Corrupt trustees attempt to eliminate Lala Niranjanmal's heirs; the daughter is jailed while the son becomes a penniless wanderer. Released, the daughter becomes the enigmatic Deccan Queen, a vigilante. The plot thickens when Vrinda, an insurance clerk, is revealed to be the Queen's double. Both Vrinda and the Deccan Queen fall for Inspector Suresh, leading to a complex love triangle, especially when the Queen impersonates Vrinda, demanding an immediate marriage to Suresh.
Jul 1936
A dance film idealising poverty made mainly to showcase Bose's talents. Labour leader Suryashankar is jailed for trade union activities and, when released, finds that his friend Jagdish has stolen his property and plagiarised his play Bhookh (Hunger). To take revenge on behalf of the poor, Suryashankar's daughter Kumkum (Bose) marries Jagdish's son Chandan (Bhattacharya). Later she collaborates in staging a play meant to expose Jagdish's evil past. The film's publicity slogan was 'She robbed her husband to feed the poor!'
Mar 1940
Two devoted sisters find themselves in love with the same man, and in an act of sacrifice, one lets the other marry him. Life seems settled until a newcomer—a man with progressive, socialist ideals—arrives, challenging their traditional outlook and stirring emotions long buried. His presence forces both women to confront their feelings, question the choices they’ve made, and navigate the tension between duty, personal happiness, and changing social values, culminating in a quiet yet emotionally charged resolution.
Jun 1940
Ostensibly a Central Asian war fantasy about a conflict between the Cossacks and the Tartars, Mehboob’s film proposes a tale advocating national independence. The Cossacks are oppressed by the despotic Russian king (Siddiqui) and his minister Jabir (Kayamali), who has Tartar blood in him. General Murad (Kumar) covertly sides with the opposition, gets arrested for treason and escapes. He meets the wild Gulnar (Sitara Devi) and gets her to spy as a maid of Princess Nigar (Bibbo). Nigar falls for Murad and Gulnar withdraws from the scene for the sake of her nation. Eventually Nigar, at the head of an army of women, helps defeat the villains.
Jan 1938
Set in the Ottoman Empire, it deals with the Caesar's (Pande) army and its skirmishes with the local Muslim rulers. The Sultan's (Asooji) son Ziyad (Kumar) is arrested by the Roman army. The Roman princess Rahil falls in love with him. A Muslim maid Leela (Sitara Devi) and the princess help him escape. Long chase scenes and fights follow, which ultimately lead to success for Ziyad and his people.
Jan 1935
An early Indian sound film, Zarina is a dramatic tale featuring Zubeida as a vibrant and passionate circus girl. The film explores a bold romance that reportedly pushed the boundaries of on-screen intimacy for its era, leading to early censorship debates.
Jun 1932
Sundarlal abandons his wife, Lalita, and children to pursue a living in the city, where he succumbs to a life of depravity. After their son dies, their daughter, Saju, defends her virtue and supports her mother in extreme poverty. Disguised as a man, she searches the city for her father with the help of a blind man, Baldev. Saju falls in love with a drunken millionaire she rescues, who mistakes her for a boy.
Mar 1934
Film starring Sitara Devi and Kumar.
Motilal in the role of a doctor, wants to join the revolutionaries along with his girlfriend played by Shobhana Samarth. Both are opposed by their parents. The parents find it difficult to come to terms with what they consider as 'western influences' on their children in clothes and thinking. Several humorous situations arise in the process with everything finally ending to the satisfaction of both generations.
Nov 1936
The first Gujarati feature film is a saint film about the life of Narasinh Mehta (1408-75), played by Master Manhar. Mehta is known for his evocative Prabhatiyan (morning hymns) and especially for his composition Vaishnava jana to ('The Vaishnav is he who knows the pain of others') made popular by Gandhi, who also adapted the poet's term Harijan (children of god) for the nation's Untouchables. The film adheres to the Gandhian interpretation of Narasinh Mehta's work, avoiding e.g. miracle scenes.
Apr 1932
Mehboob presents the autonomous passion of Leela (Rose) for Moti (Motilal) who is promised to another woman, Bina (Maya). Leela is portrayed as irresponsible and impulsive as she acknowledges her desire for Moti and has a child by him. Bina then releases Moti from his promise. Moti suffers when he is told by Bina’s father (Sankantha) that she is dead, while Leela’s father (Pande) enjoins his daughter to commit suicide if Moti does not marry her. In spite of the film’s endorsement of ‘traditional’, lethally oppressive patriarchal mores, incarnated by the women’s fathers, Mehboob’s narrative at least dares to depict a woman who refuses to feel guilty about her desire.
Sep 1938
A period adventure with Motilal in a famous dual role. Judhajit (Sankatha), the outlawed brother of the king of Udayanagar, wants revenge on the royal family. He had left the palace with one of the king's twin sons who grew up as Indrajit, the twin of the drunken and debauched Prince Shatrujit (both Motilal) due to marry Princess Chanda (Sabita Devi). Indrajit is sent to kidnap her as part of the vendetta but the two fall in love. Shatrujit is too drunk to go through the marriage procedure and the dewan (Ansari) asks Indrajit to impersonate his brother. Indrajit is now torn between his love for Chanda and his promise to the dewan, but the story ends happily,
Kokila (transl. Nightingale) is a 1937 Hindi social family drama film directed by Sarvottam Badami
Oct 1937