Director: K. Subramanyam; Writer: Premchand’s novel Bazaar-e-Husn (1919); Cinematographer: Sailen Bose; Cast: M.S. Subbulakshmi, F.G. Natesa Iyer, Mrs Jayalakshmi, Varadachar, Rampiary, Pattu Iyer, Mani Bhagavathar, A.K. Kamalam, Jolly Kittu, Sitalakshmi, S. Varalakshmi
Summary: Written originally in Urdu, the novel’s translation became Premchand’s first Hindi work of fiction. The writer was distressed by Nanubhai Vakil’s film version (1934) and Subramanyam’s Tamil film put it back into its original reformist shape. The novel deals with prostitution and women’s emancipation. While retaining its political thrust, Subramanyam made it a musical, casting the debuting Subbulakshmi in the lead as Suman. Both her performance and that of her co-star, Natesa Iyer as Gajadhar Pande, won acclaim. The music was very popular and served partly to blunt the anticipated conservative opposition to the plot’s feminist overtones. Subbulakshmi’s Shyamasundara madana mohana was a major hit. Sitalakshmi, a brahmin widow, played ‘herself ’ as Gundamma, a widow who goes mad, and was especially popular. Actress Rampiary was imported from Bombay for the film.
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