Movie Retrospect
Retrospect: Gaayam (1993)
By Sri
Jul 16, 2009 - 6:50:38 AM

S.S. Creations
Gaayam (1993)

Technical:
Color
Duration: 2 hrs 13 minutes

Cast:
Jagapathi Babu ... Durga
Revathy ... Anitha
Urmila ... Chitra
Sivakrishna ... Bharadwaja
Kota Srinivas Rao ... Gurunarayana
Ramireddy ... Sarkar
M. Balayya ... Chari gaaru
Annapurna ... Annapurna
Tanikella Bharani ... Lawyer saab
Benarjee ... Benarjee
sirivennela Seetharama Shastry ... Swami
Tillu Narsing Rao ... Narsing
Tarzan ... Sreesailam
Charan Raj ... Mohanakrishna
Narayana Rao ... Narayana Rao
Mallikarjuna Rao ... Charan Das
Other Cast: Jenny, Arun, Uttej, Manik Rao, etc.
Dialogues: Posani Krishna Murali
Playback: S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, Chitra, Mano, Manik Rao
Lyrics: sirivennela Seetharama Shastry
Editing: Shankar
Choreography: Suchitra
Audio Design: E. Nivas
Camera: Rasool
Story: Mani Rathnam, Ramgopal Verma
Associate Directors: Uttej, Ramana
Productions Managers: Raju, Giri
Producer: Yarlagadda Surendra
Assistant Cameramen: Arun, Sudhakar, Mahendra
Dubbing Artists: Rohini, Rajitha, Prasad, Vijayakumar, Raghu, Sridhar, Subbarao, Suryanarayana, Venkat Rao, Srinivas
Keyboard: Eshwar-Mani
Chief Assistant Director: Vamsi Krishna
Screenplay, Direction: Ramgopal Verma

Songs:
Nizam-u pOri nazdeeku chEri...
Playback: Mano, Chitra, Eshwar, Uttej, Manik Rao
Cast: Urmila, Uttej, Manik Rao, E. Nivas, etc.

alupannadi undaa egirE alaku, edalOni layaku...
Playback: Chitra
Cast: Jagapathi Babu, Revathy

cheli meeda chiTikeDu daya lEdaa...
Playback: Mano, Chitra
Cast: Jagapathi Babu, Urmila

niggadeesi aDugu ee siggu lEni janaanni...
Playback: S.P. Balasubrahmanyam
Cast: sirivennela Seetharama Shastry, Revathy

suraajyamavalEni swaraajyamendukani...
Playback: S.P. Balasubrahmanyam
Background song

Story:
Durga (Jagapathi Babu) is in love with Anitha (Revathy) and all set to marry her and settled down in the life. but things change when his brother Mohanakrishna (Charan Raj) gets killed by Gurunarayana (Kota Srinivas Rao), the local MLA, and Durga wants to settle the score and cleanse the society too.

About the film:
Though the film story was credited to Mani Rathnam and Ramgopal Verma, the basic plotline was taken from Mario Puzo's popular novel Godfather. The book already inspired the film Neti Siddhartha (1990) starring Nagarjuna, Krishnam Raju, Ayesha Julka, and Sobhana, under the direction of late Sri Kranthi Kumar. (The film had wonderful music by the duo Lakshmikanth-Pyarelal - Osi manasaa neeku telusaa..., nuvvE kadaa naa sweet-u figure-u..., girilO laahiri, giri kOna pandiri..., etc.) But, Neti Siddhartha faithfully followed the screenplay of Godfather as well as Late Feroz Khan's Hindi film Dharmatma (1975). Gaayam followed the same basic story but a lot of changes were made to suit the nativity.

