Malapilla or Mala Pilla (Telugu: మాలపిల్ల; Maalapilla) was a 1938 Telugu Blockbuster film, that brought the social evil - caste system into the limelight. It was directed by Gudavalli Ramabrahmam. It is based on a social drama taking Gudipati Venkatachalam's story Mala Pilla, a love story between a Brahmin boy and a Harijan girl. The film dealt with the
crusade against untouchability, prevailing in pre-independent India.
Réalisé parGudavalli Ramabrahmam ActeursP. Suri Babu, S. Varalakshmi, Vangara Venkata Subbaiah Note67% The film is a seminal reformist melodrama critiquing the Zamindari system from the viewpoint of the Kisan Sabha agitations in Andhra Pradesh. Small-time landowner Narsi Reddy (Raghawan) borrows money from a shavukar who represents the major zamindar (Sitapathy) of the village. When Narsi Reddy votes for a peasant candidate (Kosaraju) rather than for the political party supported by the landlord, his son is attacked and he is publicly humiliated.
Réalisé parL. V. Prasad, Gudavalli Ramabrahmam ActeursGovindarajula Subba Rao, Pasupuleti Kannamba, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, S. Varalakshmi, Mudigonda Lingamurthy, Vangara Venkata Subbaiah Note68% Anugu, the King of Palnadu has three sons - Nalagama Raju, Narasinga Raju and Malideva Raju. He anoints Nalagama Raju as the king under the care of his minister Brahmanaidu. A wealthy and powerful woman Nagamma enters the kingdom. Progressive minded Brahmanaidu allows Harijan entry into temples and appoints Kannamadasu, a Harijan as the army commander. This hurts the upper caste people and also the prince Narasinga Raju, who seeks the help of Nagamma. In the King's court, Nagamma accuses Brahmanaidu which leads Malideva demanding a division of the kingdom. Nalagama Raju divides the kingdom and gives Macherla to Malideva Raju, with Brahmanaidu as his adviser. Nalagama holds the Gurajala under the control of Nagamma. She conspires to unite the country and make Narasinga Raju as the king. Malideva is invited for kodi pandelu (cock fight), the loser to leave the kingdom and live in exile for seven years. But after that period, she refuses to hand over the kingdom to Malideva. She has plotted to kill the emissary Alaraju, son-in-law of Nalagama. This results in war and the annihilation of almost the entire clan. In the war field, Nagamma realizes her mistake and seeks pardon from Brahmanaidu.
Jeevudu, an untouchable cobbler, leads a saintly life with his wife Seva and son Bhavudu. Because of his devotion, Lord Vishnu appears before him every day, and eats whatever he is given as a prasad offering. Santha, the daughter of the proud and powerful Rajaguru, learning of this, visits his hut to discover whether it is true. When she witnesses it for herself, she informs her father of this wonder. Angry that his daughter has visited the house of an untouchable, he locks her up. He then informs Jeevudu that the king's mother was performing a cheppula nomu (Chappal vrata) and needs a thousand sandals by next morning. Jeevudu and his family work all night, but can only make a few sandals. They fall asleep from exhaustion; when they awaken the next morning, they find the house full of sandals.