Mayabazar

Lore & Background

Mayabazar was not the first mythological film produced by Vijaya Productions; the banner had previously produced mythological films like 'Patala Bhairavi' (1951). Director K. V. Reddy was meticulous with pre-production and casting, which took nearly a year. The film involved 400 studio workers, including light men, carpenters, and painters. N. T. Rama Rao was initially reluctant to play Krishna but his portrayal received acclaim and led to more offers for the same role. The soundtrack features twelve songs, with most music composed by Ghantasala; the song Lahiri Lahiri is often noted for its moonlight effect, though earlier films had used similar lighting effects, making the claim of it being the 'first illusion of moonlight in Indian cinema' unsubstantiated.

Reader's Guide

Mayabazar is considered a landmark in both Telugu and Tamil cinema, praised for its cast and technical aspects despite the limitations of technology at the time. The Telugu version was released on 27 March 1957 and the Tamil version on 12 April 1957; both were critically and commercially successful, with a theatrical run of 100 days in 24 theatres, becoming a silver-jubilee film. In 2013, CNN-IBN included Mayabazar in its list of '100 greatest Indian films of all time', and in an online poll it was voted by the public as the 'greatest Indian film of all time'. It was the first Telugu film to be digitally remastered and colourised, released on 30 January 2010 in 45 theatres in Andhra Pradesh, generating mostly positive reviews.

Did You Know?

• Mayabazar was shot simultaneously in Telugu and Tamil with a few differences in the cast.
• The film became the first Indian film to be digitally colourised, at an estimated cost of ₹7.5 crore.
• In an online poll by CNN-IBN, Mayabazar was voted by the public as the 'greatest Indian film of all time'.