| Devudu Chesina Manushulu | |
| Director: | V. Ramachandra Rao |
| Starring: | Krishna N. T. Rama Rao Jayalalithaa Vijaya Nirmala |
| Music: | Ramesh Naidu |
| Cinematography: | V. S. R. Swamy |
| Editing: | Kotagiri Gopala Rao |
| Studio: | Padmalaya Studios |
| Runtime: | 177 minutes |
| Country: | India |
| Language: | Telugu |
Devudu Chesina Manushulu is a 1973 Indian Telugu-language action-drama film directed by V. Ramachandra Rao, produced by G. Hanumantha Rao under the Padmalaya Studios banner and presented by Krishna. The film stars N. T. Rama Rao, Krishna, Jayalalitha and Vijaya Nirmala, with music composed by Ramesh Naidu.[1] The film was a commercial success,[2] and was remade in Hindi as Takkar (1980) under the same banner.[3]
The film begins with a crime wing who steals valuable antique temple idols. Ramu, a bold, is allied with them. Once, they hijack an aircraft holding a precious statue when Suresh, a mobster, slays a priest. As it happens, a passenger, Sujatha, the tycoon, Hari Prasad's sister, braves, transforming Ramu. So, he safeguards the passengers. In that mishap, Ramu & Sujatha fall in love. He drops Sujatha and lands at the estate of Zamindar Dasaratharamaiah. Ramu hinders his vagabond Gopi while teasing a laborer, Vijaya. In that rage, Gopi whips him, and Dasaratharamaiah averts it.
Surprisingly, Ramu discerns himself as his long-lasting son but may disclose because of his crime sheet. Indeed, Ramu is the progeny of Dasaratharamaiah's first wife, whom his second Varalakshmi grudges. Plus, her sly brother Papa Rao ruses to slaughter him, but he is secured. Dasaratharamaiah shelters Ramu and is entrusted with the family tasks. Thereupon, he seeks to remove the flaws of Gopi & sister Geeta, which makes Gopi quit. Destiny makes Dasaratharamaiah & Hari Prasad family friends, including Sujatha & Geeta. Further, it reunites Ramu & Sujatha when he divulges the actuality and requests to bite her lip. Besides, Vijaya strives for her terminally ill mother Ramanamma & drunkard brother Ranganna. Gopi reforms after soul-searching with her tie.
Here, as a flabbergast, Hari Prasad turns into the quarterback of the mobsters, who also affiliate with Geeta through bullying. Exploiting it, they heist Krishna's idol of Dasaratharamaiah's ancestors. Ramu incriminates to shield Geeta. As of now, Hari Prasad seizes Geeta when Ramu breaks the bars and chases them. However, Gopi misinterprets and charges Ramu when he affirms his identity, and they fuse. Parallelly, Ranganna senses Hari Prasad's activities and informs Ramu & Gopi. Being conscious of it, Sujatha, too, guilds and rescues Geeta. At that moment, startlingly, the original Hari Prasad appears, who has been abducted by the quarterback and purported to be him. Since Geeta is Hari Prasad's courtship, she becomes a pawn at their fingertips. Following the blackguards' ploy, a conspiracy in the name of God to smuggle the adored idols out of the country. At last, Ramu & Gopi intrepidly encounter & cease them. Finally, the movie ends on a happy note with the marriages of turtle doves.
Music composed by Ramesh Naidu.[4] The song "Masaka Masaka Cheekatilo" was remixed in the film Xtra (2004).[5]
| Song title | Lyricist | Singers | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Devudu Chesina Manushullara" | Sri Sri | Ghantasala | 4:58 | |
| "Tholisaari Ninnu" | Dasaradhi | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 3:44 | |
| "Doravayasu Chinnadi" | Dasaradhi | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, P. Susheela | 3:00 | |
| "Vinnaaraa Alanaati Venuganam" | Aarudhra | Ghantasala, P. Susheela | 3:41 | |
| "Masaka Masaka Cheekatilo" | Aarudhra | L. R. Eswari | 3:17 | |
| "Nee Daggarayedo Vundi" | Aarudhra | L. R. Eswari | 3:20 | |
| "Devudu Chesina Manushullara"-2 | Sri Sri | Ghantasala, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | 4:11 |
Giddaluri Gopal Rao, writing for Zamin Ryot on 24 August 1973, gave the film a mixed review. Although he praised the production and cinematography, Rao criticised the film for its unrealistic scenes and poorly written characters.[6] The film was commercially successful and ran for more than 175 days in two centres, Vijayawada and Nellore. The song "Masaka Masaka Cheekatilo" sung by L. R. Eswari and pictured on actress Kanchana became popular.[7]