Director: B.P. Mishra; Writer: B.P. Mishra; Cinematographer: Adi M. Irani; Cast: Master Vithal, Ermeline, Jamshedji. Rustom Poonawala, Hadi, Saku
Summary: Mishra, who died in 1932, followed his
Draupadi (1931) with this historical fantasy
establishing thestudio's trademark genre. The
story is drawn from the Rajput war sagas and
features the despotic Jaisingh (Poonawala)
who usurps the throne of Achalgarh. The court
intrigues involve the good Pratap (Vithal), lover
of Princess Chandmprabha (Ermeline), hidden
testaments from the dead King Udaybhanu,
fortune tellers and a swayamvar (a public
contest) to claim the princess as a bride. The
film's treatment of sexuality receives an
unusual twist when the misogynist Sher Singh
(Hadi), a friend of Pratap, is forced to
impersonate a woman to protect
Chandraprabha from the villain Ranamal
Uamshedji). The main highlights are Master Vithal's swordplay.
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