Underplayed Gems

Oka Oori Katha (1977)

Oka Oori Katha poster
Original title
ఒక ఊరి కథ
Directed by
Mrinal Sen
Genre
drama film
Country
India
Runtime
1h 56m
Rating
6.6 of 10 from 5 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
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How it feels

A father and son living in rural poverty refuse to work as a form of protest against an oppressive feudal system. The film critiques social injustice by following their harsh daily lives.

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What happens

Oka Oori Katha (English title: The Marginal Ones; Telugu: ఒక ఊరి కథ) is a 1977 Indian Telugu-language drama film directed by Mrinal Sen. An adaptation of Munshi Premchand's short story Kafan (The Burial Shroud), the film transports the narrative from the Hindi heartland of Premchand to the rural landscapes of Telangana. Starring M. V. Vasudeva Rao, G. V. Narayana Rao, and Mamata Shankar, the film sharply critiques feudal exploitation by depicting the harsh lives of a father-son duo who resist the oppressive system by refusing to work. Oka Oori Katha was one of India's entries at the 4th Hong Kong International Film Festival and was also featured at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the Carthage Film Festival, and the Indian Panorama section of the 7th International Film Festival of India. The film won the Special Jury Prize at Karlovy Vary and was awarded Best Feature Film in Telugu at the 25th National Film Awards. The jury praised the film for its potent transformation of Premchand's story into a powerful commentary on rural poverty and social injustice, lauding its unflinching portrayal of the harsh realities faced by the downtrodden and its impassioned appeal to human conscience. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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