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Movie Review No - 1

Hit comedy about a village zamindar (Ranga Rao) who advertises for a married couple to run a school set up in memory of his long-lost daughter. The unemployed Rao (NTR) and Mary (Savitri) pretend to be married to get the job. Annoyed by Rao's interest in the zamindar's other daughter (Jamuna in her debut), Mary starts teaching music to an amateur detective and the zamindar's future son-in-law (ANR). Mary feigns pregnancy when zamindar tries to convert her to Hinduism. Eventually Mary turns out to be zamindar's lost daughter and she marries Rao.

The Ghantasala/P Susheela Ravoyi Chandamama was especially popular. This film that established Savitri as a great actress adapts Jyotish Banerjee's classic Bengali comedy 'Manmoyee Girls School (1935). Prasad remade his own version at AVM Studio in Hindi as Miss Mary (1957) starring Meena Kumari. Ananth Mane is also did a Marathi version of the story, Jhalki Mooth (1957).

Movie Review No - 2

Missamma is a film that denies the natural phenomenon of aging. It is the film that is liked by all the generations. It is a slapstick comedy on the problem of unemployement. Ony Vijaya banner can produce films that have comedy situations, melodious songs and humorous dialogues mixed in right blend. It was remade in Tamil as 'Missiyamma'. Total credit for the success of this film goes to the trio Pingali, Saluri and Chakrapani.

Story of this film goes like this. Daughter of a Jamindar is lost in Kakinada Pushkaralu. She was spotted by a Christian family and they adapt her and names her as Mary. Jamindar starts school in memory of his lost daughter. Being an ex precipal and a detective Akkineni looks after managing of the school and he keeps on searching for Jamindar's daughter. Being an unemployed graduate NTR had to pair up with Mary and act as her husband in order to secure the job of teacher in Jamindar's school. Though Mary and NTR dislike each other, they acts as a married couple. At the end all the mystaries get solved.

The character of Detective is a memorable one. Akkieni did this role. Tangavelu and Kishore Kumar donned this role in Tamil and Hindi versions. NTR's role was done by Gemini Ganeshan in Tamil version. Bala Krishna acted as assistant to detective. One more memorable role is that of Relangi who acted as a blind begger.

Chakrapani selected Bhanumathi for the Mary role. But when Bhanumathi reported late to the shooting (as she was performing Vara Laxmi Pooja that day) Chakrapani made a dynamic decision to replace her with Savitri. And the rest is history. " May be it's the God's decision that Savitri should become most popular star, I lost that film to Savitri" says Bhanumti.

Though Missamma touches a burning issue called unemployment Chakrapani disagrees with a point that his films carry messages to viewers. He feels that films should entertain. "If anybody want to give social messages let them send telegrams to viewers instead of making films" says Chakrapani. Indian producers make their actors imitage Chaplin when they made comedy films. But Chakrapani made sure that his character's do not get affected by 'Chapline' towering presence. He feels that comedy should have local touch.

The same principle applies to 'Chandamama' a magazine for entertaining kids. Chandamama is also published from Vijaya's group. Recently the same film is recycled and released as 'Brindavanam' that has Rajendra Prasad and Ramya in main leads.