Gunsundari (1948 film)

Gunsundari is 1948 Indian Gujarati/Hindi social drama film directed and produced by Ratibhai Punatar. The film was a remake of 1934 film of same name. It was successful.

Plot
Gopaldas Seth has three children. His elder son Chandrakant is married to ideal wife Guniyal. His seven-year-old son Vinu treats Guniyal like his mother. His daughter Kususm is married to Chaman, a poet, and lives poor life. Chandrakant meet a dancer Neelmani through his friend Sudhakar. Neelmani ruins Chandrakant's life and makes his alcoholic. Gopaldas Sheth gives his wealth to Guniyal as inheritance. Guniyal tries to fulfill monetary demands of Neelmani. Chandrakant is eventually changed of his heart during the funeral of his father. He returns to Guniyal.

Cast
The cast is as follows:


 * Nirupa Roy as Guniyal
 * Manhar Desai as Chandrakant
 * Babu Raje as Sudhakar
 * Dulari as Kusum
 * Saraswati as Neelmani
 * Chhagan Romeo
 * Master Pransukh as Vinu

Production
Chandulal Shah had directed silent film Gunsundari and its 1934 Hindi remake Gunsundari; both commercial hits. Shah's nephew Ratibhai Punatar was a manager in Ranjit Studios. Punatar was proposed to make a Gujarati remake of Hindi hit by Manhar Desai and Babu Raje to which Shah's wife and lead actress of previous remake Gohar Mamajiwala agreed too. The script was rewritten with some changes retaining the basic plot of previous film and adding variations in 'punchlines'. The film was produced under Ranjit Studios' Gujarati film banner Ajit Pictures. The shooting was completed in 35 days. S. A. Wahab served as an art director.

Soundtrack
The film featured Gujarati as well Hindi soundtracks in their respective versions.

Reception
The film was commercially successful and celebrated its silver jubilee (25 weeks) in Swastik Cinema in Bombay.

The success of Ranakdevi (1946) and Gunsundari established the Gujarati cinema. Avinash Vyas emerged as a major composer and lyricist of Gujarati cinema. It was a major career success of Nirupa Roy.