Parashuram (film)
Parashuram is a 1989 Indian Kannada film directed by V. Somashekar and produced by Parvathamma Rajkumar. The film starred Dr. Rajkumar, Vani Viswanath and Mahalakshmi in the lead roles.[1] This was V. Somashekhar's last movie with Rajkumar, who incidentally started his directing career with Rajkumar's Bangaarada Panjara (1974). Also this was last movie of Puneeth Rajkumar as a child actor, who later returned as a fully fledged hero in the movie Appu (2002). The film's score and soundtrack was composed by Hamsalekha.[2]
| Parashuram | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | V. Somashekhar |
| Produced by | Parvathamma Rajkumar |
| Written by | T. N. Narasimhan |
| Screenplay by | T. N. Narasimhan |
| Starring | Rajkumar Vani Viswanath Puneeth Rajkumar Mahalakshmi |
| Music by | Hamsalekha |
| Cinematography | H. G. Raju |
| Edited by | P. Bhaktavatsalam |
Production company | Dakshayini Combines |
Release date |
|
| Country | India |
| Language | Kannada |
Plot
Major Parashuram (Rajkumar) is an ex-army man running a private security agency. He is a happy-go-lucky person married happily to Usha (Vani Viswanath), and leads a happy life with his son. He deals with a case where a heroine is abducted and the film producer seeks Parashuram's help. He befriends Appu (Puneeth Rajkumar), who is a slum-dweller.
Parashuram comes across organized crime, headed by MD, who is supported by Purohit, Kulkarni and Nayak (played by actors Ashok Rao, Prithviraj and (C. R. Simha). MD is powerful enough to placate governments. MD runs short of money to fund the election campaign and gets his mafia network to double the monthly roll-call. It is then, Parashuram gives a good beating to MD's hooligans. MD is impressed with Parashuram, that someone at last is able to give him a fight. He invites Parashuram and expresses his wish that Parashuram work for him. Parashuram rejects it outright and walks away. MD threatens to punish him and hatches a plan to destroy Parashuram.
On Parashuram's son's birthday, MD gets Parashuram's son kidnapped. After all efforts to trace the child are done with, Parashuram guesses it must be MD who has abducted his son. He calls up MD and shouts to get him his son back. Just then a box arrives for Parashuram, which contains his son's right hand. When Parashuram speaks back to MD, MD asks Usha to collect her son's body near their house gate.
When the child is rushed to hospital, MD succeeds in getting the child killed. Parashuram is suffering under intense grief, when the attending nurse says he has a phone-call. MD cajoles him and says Parashuram would lose his mental balance and says he has lost his wife too. Parashuram finds his wife is being dragged away and MD's henchmen throw her from the hospital roof. Usha dies immediately, leaving Parashuram alone. With the help of a press reporter and Appu, ex-armyman Parashuram takes the law into his own hands, and starts killing MD's men one after the other, hacking them with a "parashu" (a weapon of Sage Parashurama).
Cast
- Dr. Rajkumar as Parashuram
- Vani Viswanath as Usha
- Mahalakshmi as Actress Malini
- Puneeth Rajkumar as Appu
- Dheerendra Gopal as Ullagaddi Basappa
- Ashok Rao
- Prithviraj
- C. R. Simha
- Doddanna
- T. N. Narasimhan
- Sudheer
- Bank Janardhan
- Negro Johnny
- Dingri Nagaraj
- Aravind
- Jaggesh (murderer in the opening scene of the film)
- Vijay Raghavendra in a song
- Srisailan
Box office reception
The movie was a box office superhit, owing to its gripping story line and action sequences. However the critical reception of the movie was mixed and many considered it to be below average for the usual Rajkumar standards.
Soundtrack
| Parashuram | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | |
| Released | 1989 |
| Genre | Feature film soundtrack |
| Label | Sangeetha |
Hamsalekha composed the background score for the film and the soundtracks. Lyrics for the soundtracks were penned by Chi. Udaya Shankar, T. P. Kailasam and Hamsalekha. The album consists of five soundtracks.[3] Singer Swarnalatha was introduced to Kannada film industry through this soundtrack. The song "Nagutha Nagutha Baalu" was received extremely well upon release.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Thandana Thandana" | Hamsalekha | Rajkumar, Manjula Gururaj | 04:55 |
| 2. | "Nagutha Nagutha Baalu" | Chi. Udaya Shankar | Rajkumar | 04:45 |
| 3. | "Eleya Mareyali" | Chi. Udaya Shankar | Manjula Gururaj | 04:16 |
| 4. | "Saradaara Baa Baalina" | Hamsalekha | Rajkumar, Swarnalatha | 04:37 |
| 5. | "Kadre Thappu Kondre Thappu" | T. P. Kailasam | Puneeth Rajkumar | 04:42 |
| Total length: | 23:15 | |||