The very mention of the title of this fantastic black & white film brings to mind myriad memories in different people, regardless of their age - of mythology, of the epic ‘Mahabharata’ and of their favourite filmstar. When it was launched on January 14, 1965, it virtually set the screens on fire.
It ran a 100 days and more in 24 centres and went on to hit the 175-day mark too because the cast was amazing and it dealt with mythology that almost everyone understood. Pandava Vanavaasam , directed by Kamalakara Kameshwara Rao and written by Samudrala Raghavacharya, was produced by Anjaneyulu Adusumalli or A.S.R. Anjaneyulu, on the Madhavi Productions banner.
The legendary N.T. Rama Rao as Bheema, underwent a complete transformation - physically and in dialogue delivery and fans still have it on top-of-the-mind recall, every scene. They specially remember every word Bhe-ema utters against Dharma Raju and even how Arjuna gets caught in the crossfire.
Those who lived their roles were S.V. Ranga Rao as Duryodhana, Gummadi Venkateswara Rao (Dharma Raju), M. Balaiah (Arjuna), Dr. Prabhakar Reddy (Karna), Mikkilineni (Dussasana) and Savitri as Draupadi. It was also ‘Dream Girl’ Hemamalini’s debut film before she moved on and hit the heights of stellar fame in Bollywood.
She shook a leg to what is today’s ‘item number’ as a danseuse entertaining Duryodhana and his entourage in ‘Ghosha Yatra’. Rajasulochana appeared as a dancer too, in one of the eight songs in this blockbu-ster, for which music was composed by Ghantasala. Anybody who knows anyth-ing about Telugu films would swear that by any yardstick, this film was the biggest grosser in the B&W era.
Interestingly, the film was released again and again, once in two years or so, so much so it hit the screens at least 20 times since 1965, sending the makers and exhibitors laughing all the way to the bank every time. Exactly a week before Pandava Vanavaasam released, Naadi Aada Janme , with the same NTR, S.V. Ranga Rao and Savitri combination hit the screens on January 7, 1965 and went on to run 100 days in 14 centres.
