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Maa Bhoomi
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox film
| name = Maa Bhoomi
| image = Maa Bhoomi.jpg
| caption = Poster
| director = Goutam Ghose
| screenplay = B. Narsing Rao
Goutam Ghose
| narrator = Jaggayya
| based_on =
| producer = B. Narsing Rao
G. Ravindranath
| starring = Sai Chand
Rami Reddy
Telangana Shakuntala
| cinematography = Kamal Naik
| editing = D. Raja Gopal
| music = Vinjamuri Seetha Devi
Goutam Ghose
| studio = Saradhi Studios
| distributor =Chaithanya Chithra International
| released =
| runtime = 158 minutes
| country = India
| language = Telugu
}}
'Maa Bhoomi' is a 1979 Indian Telugu-language social problem film written and produced by B. Narsing Rao, based on the novel 'Jab Khet Jage' by Krishan Chander on the Telangana Rebellion in Hyderabad State. The directorial debut of Goutam Ghose, depicts a typical life of villagers under feudalistic society in the Telangana region. The features Sai Chand, Rami Reddy and Telangana Shakuntala in pivotal roles. The plot follows Ramaiah, a landless peasant who joins the Telangana Rebellion of 1948.
Released on 23 March 1979, the film was a commercial success and had a theatrical run of over a year. Maa Bhoomi was India's official entry in the "Opera Primo" section at the 'Karlovy Vary International Film Festival' of JuneJuly 1980, and the 'Cork Film Festival', October 1980, the 'Cairo and Sidney Film Festivals' 1980. The film was showcased at the 'Indian Panorama' of the 7th International Film Festival of India. 'Maa Bhoomi' won the state Nandi Award for Best Feature Film, and the Filmfare Best Film Award (Telugu). It is featured among CNN-IBN's list of hundred greatest Indian films of all time.
Plot
The film follows the story of a young landless Telangana peasant named Ramaiah (Sai Chand) from Siripuram, Nalgonda, a region under foreign rule. The British have appointed the Nizam as the region's governor. The Nizam, in turn, has appointed the Reddys and the Patils as the Zamindars (Known locally as 'Doras') of the region who collect taxes among various other things for the Nizam. Further, the Nizam has granted them with titles, Jagirs and judicial rights enabling them to seize thousands of acres of land from the peasants, turning them into tenants.
Ramaiah rebels against the corrupt Nizam leadership in Hyderabad. When his wife has to submit to sexual coercion by the officials, he befriends the Communists and participates in the independence struggle. The peasants formed various paramilitary groups and launch guerilla warfare attacks across the region with country-made weapons. They raid and take over regional 'Dora' bases across rural Telangana at night and burn all the land documents found in the bases in the open yard symbolising their triumph. Eventually, they take over the village after the Indian Independence.
The 'Doras' manage to escape to Hyderabad reporting the events to the Nizam leadership. The Nizam commands the Razakars, a private Islamist militia, which perpetrates a massacre of the Telangana peasants. After months of burning, looting, rapes and killings, the Indian army marches into Hyderabad and suppresses the Razakars and the Nizam with Operation Polo in September 1948 and annexes the Telangana region back into the Indian Union. In independent India, the Zamindars ('Doras') are returned to power by joining the Congress government. The 'Doras' have abandoned the Nizam and pledged allegiance to the Congress Party.
Cast
* Sai Chand as Ramaiah
*Rami Reddy
*Telangana Shakuntala
*Pradeep Shakthi as Pratapa Reddy
*Gaddar
*Kakarala
Soundtrack
*"Bandenaka Bandi Katti Padahaaru Bandlu Katti" written by Bandi Yadagiri
*"Palletoori Pillagaada Pasalagaase Monagaada" (with titles) written by Suddala Hanumanthu
*"Podala Podala Gatla Naduma, Podicinadhira Chandamama"
Awards
;Nandi Awards(in Telugu)
*Second Best Feature Film - B. Narsing Rao & G. Ravindranath
*Best Screenplay Writer - B. Narsing Rao & Pran Rao
;Filmfare Awards South
*Filmfare Best Film Award (Telugu) - B. Narsing Rao
References
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