Film

We Three

1938 · 2h 37m

Mehboob presents the autonomous passion of Leela (Rose) for Moti (Motilal) who is promised to another woman, Bina (Maya). Leela is portrayed as irresponsible and impulsive as she acknowledges her desire for Moti and has a child by him. Bina then releases Moti from his promise. Moti suffers when he is told by Bina’s father (Sankantha) that she is dead, while Leela’s father (Pande) enjoins his daughter to commit suicide if Moti does not marry her. In spite of the film’s endorsement of ‘traditional’, lethally oppressive patriarchal mores, incarnated by the women’s fathers, Mehboob’s narrative at least dares to depict a woman who refuses to feel guilty about her desire.

Motilal

Moti

Maya Banerjee

Bina

Rose

Leela

Yakub

Bhudo Advani

Harish

Sankatha

Bina's Father

Pande

Leela's Father

Sunalini Devi

• Mehboob KhanDirector

Release date

September 16, 1938

Status

Released

Original language

Hindi

Runtime

2h 37m