{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}} {{Use Indian English|date=March 2018}} {{Infobox film | name = Punyavathi | image = Punyavathi.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | writer = D. V. Narasa Raju {{small|(dialogues)}} | story = Dr. Nihar Ranjan Gupta | screenplay = V. Dadamirasi | producer = Vasu Menon | director = V. Dada Mirasi | starring = N. T. Rama Rao<br />Krishna Kumari<br />Shobhan Babu | narrator = | music = Ghantasala | cinematography = Jagirdar | editing = K. Narayanan<br/>K. Sankunni | based_on = ''Nai Roshni'' (1967) | studio = Vasu Studios | distributor = | released = {{Film date|df=y|1967|11|3}} | runtime = 148 mins | country = India | language = Telugu | budget = | gross = }}
'''''Punyavathi''''' is a 1967 Telugu-language drama film produced by Vasu Menon under the Vasu Studios banner and directed by V. Dadamirasi. It stars N. T. Rama Rao, Krishna Kumari, and Shobhan Babu, with music composed by Ghantasala.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Srikanth|date=3 November 1967|title=సినిమా: పుణ్యవతి|trans-title=Cinema: Punyavathi|work=Visalaandhra|url=https://indiancine.ma/documents/GTJ/0,811,2550,2461|access-date=18 September 2020|language=te|archive-date=14 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114130711/https://indiancine.ma/documents/GTJ/0,811,2550,2461|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Krishna|first=Radha|date=12 November 1967|title=రూపవాణి: పుణ్యవతి|trans-title=Roopavani: Punyavathi|work=Andhra Prabha|url=https://indiancine.ma/documents/GTI/0,0,2550,1688|access-date=17 September 2020|language=te|archive-date=1 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701231228/https://indiancine.ma/documents/GTI/0,0,2550,1688|url-status=live}}</ref> It is a remake of the Bengali film ''Taposhi'' (1965).
==Plot== Professor Krishna Rao is an academic who lives with his wife, Padmavati, and their children, Shekar and Chitra. Krishna Rao remains distant from his family. Padmavati prefers a modern lifestyle and raises Chitra to follow suit. Feeling neglected, Shekar becomes an alcoholic. The only person who keeps the family together is Shanti, Krishna Rao's foster daughter. She is affectionate toward everyone, and Shekar is particularly fond of her.
Prakash, a new lecturer living with his blind mother Parvati, works with Krishna Rao on his thesis and falls in love with Shanti. Tensions rise in the Rao household when Padmavati misunderstands the bond between Shekar and Shanti, causing Shekar to leave home. Meanwhile, Chitra is seduced by Ramesh, the son of Judge Lakshmana Rao, and becomes pregnant.
Padmavati realizes the consequences of her choices and regrets her parenting. Shanti informs Shekar of the situation, and he confronts Ramesh. Judge Lakshmana Rao discovers the truth, reprimands his son, and arranges for Ramesh to marry Chitra. However, the intervention comes too late; Chitra consumes poison and Ramesh marries her moments before she dies.
The tragedy impacts the family deeply. Shekar reforms and returns to support his parents. Later, Prakash discovers that Krishna Rao is his biological father who had abandoned his mother, Parvati. He resents him for this betrayal. When Krishna Rao learns the truth, he asks to meet Parvati, but Prakash refuses.
Krishna Rao collapses and explains his past to Shekar. He reveals that he married Parvati in his youth but abandoned her when she lost her eyesight, unaware that she was pregnant. Shekar intervenes and brings Parvati to the house, reuniting the family. The film ends with the marriage of Prakash and Shanti.
==Cast== *N. T. Rama Rao as Prakash *Krishna Kumari as Shanti *Shobhan Babu as Sekhar *S. V. Ranga Rao as Professor Krishna Rao *Bhanumathi Ramakrishna as Padmavathi *V. Nagayya as Judge Lakshmana Rao *Haranath as Ramesh *Allu Ramalingaiah *K. V. Chalam *Pandari Bai as Parvathi *Jyothi Lakshmi as Chitra *Radha Kumari
==Soundtrack== {{Infobox album | name = Punyavathi | type = film | artist = Ghantasala | cover = | alt = | released = 1967 | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = Soundtrack | length = 18:55 | label = | producer = Ghantasala | prev_title = Bhuvana Sundari Katha | prev_year = 1967 | next_title = Rahasyam | next_year = 1967 }}
Music composed by Ghantasala. Lyrics were written by C. Narayana Reddy.
{|class="wikitable" |- !S. No.!!Song title !!Singers !!length |- |1 |"Bhale Bagundi" |P. Susheela |3:17 |- |2 |"Enta Sogasuga Unnavu" |Ghantasala, P. Susheela |3:24 |- |3 |"Pedavulapaina Sangeetam" |Ghantasala |2:08 |- |4 |"Manasu Padindi" |Ghantasala, P. Susheela |3:32 |- |5 |"Inthele Nirupedalu" |Ghantasala |3:45 |- |6 |"Unnava O Deva" |P. Susheela |2:49 |}
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Indian drama films Category:Telugu remakes of Bengali films Category:Films scored by Ghantasala (musician) Category:1967 Telugu-language films Category:1967 Indian films Category:Films based on works by Nihar Ranjan Gupta