Dasi Aparanji
A 1944 Tamil lost film about a king in a parrot's body.
Dasi Aparanji is a 1944 Tamil historical fantasy film from India. Directed by B. N. Rao and produced by S. S. Vasan, it features Pushpavalli and M. K. Radha in lead roles. The story follows King Vikramadithan, whose soul enters a parrot after he causes the death of a mother parrot’s offspring. From this new form, he influences a young woman named Aparanji. The film premiered on 10 August 1944. No surviving copies are known to exist, classifying it as a lost film.
In the plot, King Vikramadithan of Ujjain retreats to the forest for his usual six-month break. Grief-stricken over a mother parrot’s loss, he transfers his soul into her chick. His greedy friend Vijayan, who learned the art of soul transference from the king, seizes the chance to swap bodies: he enters the king’s body and destroys his own. Prime Minister Bhatti uncovers the deception and keeps Queen Padmavathi away from the impostor by citing a vow of celibacy. The parrot containing Vikramadithan’s soul is bought by a miserly Chettiar, whose son squanders his fortune on a dancing girl named Aparanji. When the Chettiar convenes a village council to settle a complaint Aparanji has against a temple priest, the parrot shames her, predicting she will one day beg in the streets. Determined to kill and eat the parrot, Aparanji convinces the Chettiar’s son to steal it. Her servant Singari is tasked with cooking the bird but tricks her by cooking a fowl instead, letting the parrot escape. Believing the parrot dead, Aparanji later hears a voice—the parrot’s—at the temple, instructing her to donate all her wealth and arrive as a beggar with a bowl. She obeys, thinking it divine. The parrot then reveals itself, but Aparanji chooses to remain a sanyasini. Bhatti eventually tricks the false king Vijayan into entering a ram’s body, which is then exiled.
The cast includes Pushpavalli and M. K. Radha. Production was handled by Gemini Studios, with B. N. Rao directing and S. S. Vasan producing. Cinematography was by B. S. Ranga, and art direction by A. K. Shekar. The soundtrack, composed by M. D. Parthasarathy and S. Rajeswara Rao, features lyrics by Kothamangalam Subbu.
Released on 10 August 1944, the film sparked controversy for its many sexual references. Reviews were mixed but largely positive. Kay Yess Enn of *The Indian Express* praised producer Vasan for keeping the runtime under two hours and using only C
- title
- Dasi Aparanji
- year
- 1944
- language
- Tamil
- genre
- Historical fantasy
- director
- B. N. Rao
- producer
- S. S. Vasan
- status
- Lost film
Lore & Background
The film's plot follows King Vikramadithan of Ujjain, who enters a parrot's body after arranging his soul's transfer to console a grieving mother parrot. His greedy friend Vijayan, who learned the art of transmigration of souls from the king, seizes the king's body and destroys his own. Prime Minister Bhatti discovers the trick and keeps the queen away from the impostor. The parrot containing Vikramadithan's soul is bought by a miserly Chettiar, whose son spends wealth on a dancing girl named Aparanji. The parrot shames Aparanji during a village panchayat, predicting she will beg with a bowl. Aparanji persuades the Chettiar's son to steal the parrot to have it killed and eaten. The parrot escapes by a ruse, and a cooked fowl is served instead. Aparanji, believing the parrot dead, hears a voice at the temple telling her to give away her riches and come as a beggar. She does so, and the parrot reveals itself. Aparanji continues as a sanyasini. Bhatti tricks Vijayan into entering a ram's body, and the ram is exiled.
Reader's Guide
Dasi Aparanji is notable as a lost film from the Gemini Studios production house, directed by B. N. Rao and produced by S. S. Vasan. Its release on 10 August 1944 generated controversy due to numerous sexual references. Contemporary reviews were mixed but highlighted technical excellence, Carnatic music, and the performances of Pushpavalli. The film's disappearance means it survives only in written records and reviews. Its significance lies in representing a genre of historical fantasy in Tamil cinema of the 1940s, and in illustrating the early work of key figures like cinematographer B. S. Ranga and composers M. D. Parthasarathy and S. Rajeswara Rao. The film's legacy is preserved through critical commentary and its status as a lost work.
Did You Know?
- No print of Dasi Aparanji is known to survive, making it a lost film.
- The film became controversial upon release because of numerous sexual references.
- The soundtrack was composed by M. D. Parthasarathy and S. Rajeswara Rao, with lyrics by Kothamangalam Subbu.
- The film's plot involves the soul of King Vikramadithan entering a parrot's body.
More in Films about body swapping 1-24
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