Lava Kusa (1963 film)

Lava Kusa
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	C. Pullayya C. S. Rao
Screenplay by	C. Pullayya C. S. Rao
Dialogues by	Sadasivabrahmam (Telugu) A. K. Velan (Tamil)
Based on	Ramayana
Produced by	A. Sankara Reddy
Starring	N. T. Rama Rao Anjali Devi Kantha Rao
Cinematography	P. L. Rai
Edited by	A. Sanjeevi
Music by	Ghantasala
Production company	Lalita Sivajyoti Films
Release date	29 March 1963 (1963-03-29)
Running time	208 minutes
Country	India
Languages	Telugu Tamil
Box office	₹3 crore

Lava Kusa (also spelled as Lava Kusha) is a 1963 Indian Hindu mythological film directed by C. Pullayya and C. S. Rao. Produced by Lalita Sivajyothi Films, the film is a remake of the 1934 production of the same name, which was also directed by C. Pullayya. The story is based on the Uttara Kanda of the Ramayana, focusing on Lava and Kusa, the twin sons of Rama and Sita. The cast includes N. T. Rama Rao as Rama, Anjali Devi as Sita, with Chittoor Nagayya, Kantha Rao, Sobhan Babu, S. Varalakshmi, and Kaikala Satyanarayana in supporting roles. The soundtrack features 27 songs, with the musical score primarily composed by Ghantasala.

Production of the film began in 1958 but was stopped due to financial constraints. When it restarted, Pullayya's health was deteriorating, so his son C. S. Rao took over. Lava Kusa is notable for being the first full-length colour film in Telugu cinema.^[1] The film was shot simultaneously in Telugu and Tamil, with minor differences in the cast. It was released on 29 March 1963 in Telugu and on 19 April 1963 in Tamil. Lava Kusa was a major commercial success, running for 75 weeks and grossing over ₹1 crore. The Telugu version won the National Film Award for Best Telugu Feature Film. The film was also dubbed in Kannada and later in Hindi in 1974. In 2011, it was rebooted as Sri Rama Rajyam.

The film is based on the Uttara Kanda, the later part of the Ramayana attributed to Valmiki. It follows the lives of Lava and Kusa, the twin sons of Sita and Rama. The story begins with the Pattabhishekam (coronation) of Rama and the brief period of Rama Rajyam. However, after hearing accusations from a washerman about Sita's chastity, Rama sends her into exile. In the forest, Sita gives birth to Lava and Kusa. As they grow up, the twins eventually visit Ayodhya. The story also covers the Aswamedha Yagna performed by Rama and the resulting conflict between him and his sons, which culminates in the Pattabhishekam of Lava and Kusa. The film concludes with Rama ending his avatar and returning to the divine.

Producer A. Sankara Reddy aimed to make a film based on the Hindu epic Ramayana, with N. T. Rama Rao and Anjali Devi playing the roles of Rama and Sita. This inspiration came after watching them perform as Rama and Sita in the song "Murisenu Lokamu" from his earlier film Charana Dasi (1956). Sankara Reddy approached director C. Pullayya, who had plans to remake his 1934 Telugu film Lava Kusa, to direct the film under his production banner, Lalitha Sivajyothi Films.^[2] The remake, also titled Lava Kusa, became the first full-length colour film in Telugu cinema.^[1] Screenwriter Vempati Sadasivabrahmam, who had previously worked with Pullayya on Charana Dasi, was hired to script the film.^[2] Sadasivabrahmam remained faithful to the original screenplay by Vallabhajosyula Ramanamurthy and the dialogues written by Balijepalli Lakshmikantham.^[2]

The production costs increased significantly when Sankara Reddy decided to shoot the film in colour. Although production started in 1958, it stalled after one-third of the planned portions were completed due to financial difficulties.^[2] After five years, Sunderlal Nahata agreed to fund the project in exchange for distribution rights, while B. Nagi Reddi provided studio facilities. By this time, C. Pullayya's health had deteriorated, and Sankara Reddy initially approached B. N. Reddi to complete the film. B. N. Reddi suggested that C. Pullayya's son, C. S. Rao, should take over the project.^[2] Though initially hesitant, C. S. Rao agreed to complete the film after his father convinced him that the emotional scenes set in Rama's palace were crucial to the story.^[2]

