Ammalakkalu

Ammalakkalu (transl. Mothers and Sisters) is a 1953 Indian Telugu-language drama film that was produced by Lena Chettiar on Krishna Pictures banner and directed by D. Yoganand. The film stars N. T. Rama Rao, Padmini and Lalitha, with music composed by C. R. Subburaman. It was simultaneously shot in Tamil as Marumagal (transl. Daughter-in-law).^[2] The Tamil version was released on 14 April 1953.^[3]

Ammalakkalu
Release poster in Telugu
Directed by	D. Yoganand
Screenplay by	Vempati Sadasivabrahmam (Telugu) A. S. A. Sami (Tamil)
Story by	Vempati Sadasivabrahmam
Produced by	Lena Chettiar
Starring	N. T. Rama Rao Padmini Lalitha
Cinematography	Bomman Irani
Edited by	V. B. Nataraja Modaliyar
Music by	Songs: C. R. Subburaman G. Ramanathan Score: Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy
Production company	Krishna Pictures
Release dates	12 March 1953 (1953-03-12) (Telugu) 14 April 1953 (1953-04-14) (Tamil)
Running time	187 minutes (Telugu)[1] 177 minutes (Tamil)
Country	India
Languages	Telugu Tamil

Plot

This is the plot of the Telugu version.

Ramaiah (B. R. Panthulu) and Kistaiah (D. Balasubramanyam) are close friends and farmers. Ramaiah's family consists of his wife, Sugunamma (Rushyendramani), and two sons, Sundar (Amarnath) and Kumar (N. T. Rama Rao), and a daughter, Rupa (Surabhi Balasaraswathi), who are struggling for their daily needs. Under the guidance of Kistaiah, Ramaiah starts a small contract business in the town, for which Kishtaiah organizes the amount by mortgaging his wife's jewelry. Ramaiah settles in the town, pays the debt, and also promises to couple up Kishtaiah's daughter Usha (Padmini) with his son Kumar.

Meanwhile, Ramaiah's sons move to town for education when Ammalakkalu heckles Usha, which offends Kistaiah, so he too joins Usha in the same school. Years roll by, Kumar and Usha grow up together, and they love each other. At the present, Ramaiah arranges his elder son Sundar's marriage with a shrew woman named Shanta (Lalitha). During the time of the wedding, Ammalakkalu provokes Sugunamma, and she insults Kistaiah's wife when a rift arises between families. Then Kistaiah became furious; he left the venue and even broke up the marriage of Usha and Kumar. So, Usha and Kumar proceed with a registered marriage, while soft-hearted Ramaiah welcomes the couple into his home. But Sugunamma and Shanta are very cold towards Usha. During this plight, Kumar leaves abroad for higher studies, and Usha faces a lot of difficulties in her in-law's house. The rest of the story involves how she gets rid of these problems and reunites the family.^[4]

Cast

Tamil poster

• N. T. Rama Rao as Kumar^[4]
• Padmini as Usha^[4]
• Lalitha as Shanta
• Surabhi Balasaraswathi as Rupa

Telugu version

• Relangi as Riyo
• Amarnath as Sundar
• Dr. Sivaramakrishnaiah as Achchaiah
• B. R. Panthulu as Ramaiah
• D. Balasubramaniam as Kishtaiah
• Suryakantham as Seshamma
• Rushyendramani as Sugunamma
• Surabhi Kamalabai as Parvathi

Tamil version

• S. V. Sahasranamam
• T. R. Ramachandran
• B. R. Panthulu
• M. Saroja
• M. Lakshmiprabha
• D. Balasubramaniam
• S. D. Subbulakshmi
• V. K. Ramasamy
• Kallapart Natarajan
• C. T. Rajakantham
• K. S. Angamuthu
• "Master" Sudhakar
• Indra Acharya
• K. S. Adhilakshmi
• V. Suryakantham
• Baby Saraswathi

Dance

• Ragini^[4]
• Padmini
• Kusalakumari

Soundtrack

The music was composed by C. R. Subburaman with background music to be completed later by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy and party after the untimely death of C. R. Subburaman. T. K. Ramamoorthy acted as his assistant in several films and was asked by the producer to complete the music for the film. Tunes for both languages are the same.

However, there was one song in the film, "Undaloi Undaloi"/"Aanukkoru Penn Pillai," that was composed by G. Ramanathan.

Telugu soundtrack^[5]

Song	Singers	Length
"Penugonu Manasula"	A. M. Rajah & P. A. Periyanayaki	03:27
"Kannemaavi Thotalona"	Jikki & A. P. Komala	02:45
"Kannemaavi Thotalona"	A. M. Rajah & P. A. Periyanayaki	03:56
"Nee Kosam"	Pithapuram Nageswara Rao & M. L. Vasanthakumari	03:51
"Oo Neeve Naa Prema"	A. M. Rajah & P. A. Periyanayaki	02:27
"Undaloi Undaloi"	P. A. Periyanayaki & A. P. Komala	11:10
"Maaradavela Maaramu"	A. M. Rajah & P. A. Periyanayaki	03:48
"Rupaa Rupante"	Pithapuram Nageswara Rao & A. P. Komala	02:18
"Lallaa Lallaa"	Pithapuram Nageswara Rao & R. Balasaraswathi Devi	03:01
"Jhan Jhan Jhan"	A. P. Komala	00:26

Tamil soundtrack

Song	Singers	Lyrics	Length (m:ss)
"Kanavilum Nanavilum Inai Piriyaadha"	A. M. Rajah & P. A. Periyanayaki	Udumalai Narayana Kavi	03:31
"Chinna Chinna Veedu Katti"	Jikki & A. P. Komala		03:50
"Chinna Chinna Veedu Katti"	A. M. Rajah & P. A. Periyanayaki		03:18
"Nianikkira Maaadhiri Ellaam"	T. R. Ramachandran & M. L. Vasanthakumari		03:51
"Oo Neethaan En Sondham"	A. M. Rajah & P. A. Periyanayaki		03:01
"Aanukkoru Penn Pillai"	P. A. Periyanayaki, A. P. Komala & A. G. Rathnamala		12:15
"Pesaadha Maounam Aamo"	A. M. Rajah & P. A. Periyanayaki		04:23
"Romaani Maambazham Roobamthaan"	T. R. Ramachandran & A. P. Komala		02:15
"Laali Suba Laali"	C. R. Subburaman & P. A. Periyanayaki		03:05
"Jal Jal Jal Kingkini Aada"	A. P. Komala	K. D. Santhanam

Reception

Reviewing Ammalakkalu, a critic from Zamin Ryot wrote that the story is not smooth, and turns into an unprofitable whorehouse with seams.^[6] The film fared well at the box office in both languages, but Ammalakkalu was more successful.^[7] In Ammalakkalu, the duet song sung by Relangi became popular in Telugu districts of the then-Madras State.^[7] Ammalakkalu became popular through theatrical re-runs.^[4]