Nirmala
About Nirmala
Nirmala ties Ram Das for first place in the B.A. exams. Her parents have betrothed her to Loknath, but they break it off after he tries to drag her away and Ram Das stops him. She marries Ram Das and moves to the country. Two babies are stillborn. During a third pregnancy a yogi tells her an old curse blocks a child while she stays with Ram Das, and she leaves in a storm. Among beggars, under the name Nimmi, she gives birth. A beggar takes the infant out on Sankranti and sells him to Ram Das, who thinks the child is an orphan. Years later Nirmala, still begging, snatches at her own grandchild. Ram Das recognizes her.
Cast & crew
More about Nirmala
Franz Osten directed. Himanshu Rai and Devika Rani produced for Bombay Talkies. Basudev wrote the screenplay and J. S. Casshyap the dialogue and lyrics. Josef Wirsching photographed, Dattaram Pai edited, and S. B. Vacha recorded the sound. It opened at the Roxy Talkies in Bombay on 15 April 1938. Ramniklal Mohanlal handled publicity.
Themes
Reviews
Film India's May 1938 notice said Osten's direction was weak, that early scenes ran long for no reason, and that the beggar climax arrived too suddenly. The same review called Devika Rani the best of the cast in the lighter scenes and said she did not convince as a mother.
Music
Saraswati Devi composed and J. S. Casshyap wrote the lyrics. The beggars' song "Jeevan Hai Sangram" is the motif tied to Nirmala's years under the name Nimmi.
Notes
- Devika Rani plays Nirmala, later called Nimmi among the beggars. Ashok Kumar plays Ram Das.
- P. F. Pithawala plays her father. M. Nazir plays Loknath. Maya Devi plays Pratima, the friend who tells the parents what Loknath did.
- Mumtaz Ali is both in the cast, as Moti, and the dance director.
- Gulbadan plays Nirmala as a child. Ehsan plays the young Ram Das.
- Cinemaazi times the film at 128 minutes. Wikidata lists 129.
Scenes
- Nirmala and Ram Das share first place in the B.A. list.
- Ram Das stops Loknath from forcing her to leave with him.
- She walks out into a storm after the yogi's warning.
- Years on, she reaches for her grandchild and Ram Das knows her.
Also available
- Wikimedia Commons (Nirmala, 1938.webm)
