It was on June 3, 1983 that 'Sagara Sangamam' headed to theatres and came to be seen as an evergreen classic in the following decades. Kamal Haasan's timeless performance in it was universally hailed. One of the best films in the career of 'Kala Tapasvi' K Viswanath, it was directed by Edida Nageswara Rao.
Dubbed and released also in Tamil and Malayalam on the same day, it was a super-hit across languages. Several contemporary directors were inspired by its aesthetic appeal and creative prowess. K Viswanath and Edida reunited for the classic a year after 'Shankarabharanam', which was also a classic.
It has to be recalled that CNN-IBN named it in its list of the 100 Greatest Indian Films of All Time on the occasion of the Indian film industry's centenary year. The classic was placed at No. 13. It was dubbed into Russian and released in 400 theatres in the then USSR.
Kamal Haasan's meticulous performance in the film is seen as exemplary even today by professional dancers.
The film's 100-days function was graced by the acting great Raj Kapoor. Sunil Dutt and Rajendra Kumar were also present on the occasion. They hailed the film to the skies on the occasion.
With music by Ilaiyaraaja and cinematography by PS Nivas, the all-time classic had an unforgettable performance by Jayaprada. Also featuring Sarath Babu, SP Sailaja, and Sakshi Ranga Rao, the film had timeless songs such as 'Thakita Thadimi', 'Naada Vinodamu Natya Vilasamu', and 'Mounamelanoyi Ee Marapurani Reyi'. The Telugu version had lyrics by Veturi, while the Tamil version had lyrics by Vairamuthu.
Besides winning six Nandi Awards, 'Sagara Sangamam' won two National Awards (Ilaiyaraaja and SPB).
