Dorikithe Dongalu
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Dorikithe Dongalu
| image = Dorikithe Dongalu.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| writer = Pinisetty {{small|(dialogues)}}
| story = K.A.R. Acharya
| screenplay = P. Subrahmanyam
| producer = D. L. Narayana
| director = P. Subrahmanyam
| based_on =
| starring = N. T. Rama Rao
Jamuna
| narrator =
| music = S. Rajeswara Rao
| cinematography = K. S.Prasad
Rajagopal
Ravikant Nagaich
| editing = S. S. Prakash
| studio = Chandamama Films
| distributor =
| released = {{Film date|df=y|1965|2|26}}
| runtime = 184 mins
| country = India
| language = Telugu
| budget =
| gross =
}}
Dorikithe Dongalu ({{translation|Thieves, if they are caught}}) is a 1965 Indian Telugu-language science fiction action film directed by P. Subrahmanyam. It stars N. T. Rama Rao and Jamuna. The music was composed by S. Rajeswara Rao.{{Cite news |date=5 March 1965 |title=చిత్ర సమీక్ష: దొరికితే దొంగలు |language=te |trans-title=Film review: Dorikithe Dongalu |work=Andhra Jyothi |url=https://indiancine.ma/document/FKK/ |access-date=6 September 2020 |archive-date=14 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114130637/https://indiancine.ma/document/FKK/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |date=7 March 1965 |title=చిత్ర సమీక్ష: దొరికితే దొంగలు |language=te |trans-title=Film review: Dorikithe Dongalu |work=Andhra Prabha |url=https://indiancine.ma/document/FKL/171,0,2074,844 |access-date=6 September 2020 |archive-date=29 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129044334/https://indiancine.ma/document/FKL/171,0,2074,844 |url-status=live }} The film was produced by D. L. Narayana on the Chandamama Films banner. It is one of the earliest science fiction films in Indian cinema.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0bM3EQAAQBAJ&pg=PA115 |title=Posthumanism and India: A Critical Cartography |date=2024-12-10 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-93-6131-588-6 |editor-last=Banerji |editor-first=Debashish |editor-link=Debashish Banerji |pages=115 |language=en |editor-last2=Md Monirul Islam |editor-last3=Sengupta |editor-first3=Samrat}}
Plot
The film begins in a city gripped by rising crime rates, with Commissioner Prabhakar urging the public to cooperate in fighting the growing menace. Among the city's prominent citizens are Sudarsanam, Dr. Giridhar, and Lawyer Brahmayya, who are secretly masterminds behind the chaos, using their strength and scientific knowledge to orchestrate criminal activities.
The trio attempts to bribe a respected elderly scientist, Visweswarayya, but when he refuses, they retaliate by burning his eyes with acid and kidnapping his younger daughter, Anuradha. They also capture Sundaram, Prabhakar's son, who is a renowned scientist recently returned from studying abroad with the villains' support. In response to the escalating crisis, the government assigns a courageous secret agent, Nanda Rao, to bring the criminals to justice. Nanda Rao is revealed to be Prabhakar's estranged son from his first marriage, a fact unknown to many.
Meanwhile, Visweswarayya's older daughter, Madhavi, also arrives in the city as a detective. She and Nanda Rao disguise themselves as an elderly couple, Agneyam and Latha, in order to infiltrate the villains' operations. As part of their scheme, the villains orchestrate a plane crash with Sundaram's unwitting assistance. Prabhakar’s brother-in-law, Rama Rao, witnesses the crash, but the villains kill him and his family, sparing only their daughter, Karuna, who they kidnap.
Throughout the film, Visweswarayya and Sundaram work on various advanced inventions, including flying cars, ray guns, and methods for invisibility, which are used by the villains in their schemes. Nanda Rao and Madhavi, who develop a romantic relationship, eventually uncover the full extent of the villains' plans, including Sundaram's dark turn. Nanda Rao reveals his true identity to his father, and together they launch a secret mission to bring down the criminal masterminds and rescue the captives.
In the climactic confrontation, Nanda Rao defeats the villains, but Sundaram, in an act of redemption, sacrifices himself by destroying the laboratory with an explosion. The film concludes with Nanda Rao and Madhavi being honored by the government for their bravery in saving the city.
Cast
- N. T. Rama Rao as Nandan Rao / Agneyam
- Jamuna as Latha / Madhavi
- Rajanala as Sudarsanam
- Kantha Rao as Sundaram
- V. Nagayya as Minister
- Gummadi as Commissioner Prabhakar Rao
- Dhulipala as Visweswarayya
- Ramana Reddy as Anji
- Satyanarayana as Dr. Gangadharam
- Allu Ramalingaiah as Lawyer Brahmayya
- Malladi as Rama Rao
- Jagga Rao as Inspector Prakash
- Suryakantham as Santhamma
- Rajasree as Appalamma and Rosy (dual role)
- Sarada as Karuna
- Jayanthi as Anuradha
Music
{{Infobox album
| name = Dorikithe Dongalu
| type = film
| artist = S. Rajeswara Rao
| cover =
| alt =
| released = 1965
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Soundtrack
| length = 30:58
| label =
| producer = S. Rajeswara Rao
| prev_title = Bobbili Yuddham
| prev_year = 1964
| next_title = Palnati Yuddham
| next_year = 1966
}}
Music was composed by S. Rajeswara Rao.{{Cite web |title=Dorikithe Dongalu (1965)-Song_Booklet |url=https://indiancine.ma/documents/CFL/info |access-date=23 November 2020 |website=indiancine.ma |archive-date=29 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129044335/https://indiancine.ma/documents/CFL/info |url-status=live }}
| class="wikitable" | ||||
| S. No. | Song Title | Lyrics | Singers | length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1
|"Sri Venkatesa Eesa" |M. Balamuralikrishna, P. Susheela, Bangalore Latha |3:28 | ||||
| 2
|"Evariki Teliyadule Intula Sangati" |3:41 | ||||
| 3
|"Ennisarlu Cheppalayya" |Aarudhra |Swarnalatha, V. Satya Rao |2:51 | ||||
| 4
|"Mavayya Chikkavayya" |3:51 | ||||
| 5
|"Evariki Teliyadule Yuvakula Sangati" |C. Narayana Reddy |P. Susheela |2:47 | ||||
| 6
|"Evarannaravi Kannulani" |C. Narayana Reddy |Ghantasala, P. Susheela |3:19 | ||||
| 7
|"Naa Kanti Velugu" |Aarudhra |S. Janaki |3:28 | ||||
| 8
|"Egurutunnadi Yavvanamu" |C. Narayana Reddy |Ghantasala, P. Susheela |3:44 | ||||
| 9
|"Evare Naa Cheli" |Dasaradhi |P. Susheela, S. Janaki |3:49 |
References
{{reflist}}