Vishnu (Akkineni Nageswara Rao) & Mahalakshmi (Anjali Devi) on that occasion Sage Durvasa (Gummadi) gets anger that he is not properly invited so he gives a curse to Mahalakshmi’s parents Samudra King of ocean (E. R. Sahadevan) & his wife (Sandhya) to born as tribals. After that Vishnu kills Hiranyaksha, donning Varaha avatar, his brother Hiranyakasipu (S. V. Ranga Rao) hates Vishnu and made him leave his abode Vaikuntha after getting a boon from Lord Brahma that he will not be killed by either weapon, man, demon or divinity. After his efforts to dissuade his son Prahlada (Master Babji) from worshipping Vishnu fail, Hiranyakasipu challenges him to show Vishnu in a pillar. On Prahlada’s prayer, Vishnu appears in Narasimha (half man and half lion) avatar and kills Hiranyakasipu. Parallel to this runs another story involving, due to a curse, Samudra, and his wife are born in Chenchu tribe and beget a child after eating a fruit. The little girl has the angelic charm of Goddess Lakshmi and grows up as the fearless Chenchita (again Anjali Devi). After killing Hiranyakasipu, still raging with fury, Narasimha wanders in the forest and it is only after seeing Chenchulakshmi that his anger subsides and he sheds the avatar and turns into the handsome Narahari who falls in love with her. Narada plays his part in the entire drama that finally culminates in the reunion of Vishnu and Lakshmi.
Directed by B. A. Subba Rao
Produced by B. A. Subba Rao
Written by Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass & M. S. Subramaniam (Tamil dialogues)
Screenplay by B. A. Subba Rao
Story by Vempati Sadasivabrahmam
Starring Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Anjali Devi
Music by S. Rajeswara Rao
Cinematography C. Nageshwara Rao
Edited by K. Marthandam
Production B.A.S.Productions
Distributed by Navayuga Films
Release date 9 April 1958
Running time 145 mins
Country India
Language Telugu & Tamil
