Ramshastri (1944)

Prabhat's expansively mounted historical set at a contentious period of the Maratha empire is a biographical of Ramshastri Prabhune (1720-89), chief justice at the court of Madhavrao and later of Nana Phadnavis, and a major figure in the development of an indigenous legal code. The period of the Peshwai (i.e. the council of ministers established by Shivaji, which was by the 18th C. the real power behind the ceremonial throne occupied by his descendants) follows the death of the Peshwa (Prime Minister) Madhavrao in 1772 when Raghoba seized power by killing Narayanrao, the official heir and his own nephew. The film adheres to the legendary version of this episode elaborated in K.P. Khadilkar's Marathi play <i>Bhaubandhaki</i> (1902), blaming Raghoba's ambitious and calculating wife Anandibai (Pawar) for the murder. The idealised figure of Ramshastri (Jagirdar) is presented as truth incarnate. Struggling for an education, he ventually becomes the popular chief justice at Madhavrao's court and is the only influential figure in the realm willing to stand up to Raghoba and to denounce his usurpation of the throne. After an intricate palace intrigue, he resigns his judicial post. The studio's last big film in its celebrated 30s style, it was to have been directed by Shantaram but others were drafted in to save the film when he left the Prabhat Studio. It carries no director credit and the Marathi version has no credits at all.