Andhra Pradesh Magazine English May 2016 | Page 24

GAUTAMIPUTRA

SATAKARNI
FILM LAUNCHED

In backdrop of good reception to
period films like Bahubali and
Rudramadevi, the new cinematic
venture Gautamiputra Satakarni
will be much awaited for its
historic and cultural nuances.

A

t a time when Telugus, especially in Andhra
Pradesh, are redefining
their identity, a feature
film on the very first Andhra Empire,
with focus on the most important of
the Satavahana Dynasty, is a welcome move. The film Gautami Putra
Satakarni, starred by veteran actor
and MLA Balakrishna and directed
by talented Jagarlamudi Radhakrishna (Krish) promises to be a visually scintillating and emotionally
stirring cinematic experience.
The crew formally launched the
shoot of his 100th film Gautamiputra
Satakarni, which is based on the life
of the Andhra ruler who is said to
have ruled over, mainly vast parts of
southern India.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, actor-turned-politician and former Union Minister
Chiranjeevi, top Telugu hero
Venkatesh and a host of prominent

24

personalities from the world of film
and politics attended the
'Muhurtham' event of the film here.
Rao, who was a TDP leader before
starting the separate Telangana agitation with his party TRS in 2001,
hailed the decision of Balakrishna to
be part of the film on Gautamiputra
Satakarni.
Gautamiputra Satakarni was a great
personality who initiated a new era
(known as Satavahana Saka to celebrate his victory), Rao said. Describing himself as a fan of late NTR, he
expressed confidence that the 100th
film of Balakrishna would run for
200 days.
NTR was a great son of Telugu race
who brought an independent identity to Telugu who were till then
often described as 'Madrasis', the
Chief Minister said. He also wished
to be among the first to watch the
film 'Gautamiputra Satakarni' upon
its completion.

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Noting that some misinformation
was recently carried out when the
Telangana recently government decided to erect a 125-ft statue of
Ambedkar at the NTR gardens in Hyderabad, Rao said the NTR gardens,
where the 'Samadhi' of the late Chief
Minister was situated, would continue to be like that forever.
According to the Puranas and historical evidence, Satavahanas, one of
the oldest kingdoms in India, belong
to the Andhra dynasty. Of all the Satavahana kings, Gautamiputra Satakarni was one of the outstanding
rulers of ancient India. He was the
son of Sivasvati and Gautami Balasri.
His achievements and personality is
known from the Nasik inscription of
Balasri. At the time of his accession
the situation was very gloomy for
the Satavahanas. In the indoGangetic plain, the Kushans were
making great progress. Western Deccan was in the hands of the
Ksharatas the foreign tribes, Sakas,
Yavanas and Phalavas who had embraced Hinduism and settled in India
disturbed peace and order in the
Deccan. In such a gloomy situation
Satakarni did not lose heart. He rose
to the occasion and destroyed the
Sakas, Yavanas and Phalavas.

v

MAY 2016