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Malapilla

  • 1938
  • 2h 55m
IMDb RATING
8.4/10
60
YOUR RATING
Malapilla (1938)
Drama

The son of a priest falls in love with a Harijan girl and elopes with her. The film was a social drama that deals with untouchability prevalent in pre-independent India.The son of a priest falls in love with a Harijan girl and elopes with her. The film was a social drama that deals with untouchability prevalent in pre-independent India.The son of a priest falls in love with a Harijan girl and elopes with her. The film was a social drama that deals with untouchability prevalent in pre-independent India.

  • Director
    • Gudavalli Ramabrahmam
  • Writers
    • Unnava Lakshminarayana
    • Dharma Rao Tapi
    • Gudipati Venkata Chalam
  • Stars
    • Govindrajulu Subba Rao
    • Kanchanamala
    • Suri Babu P.
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.4/10
    60
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Gudavalli Ramabrahmam
    • Writers
      • Unnava Lakshminarayana
      • Dharma Rao Tapi
      • Gudipati Venkata Chalam
    • Stars
      • Govindrajulu Subba Rao
      • Kanchanamala
      • Suri Babu P.
    • 3User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos2

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    Top cast12

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    Govindrajulu Subba Rao
    • Sundara Rama Sastry
    Kanchanamala
    • Malapilla
    Suri Babu P.
    • Nagaraju
    Sundaramma
    Venkatasubbaiah
    Puvvula Ansuya
    Teku Ansuya
    Ganga Ratnam P.
    Hemalathamma Rao
    P. Laxmikantamma
    Raghavan M.C.
    Vangara
    • Director
      • Gudavalli Ramabrahmam
    • Writers
      • Unnava Lakshminarayana
      • Dharma Rao Tapi
      • Gudipati Venkata Chalam
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews3

    8.460
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    Featured reviews

    6gudapatig

    The writer is Gudavali Ramabrahmam and not Unnavi Lakshminarayana

    It was mentioned that the writer is Unnavi Lakshminarayana.But the writer of this Malapilla cinema is Gudavali Ramabrahmam.People are mistaken Malapilla instead of Malapalli which was written by Sri Unnavi Lakshminarayana. The cinema is one of the best cinema in Telugu language from the last 60 years. The best part of the cinema is its songs and the heroin Kanchanamala. I have see this pitcher in television. After seeing the pitcher some higher caste people have gone to their houses and taken bath as the pitcher theme is for untouchables IE Harijans. It has run more than 100 days in all theaters it was released and collected lot of money
    10sriharish-57048

    Revolutionary Film

    YV Rao Garu raised voice against caste system.

    Mala Pilla or Malapilla (English: Girl from Mala caste) is a 1938 Indian Telugu-language social problem film directed by Gudavalli Ramabrahmam and written by Tapi Dharma Rao. The film was produced by Raja of Challapalli, Yarladadda Sivarama Prasad on Sarathi Films banner. It featured Kanchanamala in the title role with Gali Venkateswara Rao, Govindarajula Subba Rao, P. Suribabu, Sundaramma in other prominent roles

    It is a social drama depicting the love story between a Brahmin boy and a Dalit girl. The film dealt with themes like untouchability, taboo on entry into temples for Dalits, Gandhism, and nationalism in pre-independent India. The film was dedicated to the Maharajah of Travancore, Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma who had passed a law allowing members of all castes to enter temples.

    Malapilla was released in a record 12 centres on September 25, 1938, and was a big hit. On its release, the film caused a sensation, rejecting the stage-derived mythological genre dominating Telugu cinema in the 1930s. The film's success kindled interest in other Telugu filmmakers to make films based on social themes. Malapilla was also the 50th talkie film made in Telugu cinema.
    9sridhar-bandha

    One of all time classics of Telugu cinema

    One of timeless classics of Telugu cinema. Based on caste problem(like Harijans were not allowed in temples by so called upper castes,etc),the movie covers comprehensively all the major problems with both so called upper caste and so called lower caste. Nagaraju the Gandhian(follower of Mahatma Gandhi) unites people of both castes in a peaceful way.Character of Nagaraju is used to tell the main message of the story, that all are equal and how people over the period of time misunderstood Vedas and Upanishads. Suri Babu(Nagaraju) is known for his great rendition of padyalu(Telugu poems) and he is the main highlight of the movie.

    The best thing about the story is , while giving a message that people belonging to so called lower castes have equal rights in the society it also shows the issues among Harijans(so called lowercaste) like alcoholism and killing animals in name of god(also called bali). A must watch for all Telugus for sure.

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    Details

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    • Country of origin
      • India
    • Language
      • Telugu
    • Also known as
      • The Outcast Girl
    • Production company
      • Sri Sarathi Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • ₹110,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      2 hours 55 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono

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