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Browse 40 movies from Ranjit Movietone
A story centered on a village girl named Alka, whose character exhibits contradictory traits and possibly a violent nature. Her life intersects with other village inhabitants, including Nanda, and a figure described as a "ruthless dacoit" who undergoes a transformation into a "dacoit-devotee" and is involved in an unusual burial ritual. The narrative attempts to weave in themes related to divinity and spiritual protest through these characters and events.
Jan 1946
A spiritual journey of a young shepherd boy named Dhanna. Despite facing skepticism and challenges from his family and the local Zamindar, Dhanna's unwavering devotion to God leads him to perform miracles and ultimately triumph over adversity, showcasing the power of pure faith.
Dec 1945
An early Indian drama, exploring themes of happiness and sorrow in everyday life, as its title ("Dukh Sukh" translates to "Pain Happiness" or "Sorrow Joy") suggests.
Oct 1942
Amar (Bilimoria) and Ila's (Shantakumari) love is disrupteted by the dashing Samar (Ishwarlal). The rivals get embroiled in the Kashmir war and Samar dies in Amar's arms. Amar returns to find that Ila has become an ascetic but they eventually get married.
Feb 1931
Following his conquest of India, Emperor Babar faces a crisis of loyalty among his troops and nobles. His most devoted subject, Sardar Sheikh, faces a dilemma when his daughter, Hamida, falls in love with Prince Humayun. Sheikh sends Hamida away, prompting Babar to intervene. However, a great sacrifice is ultimately demanded of the Emperor to save his son and reconcile the conflict.
Nov 1944
A melodrama suggesting that atheism is not a desirable option. Heroine Kusum (Gohar), the daughter of atheist millionaire Gumanchand (Bawa), is forced on to the streets when her father is jailed for fraud. She eventually meets the rich Rasiklal (E. Bilimoria), joins the stage and encounters her father once more when he tries to save her from a fire. The atheist father invokes the Almighty to save his daughter, but although she is saved she loses her eyesight. Other characters include the God-fearing but crooked tutor Indulal (Sandow) who later turns into a nice man after all, and Padma (Khatun), who exploits Rasiklal’s alcoholism to the benefit of her lover, Pyarelal.
May 1936
The educated Harbala battles the oppressive traditionalism of her husband, Seth Gopaldas. Desperate for her children, Somnath and Neelam, to live freely, her frustration leads to a tragic act. Haunted by guilt, her children ultimately follow. The film, aptly titled "The Unfinished Tale," suggests hope for a more liberated future.
Oct 1939
A jaded socialite, Vinakumari, and her lover, Dr. Rasik, discover purpose at a Gandhian ashram. Vinakumari dedicates herself to the poor as the ashram battles challenges from urban temptation to famine and greedy landlords. Dr. Rasik eventually joins the cause, bringing much-needed medical aid to the struggling community.
Oct 1935
Mumtaz Mahal tells the story of Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal, tracing their deep love, her death during childbirth, and his grief that leads him to build the Taj Mahal in her memory.
Oct 1944
The story of two brothers, Dhiraj and Shashi, and their rivalry. The cunning Dhiraj mortgages their ancestral property, causing complications for his innocent brother Shashi and their family. The plot also explores the contrast between rural (Unmad village) and city life, as both brothers originate from Calcutta.
Apr 1940
Lily and Vasant's suicide pact is thwarted, leading to Lily's forced marriage. She cares for an invalid Vasant, causing her husband to disown her and ban her from their daughter, Indu. Years later, their paths collide. Lily, now a servant, meets Vasant again, who is painting her lawyer daughter, Indu. Their renewed death pact leads to Vasant's death and Lily's arrest. In a dramatic trial, Indu defends Lily, facing her boyfriend (the prosecutor) and her father (the judge).
Jun 1935
A tearful melodrama about a progressive writer, Pushpa (Gohar), and her weak husband, Kulin (Billimoria). She has to fight her domineering mother-in-law and the tyrannies of a conservative household. When falsely accused of theft and infidelity by her wayward sister-in-law Gulab, Pushpa is forced out of the house. In her final state of penury, she recalls the examples of the great female Saint-Poets of Indian history, like Meerabai. Secondary characters are used to caricature Bombay's merchant class e.g. Mahatma Ramanand Adambar, a fortune-teller who suspects his wife of infidelity, and a gold collector called Prof. Pyarelal.
Dec 1935
An adventorous drama centered on a bold, rebellious, and unconventional female protagonist
May 1934
Betaab's best-known script tells of Radha (Gohar), a carefree rural belle who is supposed to marry childhood friend Gopal, but instead falls in love with a stranger who turns out to be the missing Prince Vijaysingh. When Ihe king despatches soldiers to recover the prince, Vijaysingh discards the pregnant Radha. She is attacked by the villagers for her immorality and eventually appears before the prince, her former lover, in court where she refuses to denounce him. Her child dies, she becomes a prostitute and eventually dies in the arms of the prince.
Mar 1930
In this mythological tale, Babruwahan, son of Arjuna, returns from the Mahabharata war. He defiantly stops a horse from his father's army, leading to a battle in which he beheads Arjuna. As he prepares to commit suicide, Krishna appears, instructing him to retrieve the magical Sanjivani Mani from the land of the serpents to revive his father. This quest pits him against Ullupi, the serpent king's daughter and a former wife of Arjuna. When she surrenders the Mani but takes Arjuna's head instead, Krishna is forced to intervene to resolve the situation.
Oct 1934
A psychiatrist spirals into madness after being tricked into marrying the wrong sister. When his obsession with her sibling grows, he uses his medical authority to turn her insane and imprison her within his own asylum.
Jul 1940
Gohar-centered adventure movie. She is the ruthless Princess Hansa determined to acquire a treasure map from rival King Sujansingh (Bawa). She daringly steals the map but the king's misogynist son, Dilipsingh (Bilimoria), manages to get it back. Together they are caught by the outlaw Vijay (Ishwarlal) who also wants the treasure. The film was replete with sword fights, tribal magic and a horse battle at the end when Sujansingh attacks his former friend Vijay to find his imprisoned son.
Oct 1936
Using the moon’s rays, Professor Harnam invents a potion that turns man into a murderous beast. His brother Professor Vaman, realizing the dangers of this invention, realizes the urgent need of producing an antidote to avoid disaster. However, it is too late as Harnam’s daughter drinks the potion during a quarrel with her lover Detective Kishore and the city begins to witness a murder spree amongst its elite and wealthy citizens.
Oct 1938
A dance-based mythological featuring Shankar (Arun), the triad in the Hindu pantheon (sometimes equated with Dionysus), who dances the Tandava, the dance of destruction, when his wife Sati kills herself after she is humiliated by her father. He then retires into meditation from which he has to be awoken to rid the world of the demon Tarakasura. The seductive powers of Sati, reborn as Parvati (Bose), liven up Shankar but she has to pay for this by doing extensive penance, after which she can be accepted again by her husband as a real wife, partly through the divine intervention of Vishnu.
Apr 1943
A mythological tale tells the cherished tale of Lord Krishna, the divine king of Dwarka, and his impoverished childhood friend, Sudama. Despite their vastly different lives, their pure bond of friendship endures. The story portrays Sudama's reluctant visit to Dwarka and Krishna's miraculous, selfless blessing upon his devoted friend.
Aug 1933