Duniya Na Mane (1937)

      Basic  Information,

Directer                          -    V. Shantaram,  Rajaram Vankudre Shantaram
Producer                       -    Prabhat Film Company
Writer                             -    Narayan Hari Apte (novel & screenplay),  Munshi Aziz (dialogue)
cast                                 -   Shanta Apte, Keshavrao Date, Raja Nene
Cinematography       -       V. Avadhoot
Release                        -        1937 
Running Time            -     154 minutes




Introduction
Kunku or Duniya Na Mane   based on the Marathi novel, Na Patnari Goshta by Narayan Hari Apte, who also wrote film’s screenplay.

The movie went on to become both a critical and commercial success, and was shown at the Venice International Film Festival. The film is now hailed for "its daring attack on the treatment of women in Indian society." and depiction of child marriage.

For film's lead actress, Shanta Apte, it was third most memorable performance in a row, after V.Shantaram's previous classics, Amrit Manthan (1934) and Amar Jyoti (1936). Besides other songs, she also sang a full-fledged English song in the film: "A Psalm of Life", written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882).

Story

Neera [Marathi]/Nirmala [Hindi](Apte) is trapped into marrying the old widower Kakasaheb (Date). He is a progressive lawyer with a son and a daughter of Neera's age. She refuses to consummate the union, claiming repeatedly that while suffering can be borne, injustice cannot. After facing many hurdles including an aunt (Vasishta), her mother-in-law, and a lascivious stepson Pandit[M]/Jugal[H] (Nene), her husband has a change of heart and magnanimously commits suicide, enjoining Neera to marry someone more suitable. The change occurs mainly through his widowed daughter Chitra[M]/Sushila[H] (Paranjpye, a noted social worker off screen) who provides a forcefully feminist movement in a speech to the young bride.

Reference sites 

• Wikipedia
• IMBD