Lava Kusa was filmed as a bilingual in both Telugu and Tamil with variations in the cast.^[2] In the Telugu version, Anaparthi Nagaraju and Viyyuri Subrahmanyam were cast as Lava and Kusa, respectively.^[3] For the Tamil version, the roles were portrayed by Baby Uma and Master Murali.^[2] Subrahmanyam was selected after the filmmakers saw him perform the role of Kusa in a play in Kakinada. He was nine years old when production started and 14 by the time the film was released.^[1] Unlike Subrahmanyam, Nagaraju had previously acted in a few films. Pullayya offered him the role of Lava after observing his performance, and he was eight years old when filming commenced.^[1]

Kantha Rao was cast as Lakshmana, but during production, he was diagnosed with eosinophilia and gained weight. He was then considered for the role of Satrughna.^[4] N. T. Rama Rao insisted that Kantha Rao play Lakshmana, and Sobhan Babu was cast as Satrughna instead.^[2] Other prominent cast members included Kaikala Satyanarayana as Bharata, Chittor V. Nagayya as Valmiki, and Sando Krishna as Anjaneya.^[2]

Nagaraju and Subrahmanyam underwent daily training sessions for an hour to memorize dialogues and practice archery for their roles.^[1] Filming usually started at 7:00 AM and continued until 9:00 PM, but the child actors were released an hour earlier to ensure they got enough rest.^[1] According to the actors, N. T. Rama Rao and Anjali Devi were fully dedicated to their roles.^[3] When none of the crowns designed for Rama suited him, Rama Rao used the crown he had worn in Charanadasi, which costed only ₹140 at the time.^[2]

In one scene, where Nagaraju had to cry, glycerin was used but proved ineffective. Anjali Devi then slapped him to evoke genuine tears, and the scene was successfully filmed. Afterward, she consoled him for 15 minutes.^[1]

The climax sequences were filmed first, which caused a continuity issue when the child actors appeared older in the scenes filmed later due to the delays in production.^[1] In the scene where Rama embraces Lava and Kusa, Pullayya had the child actors stand on small tables to match Rama Rao's height, showcasing his respect for the character and the limitations of the technology available at the time.^[3] Pullayya's associate, G. V. R. Seshagiri Rao, suggested reshooting a scene where a pregnant Sita runs toward Valmiki, as it appeared awkward.^[2]

The music of Lava Kusa was composed by Ghantasala.^[5][6] The Tamil version has additional music by K. V. Mahadevan.^[7][8]

Lava Kusa achieved significant commercial success, running uninterrupted for 75 weeks, a record in Telugu cinema.^[9][10] The film was released in 26 centres and achieved a 100-day run in all of them, a remarkable feat at the time. It went on to have a 150-day run in those centres and a 175-day run in 18 centres. Due to high demand, many film prints had to be relocated to different centres across Andhra Pradesh. Overall, the film ran for 100 days in 62 centres and had a 175-day run in 18 centres, grossing more than ₹1 crore.^[1]

• National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu^[11][12]

Lava Kusa is regarded as a classic in Telugu cinema. In January 2007, M. L. Narasimham of The Hindu included the film in a list of significant works, alongside Mala Pilla (1938), Raithu Bidda (1939), Vara Vikrayam (1939), Bhakta Potana (1942), Shavukaru (1950), Malliswari (1951), Peddamanushulu (1954), and Mayabazar (1955), citing their influence on society and Telugu cinema.^[13] N. T. Rama Rao's portrayal of Rama in Lava Kusa became iconic, leading him to reprise the role in several other films over the next two decades.^[a]

During the programme Telugu Cinema Prasthanam organized by the film society of Visakhapatnam, actor and writer Ravi Kondala Rao highlighted Lava Kusa as one of the cult films that defined Telugu cinema. He compared it to other landmark films such as Raja Harishchandra (1913), Bhakta Prahlada (1932), Mala Pilla (1938), Pathala Bhairavi (1951), and Devadasu (1953).^[14] In 2011, director Bapu adapted the storyline of Lava Kusa for his film Sri Rama Rajyam, which featured Rama Rao's son, Nandamuri Balakrishna.^[15]

• Lava Kusa at IMDb