Chandralekha is a 1948 Indian historical adventure film produced and directed by S. S. Vasan of Gemini Studios. Starring T. R. Rajakumari, M. K. Radha and Ranjan, the film follows two brothers who fight over ruling their father's kingdom and marrying the village dancer, Chandralekha. Veppathur Kittoo developed a story based on a chapter of Robert Macaire; or, The French Bandit in England, a novel by George W. M. Reynolds. The film spent five years in production, undergoing a number of scripting, filming and cast changes, and was the most expensive film made in India at the time. Vasan mortgaged all his property and sold his jewellery to complete the film. The Tamil version (poster pictured), released on 9 April 1948, did not recoup production costs. Vasan directed a Hindi version with some changes, which was a box-office success. South Indian cinema became prominent throughout India with the film's release, inspiring South Indian producers to market their Hindi films in North India.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandralekha_%281948_film%29

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1812:

War of 1812: Potawatomi warriors ambushed a United States Army convoy after it had evacuated Fort Dearborn, in present-day Chicago, and razed the fort. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fort_Dearborn

1941:

Josef Jakobs, a German spy, became the last person executed at the Tower of London. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_Jakobs

1948:

The Republic of Korea was established with Syngman Rhee as its first president. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syngman_Rhee

1977:

Big Ear, a radio telescope at Ohio State University received a strong, apparently extraterrestrial radio signal that became known as the Wow! signal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wow!_signal

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

hecatomb: 1. (Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, historical) A great public sacrifice to the gods, originally of a hundred oxen; also, a great number of animals reserved for such a sacrifice. 2. (by extension, religion, historical) A great public sacrifice in other religions; also, a great number of animals or people reserved for such a sacrifice. 3. (figuratively, literary and poetic) A great number of animals, people, or things that are sacrificed or destroyed; any great sacrifice; also (generally), a large amount. 4. (transitive) To provide (someone or something) with a hecatomb (noun senses). https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hecatomb

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

The fool has one great advantage over a man of sense — he is always satisfied with himself.   --Napoleon https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Napoleon