Agni Pareeksha

1951 181’ b&w Telugu d P. Manikyam pc Sarathi Films s Tapi Dharma Rao lyr K.G. Sharma c B. Subba Rao m Galipenchala Narasimha Rao lp Kalyanam Raghuramaiah, C.S.R. Anjaneyulu, K. Siva Rao, Lakshmirajyam, Malathi, Lakshmikantam, Relangi Venkatramaiah, Kanakam, Gangarathnam, Suryakantam

Melodrama suggesting a slight modernisation of the devoted wife stereotype in order to refurbish feudal patriarchal values. Heroine Sushila (Lakshmirajyam) loses her husband Kumaravarma (Anjaneyulu) to the charms of the prostitute Kalavati (Lakshmikantam) and fails in her attempt to commit suicide. Sushila then sets out to seduce her husband back. In doing so, it is she rather than he who faces accusations of sexual infidelity and has to undergo a trial by fire to prove her chastity. Agradoot made a version of the story in 1954.

Film