• The film gave fresh life to Jagapathi Babu as a solo hero.
• The film was debut film for Rasool as an independent cameraman.
• The film was debut film for music director Sri.
• The film helped Ramu to come out of the financial mess at that time.
• The film helped many people to become directors later in the film field: Krissnavamsi (credited as Vamsikrishna) worked as an Associate Director, Ramana (who did films like Paape Naa Praanam Gowri, Ela Cheppanu...!, etc.) was an Assistant Director for the film. E. Nivas who made the audio cover design for the film and also appeared in the picturization of Nizam-u pOri... became a Bollywood director with the film Shool and Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karegaa!. Rasool, the film's cameraman, also turned to direction later and made films like Okariki Okaru, Bhageeratha, and Sangamam. Editor Shankar directed films like J.D. Chekravarthy-starrer Suri.
• Assistant Cameraman Arun later became cameraman for many films. He also played a role in the film as the guy who gets killed in the petrol bunk. The scene was shot near his house in Ameerpet.
• Most of the film was shot in Hyderabad and Vizag.
• Lyricist sirivennela Seetharama Shastry did the role of Journalist Swami in the film.
• The person (Nanduri Ramakrishna) who did the role of the boss of sirivennela Seetharama Shastry and Revathy later became a relative to sirivennela Seetharama Shastry in real life - Seetharama Shastry's daughter was married to his son.
• Assistant Director Uttej and Annapurna Studios' Production Manager Manik Rao did small roles in the film (but were not credited in titles). Both of them did roles extended from the film Shiva.
• Revathy's voice was dubbed by Rohini (Late Raghuvaran's ex-wife), and Urmila's voice was dubbed by Rajitha.

alupannadi undaa egirE alaku, edalOni layaku... song was shot on R.K. Beach and Jagadamba Center. The climax was shot in Hyderabad's Vikranth Theater in Mozam Jahi Market. The theater had a great history - several films from Pakeezah to Himmatwalah were all big hits in that theatre. The theater later became a booking office for race course and was closed down completely. The fight scene of Sreesailam (Tarzan) was shot in Mozam Jahi Market. If you notice some shots of Gaayam, some of the shots are very similar to those of Shiva, the first time Durga goes to beat the people, the shot in the Mozam Jahi Market, etc. in particular. Though the stunts were credited to Horseman Babu, most of them were composed by Ramgopal Verma himself. (Notice the boxing punch styled similar to that in Shiva).

Ramgopal Verma was in a deep financial mess before Gaayam. He produced and directed Antham and Raathri in Telugu and Hindi. Both films flopped in both languages. At the same time, he was also producing the film Money. In order to complete the film, he needed some money and he asked Suresh Babu to adjust it. Suresh Babu was ready to give on a condition that he should make a film with Venkatesh. As Ramgopal Verma just did a film with Venkatesh ( Kshanakshanam), he was not ready to do another one immediately and was also not happy at the condition. Thus, he approached Surendra and was ready to do a film for S.S. Creations.

Ramgopal Verma wanted to choose Madhuri Dixit for the film Antham/ Drohi, but as her dates were not available for six months to come and Nagarjuna could not kept waiting for that long, Ramgopal Verma signed Urmila for Antham/ Drohi based on Boney Kapoor's suggestion. The film failed and people wrote about the movie and about Urmila on the negative side. While doing Drohi, he and Mani Rathnam wrote the script of Gaayam based on the classic Godfather series. It was Mani who suggested Chitra's role in the film and suggested Urmila for that role. That's not because he thought of her as a great actress or anything - he just thought she should be okay for the role. Now, while shooting for Gaayam, Ramgopal Verma was mesmerized by a certain dance movement composed by Urmila herself and he got inspired to make Rangeela. Dance master Suchitra missed her transportation for the song shooting of cheli meeda chiTikeDu daya raadaa... in Errakondalu near Vizag and thus Ramgopal Verma asked Urmila to compose her own choreography for the song, which she did. Her dance movements gave the idea of Rangeela. (Information Courtesy: Ramgopal Verma's Blog)

Producer Yarlagadda Surendra speaks...
I knew Jagapathi Babu much before he entered films. So, when Ramu approached me again after Shiva to do another film, we agreed to do it with Jagapathi Babu. It was Mani Rathnam who suggested Urmila's role in the film. The first version of the script did not have her in the movie. I knew Sri as the son of music director Chakravarthy, and this was his first film. The film celebrated 100 days in four centers - Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, and Vizag. Like Shiva, Ramu wanted to do the Hindi version also, by reshooting some scenes in the movie and release in Hindi. But, after a week of shooting, he was not happy and wanted to do it completely with Hindi star cast. We thus dropped that project. Ramu was paid what Nagarjuna was paid for Shiva. We shot the film in 70 days. The film budget was almost same as Shiva, i.e. around 90 lakh rupees. The film might have a bigger hit if it was not released at the same time as Major Chandrakanth. ( Major Chandrakanth was released in Sudarshan 35 mm and Gaayam was released in Devi 70 mm in Hyderabad, both in the same premises.)

