Chakradhari (1977 film)

Chakradhari (transl. A Person Holding a Wheel) is a 1977 Telugu-language biographical film, based on the life of the potter-turned-saint Gora Kumbhar. produced by N. R. Anuradha Devi under the Lakshmi Films Combines banner and directed by V. Madhusudhana Rao. The film stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Vanisri, with music composed by G. K. Venkatesh. It is a remake of the 1974 Kannada film Bhakta Kumbara. G.K.Venkatesh, who had composed music for the Kannada version, was chosen as the music director of this movie. 4 songs were retained from the original version.

Chakradhari
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	V. Madhusudhana Rao
Written by	Acharya Aatreya (dialogues)
Screenplay by	V. Madhusudhana Rao
Based on	Bhakta Kumbara
Produced by	N. R. Anuradha Devi
Starring	Akkineni Nageswara Rao Vanisri
Cinematography	P. S. Selvaraj
Edited by	Kotagiri Gopalakrishna Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao
Music by	G. K. Venkatesh
Production company	Lakshmi Films Combines
Release date	1977 (1977)
Running time	142 mins
Country	India
Language	Telugu

Plot

The film is based on the life of Gora Kumbhar, an advent devotee of Panduranga between the 11th to 12th centuries belonging to Satyapuri village Maharashtra. Namdev, a great disciple of the Lord, offers Prasāda to which he does not respond when saint Gynadeva says that he may go for some other devotee. At that moment, self-centered Namadeva declares that no one is superior to him. Parallelly, Gora, a potter, leads a good life with his ideal wife, Lakshmi, and a kid, Vittu. Gora is very kindhearted and ameliorates everyone in the village. However, he is not interested in worldly matters and is constantly immersed in the adoration of Panduranga. Once, Namadeva & Gynadeva, in their tour, halt at Satyapuri, where Gora provides hospitality. Here, Gynadeva orders Gora to acknowledge the state of knowledge from the disciples when Gora affirms Namadeva as a half-knowledge fellow. Knowing this, Namadeva seeks the Lord to endorse his duty when he states to search for a mentor to amend his deficiency, and he moves.

Meanwhile, in an awful incident, Gora, while mixing clay, gets involved in a holy ecstasy and plods the child under the mud. Furious, Lakshmi vows in the name of the Lord that Gora should not touch her. From there, Gora works on his own, and he suffers from Lakshmi's rejection. Eventually, she arranges his marriage to her sister Manju under the condition set by Lakshmi's father that Gora treat both similarly. Ergo, Gora refuses to touch Manju, but one night, unfortunately, he touches them, being regretful for the sin; he amputates his hands when Panduranga appears as a potter Ranganna and starts serving him. During that time, Namadeva realizes Gora is his mentor, bows his head down, and divulges Ranganna's true self. At last, the Lord completes his test of Gora, restores his hands, returns his child, and removes his vow. Finally, the movie ends with Gora nobilitated immortal as an advent devotee of Panduranga.

Cast

• Akkineni Nageswara Rao as Gora Kumbhar / Gora
• Vanisri as Lakshmi
• Jaya Prada as Manju
• Satyanarayana as Namadeva
• Ramakrishna as Lord Panduranga / Ranganna
• Gummadi as Lakshmi's father
• Allu Ramalingaiah as Sangoji
• Rajababu as Devada
• Mukkamala as Saint
• Nagaraju as Gynadeva
• Mada as Basavanna
• Mallikarjuna Rao
• Vennira Aadai Nirmala as Rukmini
• Rama Prabha as Tulasamma
• Jaya Malini as item number

Soundtrack

Chakradhari
Film score by G. K. Venkatesh
Released	1977
Genre	Soundtrack
Length	26:07
Producer	G. K. Venkatesh
G. K. Venkatesh chronology
America Ammayi (1976) Chakradhari (1977) Ravanude Ramudayithe? (1978)

Music was composed by G. K. Venkatesh who was also the composer of the Kannada version. Four songs were retained from the original Kannada versions whereas another song was based on a Kannada song from Bangaarada Manushya movie composed by the same music director.

S. No.	Song Title	Lyrics	Singers	length	Original
1	"Kanugontini Harini"	Acharya Aatreya	V. Ramakrishna	5:47	Kande Hariya Kande
2	"Naalo Evevo Vinthalu"	C. Narayana Reddy	P. Susheela	4:19	Aaha Mysooru Mallige from Bangaarada Manushya
3	"Manava Emunnadi Ee Deham"	Acharya Aatreya	V. Ramakrishna	3:58	Manava Dehavu Moole Mamsada Thadike
4	"Harinamame Madhuram"	Acharya Aatreya	V. Ramakrishna	4:20	Hari Namave Chanda
5	"Vitthala Vitthala Panduranga Vitthala"	Acharya Aatreya	S. P. Balasubrahmanyam	3:42	Vitala Vitala Panduranga Vitala
6	"Ekkadunnavu"	Acharya Aatreya	V. Ramakrishna	5:01
7	"Pora Pokiri Pilagada"	Acharya Aatreya	P. Susheela	4:16
8	"Ide Prathi Jeeviki"	Acharya Aatreya	P. B. Srinivas	2:07
9	"Nuvvevarayya Nenevarayya"	Acharya Aatreya	V. Ramakrishna	3:42

Other versions

The story of Gora Kumbhar has been an inspiration for various movies and has had various versions in Indian film industry.

Year	Title	Language	Director	Cast
1944	Chakradhari	Telugu		V. Nagayya, S. Varalakshmi
	Chakradhari	Tamil	K. S. Gopalakrishnan	V. Nagayya, Pushpavalli
1960	Gora Kumbara	Kannada
1967	Sant Gora Kumbhar	Marathi	Rajesh Limkar	Mangesh Diwanji, Mansi Lonkar
1974	Bhakta Kumbara	Kannada	Hunsur Krishnamurthy	Rajkumar, Leelavathi