Godhuli

Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane (transl. Oh Son, You Become Orphan ) or Godhuli is a 1977 Indian drama film co-directed by Girish Karnad and B. V. Karanth, starring Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Maanu, Om Puri and Naseeruddin Shah.[1] It is based on the Kannada novel Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane, written by S. L. Byrappa as an allegory for nation-building and the clash of modernity with tradition in rural India. It portrays the story of a modern agriculturist who returns from US after studying agriculture and brings his American wife to the village.[2] [3] The film won the Filmfare for ‘Best Film’ (Kannada) and Maanu won ‘Best Actor’ (Kannada) at the 25th Filmfare Awards South (1978). The film was made in Hindi and Kannada versions: Godhuli (transl. The Hour of the Gods ).[4][1]

Godhuli was included the 1984 International Film Festival of India (IFFI).[1] At the 25th National Film Awards, S. P. Ramanathan won the Best Audiography.[5][6] It won the Filmfare Award for Best Screenplay at the 27th Filmfare Awards for Girish Karnad and B.V. Karanth.[7]

The movie explores the cultural problems experienced by an American woman, newly married to an Indian, adjusting to Indian norms and customs. It depicts a modern man who studies agriculture in the United States, returns to India with an American wife with their different views. The theme is one of alienation from fellow human beings.

The film was simultaneously made in Hindi as Godhuli. The casting was different in both languages. The Kannada version has Maanu as the foreign-returned hero, the Hindi, while Kulbhushan Kharbanda portrayed the role in Hindi. For the role of Yengta, Sundar Raja was chosen for Kannada and Om Puri for Hindi. The role of the village priest was initially assigned to two different people however due to a last minute difficulty about the availability of the Kannada actor, Naseerudin Shah did the role in both the languages.[8]