Director: K. Subramanyam, Gudavalli Ramabrahmam; Writer: K. Subramanyam, Papanasam Sivan [Ta], B.T. Raghavacharyar [Te]; Producer: K. Subrahmanyam; Cinematographer: Kamal Ghosh; Cast: K. Vishwanathan (aka Vathsal)[Ta], Bharath[Ta], Mani Bhagavathar[Ta], V.R. Chellam[Ta], C.V.V. Panthulu[Ta], K.N. Rajalakshmi[Ta], Baby Saroja, R. Balasaraswathi[Ta], Rukmini[Ta], Brahadambal[Ta], Arani Satyanarayana[Te], Vangara[Te], Kamala Kumari[Te], Thilakam[Te], S. Varalakshmi[Te]
Summary: Although there had been some films with a ‘contemporary’ setting (Dambachari, 1935, a Dhiren Ganguly-type story about a playboy being especially influential, being later remade with M.R. Radha as Ratha Kanneer, 1954), this was one of Tamil cinema’s first reformist socials with an original script. A Brahmin widow (Chellam) and her daughter (Saroja) are cast out by wealthy relatives. She seeks shelter in the house of a low- caste servant, causing the enraged Brahmins of the village to set the servant’s house on fire. The film, made by Brahmins, launched Baby Saroja as a legendary star and infringed many caste taboos, including the casting of an actual Brahmin widow in the lead. A group of Brahmins met in Thanjavur and declared the director an outcast. He replied with Bhakta Cheta (1940), glorifying a Harijan saint. In Seva Sadan (1938) he defended the cause of women’s equality and went on to make the classic reformist social Thyagabhoomi (1939). However, in the context of Periyar E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker’s strident anti-Brahminism, Subramanyam’s humanist attack on the irrationality of caste prejudices was very moderate. The lead role was played by the director’s brother, K. Vishwanathan.
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