FilmIndia (1940)

Our Review Director filehboob Takes The Salute National's "Woman" Becomes A National Picture Thrilling Screen Epic of Our 7,00,000 Villages "Woman" the maiden production of the National Studios has become a dynamic document of realistic village life as found in our 7,00,000 villages. Never before was so faithful and detailed a portrayal of village life made as in this picture. And for its sheer documentary value, this picture will remain a milestone for a long time to come. The story is intensely human with a pathetic yet sympathetic vein underlying the multiple aspects of a village woman's life time. There is no exaggeration anywhere and a powerful melodrama has been created with the help of numerous situations which are utterly sincere and natural. The story writer shows a great knowledge of the numerous details that contribute to make the life of the villager complete. In presentation, the picture has become an unforgettable epic of the screen which for its sheer sincerity must appeal to all. STORY TORN FROM LIFE Radha the village woman opens the story as a bride, who has just accepted the harness of married life, with the same silence and resigna FAREDOON IRANI— He catches the eye with his eye-pleasing photography. tion with which her own mother and other mothers in India did before and are doing every day. Placing her husband Shyamoo as the supreme deity in her world of the future, she begins building her new world day by day with faith and sanctity that have distinguished the traditional Indian womanhood. Every day, from morn to night, we see her doing the numerous things that make life for the peasant woman. Now she is in the fields raising the corn which is a vital WOMAN Producers : National Studios Director: Mehboob Story: Babubhai A. Mehta Music: Anil Biswas Dialogues : Vajahat Mirza Songs: Dr. Safdar Photography: Fareedoon Irani Sound: Chandrakant Pandya Cast: Sardar Akhtar, Jyoti, Sunalini, Devi, Vat sala, Yakub, Suren dra, Arun, Kanhya lal, etc. Released At: Pathe Cinema, Bombay. Date of Release: 10th May, 1940. need to the family, and then working in the home to make the husband and mother-in-law happy and contented! In the first born child comes the supreme consummation of their wedding. It is joy all over, though over the head of the family is hanging the money lender's inevitable debt incurred for the wedding. The poor are usually over-blessed with children. And Radha and Shyamoo soon have a crowd of four to feed in the midst of pressing demands from the money lender. TEMPLE WITHOUT A GOD Life soon becomes intolerable to Shyamoo, who with a characteristic MEHBOOB takes the lion's share of the huge success of " Woman . People forget that he had to work for it. lack of courage runs away from life and its responsibility by stealing out of the lives of his people. Radha's temple of life has now no god in it. She has now become a married 'widow'. Shamoo's flight takes away his old mother to the other world and Radha is left alone in this cruel world with four small children on hand. And now Fate takes its turn in this game. Famine breaks out and takes a heavy toll of human life. In the midst of famine, pestilence and the threats of Sukhilala the money lender, her two boys die. On the death bed of her second son, Sukhilala goaded by passion for Radha, suggests the spreading of his bed of lust to save the life of the other two children. CHASTITY PRICE OF MOTHERHOOD Radha, frantic and mad with grief, decides to pledge her chastity to save her two sons from famine and pestilence. She goes to Sukhilala's house to surrender her body to the lust of the man, but is saved by divine interference in the shape of rain and storm which get Sukhilala pinned under his own roof. Radha, however, saves him and Sukhilala calls her sister, in gratitude. Years pass and Radha has now become prosperous. Her two sons Ramu and Briju, have now grown 35