Bala Nagamma(1981)
Bala Nagamma is a 1981 Indian fantasy drama film directed by K. Shankar. The Tamil-Telugu bilingual stars Sridevi as the titular princess and Sarath Babu as her husband Vijayavarma. The story follows a queen who sacrifices her life for a daughter, who is then abandoned and raised by the goddess Nagadevi. The adult Bala Nagamma marries a prince, but an evil magician kidnaps her and curses her husband. Their son Parthiban must rescue them with divine assistance. The film is a remake of the 1942 Telugu classic. Ilaiyaraaja composed the soundtrack, with the song 'Koonthalile Megam' gaining notable popularity. The Tamil version released on 26 October 1981, and the Telugu version on 30 April 1982.
Bala Nagamma is streaming on YouTube and Airtel Xstream Play.
Where to watch:Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- YouTube, Airtel Xstream Play
- Theatrical Release
- 31 December 1981
- Director
- K. Shankar
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 15m
- Rating
- 7.5/10
Storyline
A queen dies after giving birth to a daughter. The king abandons the baby in a forest. The goddess Nagadevi raises the girl, named Bala Nagamma. As an adult, Bala marries Prince Vijayavarma. An evil magician kidnaps her and curses her husband. Their son must fight the magician to save his family.
“A goddess protects. A mother sacrifices.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Bala Nagamma
Cast reunions in this film: Ilayaraja & Sridevi (23 films together), K. R. Vijaya & Ilayaraja (20 films together), Ilayaraja & Sarath Babu (16 films together), K. R. Vijaya & K. Shankar (11 films together), Ilayaraja & V. S. Raghavan (10 films together), and K. R. Vijaya & V. S. Raghavan (8 films together).
Trivia
- This film was a bilingual, shot simultaneously in Telugu and Tamil with the same cast and crew.
- It was a remake of the 1942 film 'Bala Nagamma', which itself was based on a popular Telugu folklore tale.
- Sridevi, who played the lead, was already a major star in Tamil and Telugu cinema by this time.
- The film's director, K. Shankar, was known for his successful mythological and folklore adaptations.
- The story involves a princess cursed to become a snake, a common motif in South Indian folk narratives.
- The movie featured music by the veteran composer T. Chalapathi Rao.
- It was produced by A. Khader under the banner K.B. Creations, which produced several films in the early 80s.