Underplayed Gems

Mala Pilla (1938)

Mala Pilla poster
Directed by
Gudavalli Ramabrahmam
Genre
drama film
Country
British Raj
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

More films like this

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.

romanticearnestsocially conscioushopefulgroundeddramaticpoignant

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)

More like this

This page is from Underplayed Gems. Not quite it? You can browse by genre, country and year, or take this one into the 3D catalogue and ask the Catbot for something closer.