Sri Krishna Leelalu (1935)

Synopsis: Harassed by the evil deeds of Kamsa and his minions Bhudevi, Indra and other Devas offer their prayers to Lord Vishnu at the instigation of Brahma. Vishnu comforts them that he will be born as the son of Devaki and end their woes. Akasavani foretells Kamsa of his death at the hands of the eight child of Devaki, his sister. Kamsa becomes perturbed and tries to put an end to Devaki's life when Vasudeva, her husband, intervenes and promises to give away to Kamsa all the children of Devaki soon after their birth. Still unsatisfied, Kamsa imprisons Devaki and Vasudeva.
When Devaki gives birth to a child in the prison, Kamsa kills the child instantaneously. Devaki being pregnant for the eighth time is suffering from birth pangs. Lord Vishnu appears and tells them that he is going to be born as their child and that Yogamaya who is going to be their saviour is already born in the house of Nanda. With the new-born child Krishna, Vasudeva crosses the river Jamuna at the dead of the night. He gives his son to Nanda in exchange for Yogamaya and returns to the prison.
Kamsa goes to the prison, takes the child into his hands and throws it up to kill. The child transforms into Yogamaya and says that One has already been born to kill Kamsa and thus giving a warning disappears.
The celebrations for the birth of Krishna are in progress in Repalle, Pootana enters and takes Krishna into her hands to give him a suckling when Krishna kills her. Aided by his comrades Krishna causes much alarm among the Gopikas by his mischievous deeds. Gopikas go to Yashoda and complain that her son ate sand. Yashoda threatens Krishna with punishment and asks Krishna to open his mouth when she has Viswaroopa Darshanam.
Kamsa sends Chakrasura and Trunavarta to put an end to Krishna's life. Krishna encounters with both of them whom he kills. Two Gopikas see the terrific Kaleeya carrying away a calf into the water of Jamuna. They narrate to Krishna what they have seen. Krishna wages a battle royal and humbles down serpent King's pride and pardons him at the request of his wives. Kaleeya is ordered to leave the place at once.
Kamsa sends Akroora to bring Krishna and Balarama on the pretext of performing Dhanuryaga. On their way to Kamsa's court the boys kill the royal washer-man, relieve Kubja of her curse and destroy Kamsa's store-house of weapons. The two boys pay their homages to Kamsa who abuses them. Goaded by Kamsa, Chanura and Mushtika fight with Krishna and Balarama but are killed. Much enraged at this Kamsa meets  Lord Krishna, in a deadly fight. Krishna puts an end to the life of Kamsa, the enemy of the world.
Cast: Vemuri Gaggaiah (Kamsa), Rama Tilakam (Yashoda), Saluri Rajeswara Rao (Srikrishna), Sr. Sriranjanai (Devaki), Parupalli Satyanarayana (Akroora), Parupalli Subba Rao (Vasudeva), Govindarajula Venkatramayya (Ugrasena), Master Avadhani (Balarama), Lakshmirajyam (Radha)
Dialogues: Pingali Nagendra Rao
Sreenplay: AT Raghavachari
Music: Galipenchala Narasimha Rao
Producer: Pinapala Venkata Doss
Director: Chitrapu Narasimha Rao
Banner: Vel Pictures
Release Date: 22 November
Trivia: Rajeswara Rao, a child prodigy, started performing on the stage from the age of four. His father made him train under Sree Dwaram Vekataswamy Naidu for tabla and harmonium. In 1935, Vel Pictures selected him to do the role of Lord Krishna in the film Srikrishna Leelalu. He was 13 years old at that time (At that time, most of the films were being shot in Calcutta, and so Rajeswara Rao thus went to Calcutta too for the movie). Subsequently, he did films like Keechaka Vadha and Uttara Gograhanam. Incidentally, his father played mridangam in all these films.