School Master (1958 film)

School Master (Kannada: ಸ್ಕೂಲ್ ಮಾಸ್ಟರ್) is a 1958 Indian Kannada language film, which was simultaneously dubbed as Tamil language film as Engal Kudumbam Perisu (Tamil: எங்கள் குடும்பம் பெரிசு). It was released in 1958. It was later remade into various other languages including Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi. Movie is a classic film starring Dikki Madhav Rao, Udaykumar, Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan and B. Saroja Devi. It was the first Kannada film to complete Silver Jubilee Celebration.

B. R. Panthulu came up with film versions of this story in various languages. In 1958 School Master (Kannada) and Engal Kudumbam Perisu (Tamil) were directed by him, dubbed into Telugu as Badi Pantulu. In 1959 ALS Productions remade the story in Hindi as School Master, again directed by B. R. Panthulu.

The Malayalam version School Master was released on 3 April 1964 starring : Prem Nazir, K. Balaji, Thikkurissi Sukumaran Nair, Sivaji Ganeshan, Ragini, Ambika, Sowcar Janaki, Aranmula Ponnamma, Bahadur etc. The lyrics were by Vayalar Ramavarma, music by G. Devarajan and the dialogues by - Ponkunnam Varki. The film was a super hit.

In 1972 the movie was remade in Telugu as Badi Pantulu starring NTR. In 1973 once again the same story was filmed in Tamil.

The concept of the movie is based on the 1937 movie Make Way for Tomorrow which was already adapted into Marathi in 1954 titled Oon Paoos directed by Raja Paranjpe starring himself.

Plot

The story revolves mostly around the producer director B. R. Panthulu who plays the role of School Master, and his wife. Uncommon about Balkrishna is that he plays a positive role in the film. Bustling actor Narasimharaju is also there.

Humble School Teacher with his 2 sons and a daughter arrives at a new place. He finds the school building is in bad shape and his staff are not motivated to teach. He is a strict disciplinarian, which is shown in humorous way. His elder son gets into fight with a ruffian student Vaasu. Vaasu is punished, but his innate goodness wins over his teacher. Vaasu is given special care, to become a good student. He has to fight against village politics, when he wishes to build a new building to the school. Undeterred, he motivates his students and villages to amass enough funds to build it.

However, henchmen in the village burn down his house. His pet student Vaasu gathers all his friends and builds a small house for his teacher. Years pass and Vaasu tops matriculation exams.

Teacher's sons get married much against the wishes of their parents, but teacher takes it in his stride. Their beautiful daughter is married to simpleton business man.

When Teacher retires, his sons are averse to take their parents. With no savings of his own, Teacher has to rely on his sons to lead retired life. Elder son takes his father, while younger one takes his mother. Teacher is thus separated from his wife.

Things take such a bad turn, that teacher cannot even read his wife's letter, because his sons will not provide him with spectacles.

In the climax, teacher's erstwhile house, which was painfully constructed by his students, has to be auctioned off. Vaasu (Sivaji Ganeshan), now the Superintendent of Police happens to pass by in the car and notices the auction. Distraught with pain, he confides to his wife, this is the very house, he built with his fellow-students for the teacher, who led him to the garden path. He is overcome by emotions, on seeing the auction. Vaasu's wife immediately removes all her jewellery and urges Vaasu to use them to stop the auction and pay the bank. Vaasu is filled with joy and does so.

Vaasu makes his school teacher's life with joy and Teacher is filled with happiness on seeing his once ruffian student becoming a role model. His journey of teacher has met a satisfactory end.

Film has some sentimental and emotional moments and laughable moments too. It has some classroom incidents. Film also has some village politics at the start, which continues to influence the school master character throughout the film. The Film teaches life lessons.^[1]

Soundtrack

The film's score was composed by T. G. Lingappa

Kannada film

School Master Playback singers are A. M. Rajah, T. G. Lingappa, Pithapuram Nageswara Rao, Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi, P. Suseela, A. P. Komala, K. Rani & K. Jamuna Rani.

Tamil film

Engal Kudumbam Perisu Lyrics by K. D. Santhanam, Ku. Sa. Krishnamoorthy & Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam. Playback singers are T. M. Soundararajan, A. M. Rajah, T. G. Lingappa, S. C. Krishnan, Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi, P. Suseela, A. P. Komala, K. Rani & K. Jamuna Rani.

Telugu film

Badi Pantulu Playback singers are P. B. Sreenivas, A. M. Rajah, T. G. Lingappa, Pithapuram Nageswara Rao, Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi, P. Suseela, A. P. Komala, K. Rani & K. Jamuna Rani.

Awards

National Film Awards^[2]

• 1959 - All India Certificate of Merit for Third Best Feature film
• 1959 - National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada

Trivia

Few scenes in Amitabh Bachchan starrer Baghban (film) are taken from this movie, like parents being separated by their son's, Father unable to read wife's letter, due to his spectacles being broken.

References

External links

• School Master on Chiloka
• School Master at the Internet Movie Database
• Centanery Celebrations