This is for the first time in the career of 50 plus years of filmy life off the screen Smt.Parvathamma Rajakumar spoke in detail taking on many questions and batting with very correct answers at the ‘Belli Hejje’ felicitation of bigwig program the first one conducted by Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy in the chairmanship of T.S.Nagabharana.

Before we go into the details of more than one hour speech and question answer session of Smt.Parvathamma Rajakumar we would like to inform that the leading lady has decided to make ‘Bhaktha Ambarisha’ the wish of Dr.Rajakumar starring three sons – Shiv, Raghu and Puneeth. More than six year ago Rs.30 lakh was spent on this film making on song recording of eight songs and two Kandha Padyas in the leadership of Hamsalekha. Sadly when Dr.Rajakumar and his family went to Pooja for finding water in the home town Gajanur the dreaded Veerappan kidnapped. From then on Dr.Rajakumar return saw him with severe knee pain. ‘When I perform first the knee pain stay in mind and not the dialogues’ said Dr.Rajakumar when the proposal was put again. Let the children do this film ‘Bhaktha Ambarisha’ Dr.Rajakumar also opined. This was at a length Smt.Parvathamma Rajakumar remembered.

Likewise for ‘Nrupathunga’ the script was made but which director has the full rights I don’t know.

CHILDHOOD OF PARVATHAMMA RAJAKUMAR

It was just 13 when Parvathamma married Muthuraj who later became Rajakumar. Raj was 23 when he married. Parvathamma was looking very thin. BR Panthulu and others were cajoling ‘Yeno Muthu nin hendthina ethkond thirugada bahudhu’. A year later Smt Parvathamma Rajakumar finished SSLC examination! Once she took the Mangalasutra and Kalungara kept it in a box and while coming to home she was wearing it.

As a young girl she was seeing the stage plays of Muthuraj in Gubbi and Subbainaidu Company. The life was very hand to mouth existence. When Muthuraj was staging Sri Rama role (in the absence of Srikanteshwara Shastry) nearly 20 Saraswath Brahmin women used to come and offer pooja to my husband in Sri Rama get up. Then I decided this Rama should be my Rama in life. Muthuraj later as Rajakumar stayed as Lord Srirama in my life. What I read about Rama was less. The more I saw Rama on stage and learnt.

‘Nanage Cinemadashte Preethi Nataka Rangadha melu Idhe’! Kannada Bashe Sarvanga Sundhara!

LIFE IN CHENNAI
 

The shooting was only in the night times as the floors were available only at that time for Kannada films. At the starting of life in Chennai it was journalist PGS who was giving encouragement. Our life was in Guggu Mahal small room with meager earning.

RANADHEERA KANTEERAVA

When the dubbing was opposed by Rajakumar, Balakrishna, GV Iyer, Narasimharaju they formed Kalavidhra Sangha and started a film called ‘Ranadheera Kanteerava’. My Bamaidha (Varadhappa) took three of my silk sarees and stitched costumes for the film. Nim Yajamanre Hakkolu costumes he told me at that time. With great difficulty Ranadheera Kanteerava was made and it was first screened in Bharat theatre. Later that theatre screened only Kannada films as a promise. We could make Rs.30000 profit for five persons. Balanna took 5000 more and said he has some difficulty. It was Vishwanath Shettru of VPC distribution that supported us.

FROM ONE LAKH TO 3 LAKHS

Those days Kannada films were made for just Rs.1 lakh. When KCN banner started they offered Rs.3 lakhs for the making of a film. The films were made from novels. Now novels are written after seeing the films. I have suggested some of the novels that became films like ‘Bayalu Dhaari’, ‘Eradu Kanasu’ ‘Nagarahavu’ etc. Dorai Bhagwan they declined to make Eradu Kanasu but I insisted. It ran for silver jubilee and I was presented a necklace. I had told if you suffer loss we would give free call sheet of Rajakumar. I was given the novel of Eradu Kanasu to read by someone when I was traveling in a train.

Today Kannada film producers spend Rs.5 to 6 crores on a film. But Jana Nodo Antha Cinema Madbeku!

CHI UDAYASHANKER DEATH WAS BIG BLOW

Not only to our family but for the Kannada cinema industry the death of Chi Udayashanker was lethal blow. After his death we could not do more than two films starring Dr.Rajakumar. Odahuttidavaru half of the subject was done in Chi Udayashanker presence.

