Kasturi (Devika Rani) and Pratap (Ashok Kumar) are childhood friends, despite the fact that they are from opposite ends of the social spectrum: She is an untouchable and Pratap is a brahman. Although the two are evidently in love, social conventions preclude any possibility of marriage. Both of them bow to social pressures and marry someone else. Not unexpectedly, the consequences are disastrous.
Achhut Kanya was one of the earliest blockbusters of Hindi cinema. Typically of Bombay Talkies movies of that era, the movie is a reformist piece, a social commentary on the evils of the caste system.
Viewed today, the acting would appear over the top and unnatural, but one has to remember that talkies were a pretty new phenomenon in 1936. As with early talkies anywhere in the world, the characters are too verbose and the dialogue delivery is unnatural.
On the flip side are the gorgeous visuals. Its one of the most magnificently shot movies I've ever seen- an extraordinary feat, given the primitive technology of the time. And there's Devika Rani, who's got to be one of the most beautiful faces to have graced Indian cinema.
Achhut Kanya was only the second movie for Ashok Kumar, whose inexperience shows. It was a surreal experience to see him in a cute and boyish avatar. He plays second fiddle to the far more assured Devika Rani, who was THE star of the era (she appears first even in the credits). I doubt if anyone watching this movie in 1936 would have ever imagined that this 'green', boyish looking hero would become one of the legends of Indian cinema.
The songs are so different from what we're used to today, that its impossible to comment on them- the songs are outstanding, but just not what we would imagine as filmy music in this day and age.
To sum it up: Achhut Kanya is best viewed as a piece of cinematic history- seen today, a lay viewer today will surely find it boring.
