Meghasandesam Throwback: How ANR & Dasari Narayana Rao Created a Masterpiece

Director Dasari Narayana Rao and Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR) gave many hits together. Meghasandesam was a special milestone, being ANR's 200th film. Dasari, a huge fan of ANR, directed and produced it himself. Their combination delivered gems like Premabhishekam, which broke all records. The 1982 art film also starred Jayaprada, Jayasudha, and Jaggayya in key roles.

The story is about Ravindra Babu (ANR), a famous poet who loves nature. He is married to a simple woman, Parvati (Jayasudha), but feels an artistic void in his life. When a family of artists moves in, he becomes captivated by the dance of Padma (Jayaprada). He sees her not as a person, but as an inspiration for his poetry.

Ravindra Babu's admiration for Padma turns into an obsession. His wife Parvati is heartbroken and tells her brother, Jagannatham (Jaggayya). He warns Padma to leave town, and she does. A devastated Ravindra Babu abandons his family to search for her. He only returns for his daughter's wedding, asks his wife for forgiveness, and dies in her arms. In a parallel tragedy, Padma also passes away.

Dasari Narayana Rao took a huge risk with a film like Meghasandesam. In an industry that celebrated heroism, he showed a top commercial star like ANR in a de-glam role and even killed his character in the end. This film truly showcased Dasari's genius and ANR's acting prowess. Jayasudha also proved why they call her 'Sahaja Nati' (natural actress).

The film's songs were just as powerful as the acting. Every track in Meghasandesam is a gem. Ramesh Naidu composed the music, and it completely won over music lovers. The lyrics by Devulapalli Krishnasastri and Veturi Sundararama Murthy, sung by legends like Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna, P. Susheela, K. J. Yesudas, and S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, are still magical.

Meghasandesam's impact was huge. The film swept awards at national, international, and state levels. It bagged four National Awards, including for Best Feature Film, Best Music Director (Ramesh Naidu), Best Male Singer (Yesudas), and Best Female Singer (P. Susheela). It also won the Golden Nandi and a Filmfare award.

The film was released in 1982. After NTR became Chief Minister in 1983, the Golden Nandi for Best Actor was introduced, and ANR won it for this film. Meghasandesam won a whole bunch of Nandi Awards, including Best Film, Best Actor (ANR), Best Actress (Jayasudha), Best Singer (Yesudas), Best Singer (Susheela), Best Music Director (Ramesh Naidu), and many more for its technical crew.

Despite being a masterpiece loved by critics and artists, Meghasandesam did not connect with the mass audience. It was not a commercial blockbuster and remained an 'art film' with average box office collections. However, a dedicated group of fans still adores the film. For anyone who wants to watch this classic, it is available on YouTube.