Dena Paona

This article is about the film. For the short story by Rabindranath Tagore, see Denapaona.

Dena Paona (Bengali: দেনা পাওনা; transl. Debts) is a 1931 Bengali film directed by Premankur Atorthy, starring Amar Mullick, Durgadas Bannerjee, Jahar Ganguly, Nibhanani Devi, and Bhanu Bandopadhyay. Based on a novel by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay and produced by New Theatres, it is credited as one of first Bengali talkies, and along with Alam Ara, was one of the first sound films produced in India. The film explored the ills of the dowry system and touched on the problems of female oppression in 19th-century Bengal.

Dena Paona
A scene from Dena Paona (1931) – the first Bengali talkie
Directed by	Premankur Atorthy
Written by	Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
Produced by	New Theatres
Starring	Bhanu Bannerjee Durgadas Bannerjee
Cinematography	Nitin Bose
Music by	Nripen Majumder Raichand Boral
Release date	30 December 1931 (1931-12-30)
Country	India
Language	Bengali

Plot

Jibananda is a drunkard Zamindar. Ekkari is his companion in all his sinful deeds and greed for money. Sorashi is the priestess in the local Chandi Temple and the estranged wife of Jibananda. She is adamant and stubborn, but responsible and honest, and has immense influence in certain sections of local society. When Sorashi was young, she was known as Alaka. Circumstances force Sorashi to stay all night in the drunk Jibananda's house. This created a ripple amongst the local villagers when they come to know about this incident. But Sorashi gave a legal statement to the police and Magistrate that she went to the Zamindar's house willingly. Jibananda was freed from all offences due to this statement. But the village leaders were very strict about their decision. Sarbeswar Shiromani, Mr. Chowdhury, and Janardan Roy decided not to assign the responsibility of a priestess of the temple to Sorashi any more. Nirmal, the son-in-law of Sabeswar Shiromani, is very impressed by the attitude and intelligence of Sorashi. Jibananda later tries to make advances on Sorashi but she refuses him, making him angry. He attempts to evict her from her shelter. Sagar and his team wait for Sorashi's order to fight against Jibananda. But Sorashi is totally dispassionate and decides to leave the temple as well as the village forever. This brings an unexpected change in Jibananda as he realises his mistakes and surrenders to Sorashi. In response to which she accepts his unconditional apology and accepts him.

Cast

• Bhanu Bannerjee as Nirmal
• Durgadas Bannerjee as Jibananda
• Nibhanani Devi as Shoroshi
• Jahar Ganguly as Sagar Sardar
• Amar Mullick as Ekkari
• Bhumen Roy as Nirmal
• Shishubala as Haimabati
• Umasashi in a crowd scene

External links

• Dena Paona at IMDb

See also

• Alam Ara
• Jamai Shashthi