Jagapathi babu

Jagapathi Babu on the film:

Sri: Though you debuted with the film Simha Swapnam and you dubbed your voice in that, why did someone else have to dub for you until Gaayam?
Jagapathi Babu: People felt my voice didn't suit for movies. Actually, some even thought that I myself don't suit to movies! (Laughs) Then, slowly films like Jagannaatakam, Peddarikam, etc. started becoming hits and I was noticed. Ghantasala Rathnakumar used to dub for me in films at that time.

Sri: So, how do you know Ramu?
Jagapathi Babu: I knew Ramu much before Shiva happened. In fact, he was one of the few friends who encouraged me to come into films, when I asked his advice on it. He encouraged me a lot to join the filmdom. Though my films were initially ending up as flops, he was always beside me to encourage. He saw the film Peddarikam when he chanced to be in Suresh Productions office at the same time as the film was being screened there. He saw a particular scene of fight that he got a glimpse of and he liked me instantly in the scene. He called me right away and informed that he'd do a film with me. I was not sure whether he would dub my voice or let me use my own. He had faith in me and my voice and it was he who stressed that I should dub in my voice for the film.

Sri: The film was a big break to you, but then how is it that you have not got into an action hero image with the film?
Jagapathi Babu: Immediately after Gaayam, I got similar roles but I didn't take them, just waiting for the right script. Meanwhile films like Subhalagnam, Maavichiguru, etc. became huge hits and I was branded as a family hero.

Sri: I heard that you shot the Hindi version for a week before the project was dropped. Did you ever feel that you could have made it big in Bollywood too if the film was actually made. Years later, the same theme is revamped as Sarkar and became a huge hit!
Jagapathi Babu: The question never occurred to me earlier (laughs), but maybe that's not in the destiny. That's probably why it didn't happen.

Sri: I heard that Urmila herself composed a dance sequence as Suchitra was not able to make it for the schedule of song cheli meeda chiTikeDu daya raadaa!...
Jagapathi Babu: I do not remember that, but I remember another incident that happened when we were shooting for the Hindi version. While shooting for the song, Urmila was dancing around and I did not know what to do. So, I went and asked Ramu what sort of dance steps I need to do and how I should look. Ramu just took me to the camera and asked me to see through the camera lens and said "See how beautiful the heroine is! People see her dance steps and not yours! So, do not bother about it." (Laughs)

Sri: You keep saying that the sequel is on the way.
Jagapathi Babu: Yes, we are planning the sequel soon... may be by the end of this year. Kalyan, an assistant director to Ramgopal Verma, will be directing the film. The film shows how Durga and his gang are doing after 15 years. Other details including who'd produce the film will have to wait.

To me Gaayam is definitely a special movie. That movie gave life to my film career. if you ask me rate my top ten movies, then Gaayam will always be my number one movie.

Music Director Sri speaks...
I was helping my father in the recording theater when Ramu walked into the theater and asked my father if he could take me out for a while. (Ramu was actually recording in the ground floor of the same theater while we were on the first floor. Uttej and others informed him about me and so he wanted to meet me out of curiosity.) He took me to the theater and showed me a reel of Antham which had no music and asked me where I'd place the music bits if given a chance and what sort of music I'd play where. I answered him in detail and he then played me the same reel with music this time. To my surprise, the places where I suggested music were devoid of music and it was used elsewhere, where I least expected it! I insisted that what I told was my choice and that it'd help the film better than the way it is done then. He said that he liked my guts to tell what I believed to be true, irrespective of what the director felt. He then asked what time I'd be free and asked me to meet him in the guest house once I complete my work. I went there to meet him late in the night, which was when he asked me if I'd do a film independently for him if he gave me an opportunity. I coldly said that many directors say things but don't mean it when they say something like this. Ramu said he wasn't like that and said I'd be doing Gaayam if I was willing to do. He added that he was leaving to Mumbai the next morning and asked me to do compose couple of tunes and gave me a situation. His flight was scheduled at 8 a.m. and I called him at 6:30 a.m. to see if he can spare some time for me. He asked me to come over and I landed there in 15 minutes and gave him the tune for alupannadi undaa... He was so excited and called sirivennela gaaru and made me the play the tune for him in the phone. That's how I became a music director! My remuneration for that movie was 3 lakh rupees.