Mala Pilla (1938)

Directed by

Gudavalli Ramabrahmam

Genre

drama film

Country

British Raj

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

A Brahmin boy and a Dalit girl fall in love in pre-independence India. Their relationship challenges the strict caste rules of their society. The story focuses on untouchability and the fight for temple entry.

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What happens

Mala Pilla, or Malapilla, (English: Girl from Mala caste) is a 1938 Indian Telugu-language social problem film directed by Gudavalli Ramabrahmam and written by Tapi Dharma Rao. The film was produced by Raja of Challapalli, Yarladadda Sivarama Prasad, under the Sarathi Films banner. It featured Kanchanamala in the title role, with Gali Venkateswara Rao, Govindarajula Subba Rao, P. Suribabu, and Sundaramma in other prominent roles. It is a social drama depicting the love story between a Brahmin boy and a Dalit girl. The film dealt with themes like untouchability, taboos on entry into temples for Dalits, Gandhism, and nationalism in pre-independent India. The film was dedicated to the Maharajah of Travancore, Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, who had passed a law allowing members of all castes to enter temples. Malapilla was released in a record 12 centres on September 25, 1938, and was an industry hit. On its release, the film caused a sensation, rejecting the stage-derived mythological genre dominating Telugu cinema in the 1930s. The film's success kindled interest in other Telugu filmmakers to make films based on social themes. Malapilla was also the 50th talkie film made in Telugu cinema. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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