Mosagallaku Mosagadu (1971 film)

Mosagallaku Mosagadu
Theatrical releaseposter
Directed byK. S. R. Das
Written byAarudra
Produced byG. Adiseshagiri Rao
StarringKrishna
Vijaya Nirmala
Nagabhushanam
Gummadi
Kaikala Satyanarayana
M. Prabhakar Reddy
Dhulipala
Jyothi Lakshmi
CinematographyV. S. R. Swamy
Edited byKotagiri Gopala Rao
Music byP. Adinarayana Rao
Production
company
Distributed byPadmalaya Studios
Release date
  • 27 August 1971 (1971-08-27)
Running time
159 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageTelugu

Mosagallaku Mosagadu (transl. Deceiver of deceivers) is a 1971 Indian Telugu-language Western film directed by K. S. R. Das and written by Aarudra. Produced by G. Adiseshagiri Rao under the banner of Sri Padmalaya Films, the film features Krishna, Vijaya Nirmala, Nagabhushanam, Kaikala Satyanarayana, Gummadi, Dhulipala, M. Prabhakar Reddy, and Jyothi Lakshmi in prominent roles. It is considered the first true Western genre film made in India.[1]

Inspired by classic Western films, Mosagallaku Mosagadu is set in the 18th century, during the anarchy following the Battle of Bobbili (1757). The film combines historical elements with a fictional treasure hunt narrative, focusing on the search for lost treasure belonging to the Amaraveedu dynasty. It was notable for its use of Eastmancolor, marking a technical milestone for Telugu cinema, and was shot in various locations including Bikaner, Shimla, and the Thar Desert.[2]

Released on 27 August 1971, Mosagallaku Mosagadu achieved major success, running for 100 days in multiple theatres. It established Krishna as the first Telugu "cowboy" and sparked a wave of similar productions in Telugu cinema. The film was subsequently dubbed into Tamil as Mosakkaaranukku Mosakkaaran, Hindi as Gunfighter Johnny, and released in a trimmed English version titled Treasure Hunt. Its success also influenced the adoption of the Western genre in Hindi films.[1]

  1. ^ a b "Revisiting Mosagallaku Mosagadu: Superstar Krishna's Western still holds magic". The Indian Express. 31 May 2023. Archived from the original on 10 July 2023.
  2. ^ APK (16 May 2008). "Mosagallaki Mosagadu (1971)". Cinegoer. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013.