Shankar Guru (1978 film)

Shankar Guru is a 1978 Indian Kannada-language film directed by V. Somashekhar starring Rajkumar, Jayamala, Padmapriya and Kanchana. The supporting cast features Balakrishna, Vajramuni, Thoogudeepa Srinivas and Uma Shivakumar. Rajkumar appeared in a triple role in the film — as a father and his two sons separated in childhood.

Shankar Guru
Theatrical release poster
Directed byV. Somashekhar
Written byChi. Udayashankar (dialogue)
Screenplay byM. D. Sundar
Produced byParvathamma Rajkumar
Starring
CinematographyR. Madhusudan
Edited byP. Bhaktavatsalam
Music byUpendra Kumar
Production
company
Dakshayini Combines
Release date
  • 17 February 1978 (1978-02-17)
[1]
Running time
179 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageKannada
Box office₹3.26 crores [2]

The film is considered one of the best Kannada films of the 1970s and is seen as a milestone in the career of Rajkumar.[3] It was remade in Tamil as Thirisoolam (1979), in Telugu as Kumara Raja (1978) and in Hindi as Mahaan (1983) in which, Rajkumar's characters were played by Sivaji Ganesan, Krishna and Amitabh Bachchan respectively.[4][5][6] The movie was declared an "industry hit" at the box office since it grossed ₹3.26 crores after a 365-day run.[2]

Plot

Rajashekhar is an upright businessman whose associates are involved in shady deals. During an argument over such a deal, a scuffle ensues and Rajashekhar accidentally shoots one of his associates dead. Fleeing from the police, he loses contact with his pregnant wife Sumathi.

Many years later, Sumathi is now living with her son Shankar in Delhi, while Rajashekhar is a rich estate owner in Kashmir. Rajashekhar's niece Nalini encounters Shankar in Delhi and recommends him to manage her uncle's estate in Kashmir. Also arriving in Kashmir for a romantic quest with a rich girl Malathi is Guru - Shankar's lookalike. Through Shankar, Rajashekhar finally manages to establish contact with his long-lost wife Sumathi and is overwhelmed with joy.

However, before he can meet Sumathi, trouble arrives in the form of Rajashekhar's erstwhile crooked business partners, who are after a valuable necklace stolen from a temple in Delhi, which they believe is now in Rajashekhar's possession. The partners kidnap Sumathi and imprison and torture Rajashekhar and a final fight ensues where Shankar and Guru ( who are revealed to be twins) rescue and re-unite their parents.

Cast

Trivia
  • The film was a major success and completed a one-year run in theatres.[7]
  • Chi. Udayashankar, the dialogue-writer for the film, titled it Shankar Guru after his sons Ravishankar and Chi. Guru Dutt.
  • At the 1977–78 Karnataka State Film Awards, P. Bhaktavatsalam was awarded the Best Editor.
  • Shankar Guru was the debut production of Parvathamma Rajkumar under the banner Vajreshwari Combines.[8][9]
  • This was the second movie of Rajkumar after Kula Gourava in which he played a triple role.
  • This is also the only colour movie in which he played a triple role.
  • This was the first movie in which Prabhakar's character was called Tiger.
  • This was actor Chandrashekhar's second movie with Rajkumar after Raja Nanna Raja.
  • The Telugu version had the Kannada actress Jayanthi reprising Kanchana's role while Jaya Prada reprised the role of Padmapriya.
  • The names of all the characters including the henchmen were retained in the Tamil version.[10]
  • During the making of the movie, the director S. K. Bhagavan narrated a story (tragic play) called Lithuania by Rupert Brooke (titled The Return of the Soldier in Russian) to Rajkumar. The film was planned to be shot in Ladakh and some preparation was undertaken, but in the end Rajkumar backed out as he felt the story was too dark. 40 years later, the story was adapted into a movie titled Aa Karaala Ratri (2018).[11]

Soundtrack
Shankar Guru
Soundtrack album by
Upendra Kumar
Released1978
GenreFeature film soundtrack
LabelSaregama

The film music was composed by Upendra Kumar with lyrics for the soundtrack by Chi. Udaya Shankar.

Track list
No.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."Cheluveya Nota Chenna"Chi. Udaya ShankarRajkumar 
2."Love Me Or Hate Me"Chi. Udaya ShankarRajkumar 
3."Eneno Aase Nee Thanda"Chi. Udaya ShankarRajkumar, Vani Jayaram 
4."Chinna Baallali Ee Raathri"Chi. Udaya ShankarRajkumar 
5."Naa Benkiyanthe Naa Gaaliyanthe"Chi. Udaya ShankarRajkumar, P. B. Sreenivas 
6."Cheluveya Nota Chenna (sad)"Chi. Udaya ShankarRajkumar 

Awards

References
  1. "Haalu Jenu A Look back". Sandalwoodking.rocks. 11 June 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  2. "ಪರಭಾಷೆಗೆ ರಿಮೇಕ್ ಆದ ಡಾ. ರಾಜ್‌ಕುಮಾರ್‌ ನಟನೆಯ ಟಾಪ್ 5 ಸಿನಿಮಾಗಳು". Vijayakarnataka.com. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  3. "The best of Dr Rajkumar". Rediff. 17 April 2006. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  4. "18 Super-Hit Raj Kumar movie Remade to Other Languages Proves His Unbeatable Legacy". Metrosaga.com. 20 April 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  5. "Top ten Kannada films to have been remade". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  6. Shabbir, Anjum (10 October 2013). "FRAMING MOVIES Take Twenty-Four: Mahaan (1983)". Bollyspice.com. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  7. "Rajkumar profile". chitratara.com. Archived from the original on 17 July 2007. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  9. Khajane, Muralidhara (1 June 2017). "Parvathamma: The pillar behind the iconic star". Thehindu.com. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  10. "Thirisoolam | Tamil Full Movie | Sivaji Ganesan, K. R. Vijaya, Sripriya, Nambiar, Major Sundarrajan". YouTube. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  11. "Aa Karala Ratri: What happened when Bhagavan proposed the film to legendary filmmaker Rajkumar 40 years ago". Bangalore Mirror. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
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