He was voracious reader. He was giving songs for right subjects in abundance. He was a great pillar of our family. When a subject was ready for Shivarajakumar he and my husband felt this is very heavy for Shivarajakumar. They called me and narrated the script as I was reading lot of novels. Immediately I was asked by Chi Udayashanker who should do this film. I told him without any second that ‘Rajakumar Avare’ should do. The subject meant for Shivarajakumar that’s how came to Rajakumar. That film is ‘Akasmika’ based on three novels of Ta.Ra.Su – Akasmika, Aparadhi, Parinama. From that TS Nagabharama was so happy.

INTO DISTRBUTION AND PRODUCTION

When the news of Rajakumar film loss came up I decided on distribution office in Hubli with the help of Dwarakanath, KCN and KH Nagaraj. It was around 1977. When we made ‘Trimurthy’ was made it was offered Rs.1 lakh for our demand of Rs.3.5 lakhs in Hubli region. Although Rs.2.5 lakh was later agreed I wanted to know how this loss happens. That’s how I started Chandrika Movies in Hubli. The Hubli area grew up as stronger as Mysore Karnataka area. When Varadappanna came to Bangalore I had to take the onus of various responsibilities.

DR.RAJ HAD NOT SEEN 500 AND 1000 CURRENCY NOTES

For a question from BT Lalitha Naik why Dr Rajakumar was not allowed to know about the currency notes the answer was he was not interested in knowing it. He was surprised when he offered some money. We handed over a few currency notes to him. He asked Idhen Ishte kottiddiya, then he was told it is Rs.500 currently note. A few months before his death he came to know about the 1000 rupees note. Idhen Ishtu doddadagidhe he said. He immediately told 10,000 rupee note yavaga baruthe!

He was not receiving the money from his hand. He was calling me and knew very well that I use it properly. That has actually kept me in Bhaya about money. The confidence he kept in me was both advantage and disadvantage. Even the advance for his films he was not taking. The same procedure is also from our sons. It is a policy matter.

WHAT RAJAKUMAR HAD DONE?

This is the question posed to Smt.Parvathamma from a gallery. It is non Kannadigas who are asking said a person for which Raghavendra Rajakumar replied with strong words.

Sayo vargu Badhuku, bereyavarige help madiddhu helabeda. Ondhu kaindha kottiddu innodhu kaige gottagabaradu. Nav en madiddeve antha helodhu sariyalla. This my father maintained and we follow it. Nammapparanegu he never told us to do bad things. He never had anything in his mind first.

Baraguru Ramachandrappa interrupted at this stage and said a writer has not started a printing press why no one would ask. Dr. Rajakumar as an actor, good human being and cultural boss of the state is itself a contribution. To 100 percent he was a Kalavidha. Dubbing, Gokak movement for supremacy to Kannada etc Kadambari Sarvabowma Ana Kru said to Nata Sarvabowma that it is because of him things got rolling in right direction for Kannada.

Yaare Kalavidhara maneyalli saavu bandhare first Dr Rajakumar family indha Hanadha sahaya igalu nadithidhe. For a critic cum journalist ‘Shava Samskarakke’ monetary help was given. He was samskrithika Shakthi.

CINEMA COMING TO ROAD

While KV Guptha agreed to the point of Smt.Parvathamma Rajakumar that cinema has to road and so the charm is not any more, Baraguru disagreed. Gupthaji told you go to any hotel do they show the kitchen. No. Like that the cinema should be what according to Smt.Parvathamma should be done maximum in closed situations instead of coming to roads. Baraguru lamented any knowledge should be made open.

KV Guptha the veteran in cinema business urged for the commitment on the budget is a must for a producer. Cinema is a close circuit business. Not only 52 in a year but 100 Kannada films have market in the state but cinema interested people should make films. Firstly they don’t have knowledge how much they are capturing for 13000 feet of cinema.

Former Minister Leeladevi R Prasad urged for the same quality and message oriented films of Dr.Rajakumar in the son’s films too. As a censor member she had seen not much of quality. Rajakumar films we remember for long. Today’s films when we come home we forget about it said Smt Leeladevi R Prasad. For this immediately Smt.Parvathamma Rajakumar agreed to look in to the suggestion.

20 minutes life sketch of Smt.Parvathamma Rajakumar was screened on this occasion. Chairman of KCS Nagabharana welcomed the gathering and outlined the objectives of the KCA. MN Vyasa Rao conducted the show. Veteran journalist put up some questions for Parvathamma Rajakumar on stage. He described why Smt.Parvathamma Rajakumar has been chosen first for ‘Belli Hejje’ Divya Chetanagaligondhu Namana…

Manohar. R.(Manu),
chitrataramanu@gmail.com
Photo Journalist
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