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Guna Sundari
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Wikipedia article
'Guna Sundari' or 'Gunasundari' is a 1955 Indian Tamil-language film starring Gemini Ganesan and Savitri.
Plot
Ugra Senan is the king of Dhara Nagaram. He has three daughters, Rupasundari, Hemasundari and Gunasundari.
Gunasundari is the youngest. Their mother dies when Gunasundari is born. Ugra Senan brings up the three girls with the utmost care. After the girls are grown up, one day during a chat between father and daughters, the two older daughters declare that the father is the most important person in a girl's life. However, Gunasundari differs from them and says that the husband is the most important person in a girl's life. Father Ugra Senan becomes displeased and angry at Gunasundari. He marries off the two older daughters to their cousins. But in order to teach Gunasundari a lesson, he marries her off to an aged pauper with a physical deformity.
After the wedding, the king learns that the pauper is actually a young prince but suffers from a curse. The king orders Gunasundari and her husband to leave his kingdom. They then live in a hut outside the kingdom.
The king become ill. The native physicians says his illness can be cured only with a rare gem called Mahendra Mani. Gunasundari's husband goes in search of the gem and succeeds in finding it. He is turned into a bear due to another curse. His two elder brothers-in-law rob the gem from him and give it to the king who is then cured.
Gunasundari prays to Lord Shiva and Parvati regularly. Shiva and Parvati are pleased with her devotion and bless her and her husband. Relieved of his curses, Gunasundari's husband regains his handsome princely form.
The king learns the truth. He recalls Gunasundari and her husband back to the kingdom and crowns them King and Queen.
Cast
;Male cast
* R. Ganesh as prince
* M. E. Madhavan as deformed prince
* S. V. Ranga Rao as Ugrasenan
* M. N. Nambiar as second son-in-law
* A. Karunanidhi as Eldest son-in-law
* Duraisami
* V. M. Ezhumalai
* R. Nageswara Rao
* C. V. V. Panthulu
* R. S. Ramaswamy
* E. R. Sahadevan
* Balakrishna
;Female cast
* Savitri as Gunasundari
* Lakshmi Prabha as Rupasundari
* T. P. Muthulakshmi as Hemasundari
* A. Kamala Chandrababu
* T. N. Meenakshi
* Rushyendramani
* Seetha
* Rajani
* Dhanam
* 'Kumari' Thulasi
* 'Baby' Sharada
* 'Baby' Jaya & Nirmala
* 'Baby' Uma & Komala[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6SnVS3VDvs Gunasundari Movie]
Production
B. N. Reddy and A. Chakrapani produced the film under the banner Vijaya Productions. The film was made in Telugu with the title 'Gunasundari Katha' with Sriranjani and Kasturi Siva Rao in the lead roles. The Telugu film was released in 1949.[http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/gunasundari-katha-1949/article3948788.ece Gunasundari Katha (1949)] The film is said to be inspired from Shakespeare's 'King Lear'.
Sound Track
Music was composed by Ghantasala and lyrics for all songs were penned by Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass. Playback singers are Ghantasala, A. M. Rajah, S. C. Krishnan, Seerkazhi Govindarajan, P. Leela, Jikki, K. Rani & Kamala.
Box office
This Tamil version Gunasundari was a flop. However, the Telugu version 'Gunasundari Katha' was a success and remained a favourite of producer B. Nagi Reddy.
References
Category:1955 films
Category:1950s Tamil-language films
Category:Indian black-and-white films
Category:Films based on King Lear
Category:Films scored by Ghantasala
Category:Films directed by Kamalakara Kameswara Rao
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