Velugu Needalu Thooya Ullam
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Adurthi Subba Rao
Written by	Acharya Aatreya (Telugu dialogues) C. V. Sridhar (Tamil dialogues)[2]
Screenplay by	Adurthi Subba Rao
Produced by	D. Madhusudhana Rao
Starring	Akkineni Nageswara Rao Savitri
Cinematography	P. S. Selvaraj
Edited by	M. S. Mani
Music by	Pendyala Nageshwara Rao
Production company	Annapurna Pictures
Distributed by	Navayuga Films
Release date	7 January 1961 (1961-01-07) [1]
Running time	178 mins
Country	India
Languages	Telugu Tamil

Velugu Needalu (transl. Light and Shadows) is a 1961 Telugu-language film produced by D. Madhusudhana Rao under the Annapurna Pictures banner and directed by Adurthi Subba Rao.^[1] It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Savitri, with music composed by Pendyala Nageswara Rao.

The film was simultaneously filmed in Tamil as Thooya Ullam (transl. Pure Heart).

Plot

Rao Bahadur Venkataramaiah was formerly abundant but currently holds a mere press. He resides with his virago wife, Kanakadurga, and the couple adopted an orphan, Suguna. Later, they are blessed with a baby girl, Varalakshmi / Varam, which ends Kanakadurga annoying Suguna. Hence, perturbed, Venkataramaiah entrusts Suguna to his stanch, Vengalappa. Years roll by, and Suguna, with her efforts, ascends to medico. Though Kanakadurga resents, Varam conveys affection to Suguna. Chandram is a self-made Vengalappa's nephew, a colleague of Suguna, and the two fall in love. Suguna is also homeschooled at the residence of wealthy Subhadramma, whose sibling, Dr. Raghunath, silently endears her. Meanwhile, Chandram is afflicted with TB and is terminally ill. So, he takes an oath from Suguna knit Raghu, which she respects. Afterward, Chandram walks to Sanatorium with Raghu's aid and recovers.

Raghu & Suguna begin an ideal martial life serving the impoverished. However, the catastrophe falls as Raghu passes away in a fatal accident which devastates Chandram. Parallelly, Venkataramaiah is under bankruptcy, so he decides to splice Varam with Chandram, which he refuses. Afterward, Chandram consents & espouses Varam to Suguna's plead. Following this, Venkataramaiah charges his shutdown magazine to Chandram, which he flourishes. Time passes, and the pair is blissful with a boy, Raghu, who grows under the doting of Suguna. Now, Kanakadurga sows vicious seeds of suspicion in Varam's mind about Chandram & Suguna's familiarity when a rift arises. Besides, Rao Bahadur's business thrives in high earnings when Chandram declares a bonus for the staff. Venkataramaiah denies it, leading to walks out & big fight in the guardianship of Chandram. Being aware, Suguna & Varam proceed when Varam is gravely injured while securing Chandram. Hereupon, Venkataramaiah repents by marking Suguna's words. At last, Suguna shields Varam, making her remorseful, and even Kanakadurga reforms. Finally, the movie ends happily, with the family's union.

Cast

The Tamil cast list is adapted from the book Thiraikalanjiyam Part2^[3]

Production

Velugu Needalu was simultaneously filmed in Tamil as Thooya Ullam, with K. A. Thangavelu replacing Relangi.^[1][2] Thooya Ullam is the first film that was screened in Shanti Theatre, Chennai. While C. V. Sridhar wrote the dialogues for the film, K. S. Gopalakrishnan who later became a popular director, taught the cast to render the dialogues.^[3]

Soundtrack

Music composed by Pendyala Nageswara Rao.^[4]

Tamil

Udumalai Narayana Kavi and Kannadasan wrote the lyrics.^[3]