Nartanasala Movie Review: NTR's Daring Brihannala Act Takes Center Stage

Nartanasala remains a timeless epic in Telugu cinema. No matter how many times you watch it, the magic never fades. Let’s look at the incredible risks Senior NTR took for his legendary role in this movie.

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Nartanashala: The Immortal Visual Masterpiece

Telugu cinema's 1963 classic 'Nartanashala' remains an immortal visual epic. The film perfectly showcases Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR), S.V. Ranga Rao (SVR), and Savitri at the peak of their acting prowess. Director Kamalakara Kameswara Rao, along with producers Lakshmi Rajyam and Sridhar Rao, created a major milestone in Indian mythological films. Decades later, Telugu audiences still hold this masterpiece close to their hearts.

What is the story of Nartanashala?

The film adapts the Virata Parvam chapter from the Mahabharata. The Pandavas finish their 12-year forest exile and enter King Virata's Matsya kingdom in disguise to spend one year incognito. Dharmaraja joins the king as Kankubhattu, a dice game advisor. Bhima works as a cook and wrestler named Valaludu. Arjuna transforms into Brihannala, a eunuch dance teacher for Princess Uttara. Nakula takes charge of the stables as Granthika, while Sahadeva looks after the cows as Tantripala. Their wife Draupadi serves Queen Sudeshna as a maid named Sairandhri.

Things go smoothly until Keechaka, the army chief and king's brother-in-law, lusts after Sairandhri. He crosses the line, and Bhima brutally kills him inside the dance hall (Nartanashala). Duryodhana hears about Keechaka's death and suspects the Pandavas are hiding in the Matsya kingdom. He launches an attack to steal the kingdom's cattle. Arjuna finally sheds his Brihannala disguise, takes charge of Uttara Kumara's chariot, and defeats the Kaurava army. The Pandavas successfully complete their incognito exile.

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Star Cast: Brilliant Performances By The Legends

The legendary star cast stands as the biggest strength of this film. NTR took on one of his career's most complex roles as Brihannala. He beautifully balanced the fierce body language of the great warrior Arjuna with the feminine grace and dance postures of a cursed eunuch. NTR generated non-stop laughs during the chariot scenes with Uttara Kumara, and he smoothly shifted to pure heroic action on the battlefield.

SVR breathed life into Keechaka. He completely owned the screen as an arrogant, lustful warrior with his powerful voice and intense expressions. SVR's performance right before Bhima kills him remains one of the finest acts in Indian cinema history. Mahanati Savitri naturally slipped into Sairandhri's role. She used just her eyes to show the silent agony and anger of a great queen suffering as a common maid.

Other Cast Members:

Indian weightlifting champion Dandamudi Rajagopal impressed everyone with his massive physique and acting as Bhima. Relangi Venkataramaiah generated great comedy as Uttara Kumara. L. Vijayalakshmi charmed the audience with her fabulous classical dance as Uttara. Supporting actors like Mukkamala (King Virata), Mikilineni (Dharmaraja), Dhulipala (Duryodhana), and C.S.R. Anjaneyulu (Bhishma) delivered solid performances.

Image Credit : ETV Cinema

Method Acting: How NTR Nailed The Feminine Expressions

The making of 'Nartanashala' holds many interesting secrets and rare records. NTR specifically trained in Kuchipudi dance under legendary guru Vempati Chinna Satyam to make his Brihannala character look natural. The superstar spent days practicing a woman's gait, hand gestures, and eye movements in front of a mirror.

The makers initially considered other actors for Keechaka, but they ultimately chose S.V. Ranga Rao because they needed someone with unmatched screen presence. SVR and Dandamudi Rajagopal shot the heavy climax fight sequence entirely without body doubles.

Technical Crew & Music

Director Kamalakara Kameswara Rao perfectly executed this grand Mahabharata chapter without dropping the momentum anywhere. Writer Samudrala Raghavacharya's dialogues and lyrics form the backbone of this movie. Susarla Dakshinamurthi composed the timeless music. Classic tracks like 'Janani Shivakamini', 'Salalita Raga Sudharasa', 'Evari Kosam Ee Mandahasam', and 'Narayana Hari Narayana', along with Ghantasala's soulful poems, still cast a spell on the listeners.

Image Credit : IMDb

Global Glory: S.V. Ranga Rao Wins International Award

The makers screened 'Nartanashala' at the 3rd Afro-Asian Film Festival in Jakarta, Indonesia, in 1964. S.V. Ranga Rao bagged the Best Actor award at this prestigious event. He became the first Indian actor to win a Best Actor trophy on an international stage. The film also won an international award for Best Art Direction (T.V.S. Sarma). Back home, the movie secured the Silver Medal for Second Best Feature Film in Telugu at the 11th National Film Awards in 1963.

Dandamudi Rajagopal, who played Bhima, was a real-life international weightlifter. He represented India at the 1948, 1952, and 1956 Olympic Games. His massive strength perfectly matched Bhima's persona. Veteran actress Lakshmi Rajyam and her husband Sridhar Rao spent heavily to produce this film under their 'Rajyam Pictures' banner. They compromised nowhere to ensure every frame looked spectacular.

Final Verdict

'Nartanashala' stands out because it does not just stick to devotion and action. The director brilliantly mixed all the 'navarasas' including comedy, romance, empathy, and anger. The movie runs for over three hours, but the gripping screenplay never lets you feel bored. You cannot find a better film to witness NTR's pure acting caliber and SVR's absolute dominance. You can currently stream this timeless classic on YouTube.