Tenali Ramakrishna (1941)

Synopsis: This tale about fabled court jester Temali Ramakrishna. The film opens with Ramakrishna (Master Raju) as a child being appalled after learning that the twice-married lecher Karanam is about to marry the nine-year-old Saubhagyam. He dresses up as the child bride, foiling the wedding and making a mockery of the groom. Years later, the adult Ramakrishna (S.P. Lakshmana Swamy) lands a job as the royal poet for the court of Krishnadeva Raya, where the scheming Brahmin soothsayer Tatacharya tries to manipulate the sovereign to his own ends. When the king's mother dies while eating a mango, he predicts that the royal mother's soul will not rest until the king gives every Brahmin a mango made of gold. Ramakrishna replies that his mother died with a longing to be seared with a hot poker, and then arranges for every Brahmin to be branded.
Cast: S.P. Lakshmana Swamy, L.V. Prasad, P. Koteswara Rao, Tilakam, Puvvula Anasuya, P. Gangaratnam, T. Hanumantha Rao, Parepalli Subba Rao, K.V. Subba Rao, Sarala, Master Raju, Baby Rohini
Story: Vempati Sadasivabrahmam
Music: Gundopant Walavalkar
Cinematography: P. Sridhar
Director: H.M. Reddy
Banner: Rohini Pictures