Kisan Kanya (1937)

         Basic  Information,

Directer                   -    Moti B. Gidvani
Producer               -    Ardeshir Irani
Writer                      -    Saadat Hasan Manto
cast                              -    Padmadevi, Jillo, Ghulam Mohammed, Nissar, Syed Ahmed, Ghani
Cinematography    -   V. Avadhoot
Release                  -    1937 
Running Time      -     137 minutes
Special note         -     this was the first colour film in history of Indian cinema

Introduction

Film pioneer Ardeshir Irani, who had produced notable films as Nala Damayanti (1920) which was India's first international co-production  (with Italy) and India's first talkie Alam Ara (1931) conceived the idea of producing a color film. The result of his efforts was the color film Kisan Kanya made with the Cinecolor process  whose process rights Irani had obtained from an American company.

V. Shantaram had earlier produced a Marathi film Sairandhri (1933) which had scenes in color.  However, the film was processed and printed in Germany Kisan Kanya was, therefore, India's first indigenously made color film.

Kisan Kanya was based on a novel by Saadat Hasan Manto and focussed on the plight of poor farmers. The story revolved on the life of a poor peasant Ram (Nisar) who was being ill-treated by his landlord Ghani.  Eventually, Ghani is murdered and Ram becomes the prime suspect in the eyes of the public. The film performed moderately at the box-office.

Story

Rural crime drama featuring an exploitative landlord (Gani) and a good peasant Ramu (Nissar) who is accused of murdering the landlord.