Produced by Edida Nageswara Rao under Poornodaya Movie Creations, the film stars J. V. Somayajulu, Manju Bhargavi, Chandra Mohan, and Rajyalakshmi.

The film explores the cultural divide between Indian classical and Western pop music through the perspectives of characters from different generations.

Released on 2 February 1980, Shankarabharanam opened to near-empty halls, but quickly gained widespread popularity, eventually running for over 25 weeks in many centres.

In Tamil Nadu, the film was a major sensation, showing in packed houses in its original version.

"[12] Shankara Sastri, a widower with a daughter named Sarada, is one of the most popular Carnatic singers of the day, famed for having mastered the raga Sankarabharanam.

The enraged Tulasi stabs her rapist with a shard of glass from the broken frame of Sastri's photo, killing him.

Pamulaparti Venkata Kameswara Rao, a schoolteacher by profession but a dilettante singer at heart, falls in love with Sarada.

As Tulasi's son completes the song, Sastri symbolically anoints the boy as his musical heir by giving his "aabharanam" (his leg bracelet, or "Ganda Penderam"), once bestowed by society to honor him and effectively became a part of him, to him and dies.

The film ends on this tragic but uplifting note, as Sastri's newly-wed daughter and son-in-law take charge of Tulasi's son.

The film was mostly shot in Rajahmundry, Raghudevapuram, Polavaram, Ramachandrapuram, Annavaram, and Somavaram in Andhra Pradesh, Thiruvanmiyur in Madras, Belur and Halebeedu in Karnataka.

M. Balamuralikrishna was the original choice for the male playback singer, due to the heavy classical content of the compositions.

Since M. Balamuralikrishna was not so much inclined to sing in the movie, K. V. Mahadevan, having faith in the mettle of S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, insisted on him taking up this challenge.

The soundtrack has lyrics by Veturi and vocals by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki and Vani Jayaram All music is composed by K. V. MahadevanReleased on 2 February 1980, the film was released in only a very few theatres and opened to almost empty halls.

The success of this film triggered a sequence of classical films in Telugu, including Tyagayya (by Bapu), Meghasandesam (by Dasari N. Rao), and Viswanath's own follow-ups: Saptapadi, Saagara Sangamam, Swathi Muthyam, Sruthi Layalu, Swarna Kamalam, Swayam Krushi, Sirivennela, Swarabhishekam, Swati Kiranam.

Balasubrahmanyam, the Telugu playback singer who rendered all the songs of Sastri's character, has often said this movie was the highlight of his career.