Chomana Dudi - 1975 DVD (Award Movie) $11.99

Movie : Chomana Dudi
Year : 1975
Banner : Praja Films
Cast : Vasudeva Rao, Padma Kumata, Jayarajan, Sundararajan, Nagaraja, Nagendra, Badu, Shankar Bhat, Govinda Bhat, Honnaiah, Venkatesh, Dennis, Ramakrishna Kalyan, Sathish Balyaya, Dayananda, Rohidas Kadri, Leena Govias, M Sarojini, Mahalakshmi, Rathnamma, Lakshmibai, Jayanthi, Shobha
Music : L Vaidyanathan
Story : Dr K Shivaram Karanth (Based on Novel 'Chomana Dudi')
Direction : B V Karanth
Associate Director : Girish Kasaravalli
Assistant Director : TS Nagabharana
Producer : Ashok Kumar
Release Date : 26-09-1975
Duration : 131 min

Plot

Choma is an untouchable bonded-labourer in a village who is working along with his family for a landlord, due to a paltry loan of twenty rupees borrowed from him years ago.[2] Due to his social status, he is not allowed to till his own land, something that he desires most. Though he managed to rear a pair of bullocks that he found straying in the forest, he cannot use them to till the land. He comes in contact of Christian missionaries who try to convert him giving him the lure of the land, but Choma does not want to let go of his faith. He releases the fury that fate has beset on him, by beating his drum.
He has three sons and a daughter; two of his elder sons work in a distant coffee estate trying to pay off the debt. One of the sons dies of cholera and the other one converts to Christianity by marrying a Christian girl. His daughter, Belli works in the plantation and falls for the charm of Manvela, the estate-owner's writer. She is raped by the estate owner, who then writes off Choma's debt. She returns to Choma's home without telling him of the reality. His youngest son drowns in a river, with nobody coming to save him because of him being an untouchable. He then finds his daughter in an compromising position with Manvela. With anger, he beats her and kicks her out of the house. To defy his fate, he starts tilling a piece of land and then chases off his bullock into the forest. In the climax, Choma shuts himself in his house and starts playing the drum till he dies.

DVD Features

All Regions - PAL - DVD Video - 131 mins - English Subtitles - Black & White

Awards

National Film Awards 1975

• Best Feature Film
• Best Actor – M V Vasudev Rao
• Best Story – K Shivaram Karanth

Karnataka State Film Awards 1975-76

• First Best Film
• Best Actor – M V Vasudev Rao
• Best Supporting Actress – Padma Kumata
• Best Story Writer – Shivaram Karanth
• Best Screenplay – Shivaram Karanth
• Best Sound Recording – Krishnamurthy