In the early 1950s, a cinematic masterpiece hit the screens, creating waves at the box office. However, today, it exists only in memory, as not a single print of the film survives. Paradesi or Poongothai, a Tamil-Telugu bilingual romantic movie directed by L.V. Prasad, was released in 1953, marking its 71st anniversary this year. Although it was officially Sivaji Ganesan’s first movie, it wasn’t his debut release. Here’s a glimpse into this lost gem of Indian cinema.
Produced by P. Adinarayana Rao and Anjali Devi under the banner of Anjali Pictures, the film starred the legendary Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan, alongside Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Anjali Devi. The enchanting music was composed by P. Adinarayana Rao. Interestingly, Paradesi is a remake of the Hindi film Raj Rani, which premiered in 1950. However, no print of Poongothai is known to have survived, rendering it a lost film.
Anjali Devi and P. Adinarayana Rao parted ways with Aswini Pictures to establish their production house, Anjali Pictures. They acquired the rights to remake Satish Nigam’s Raj Rani and decided to produce it in both Tamil and Telugu. L.V. Prasad was chosen to direct the film, albeit with modifications to the screenplay to cater to the regional audience.
During the casting process, Sivaji Ganesan’s name emerged as a potential choice for the second lead role. A prominent theatre artist at the time, Ganesan earned the moniker Sivaji after his portrayal of Maharaj Chhatrapati Shivaji in a stage play. Following a successful screen test, he was promptly selected for the role. However, another film, Parasakthi, was in production simultaneously. P. A. Perumal Chettiar, who suggested Ganesan’s name, was producing Parasakthi and requested that it be released before Paradesi. Consequently, Parasakthi became Ganesan’s debut release, while Poongothai premiered on January 14, 1953 and its Tamil counterpart, Paradesi, followed on January 31, 1953.
Despite its lost status, Paradesi remains a significant chapter in Indian cinema, serving as the launchpad for Sivaji Ganesan’s illustrious career.
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