Kanku


Kanku is a 1969 Gujarati social drama film, starring Kishore Bhatt, Kishore Jariwala, Pallavi Mehta, directed by Kantilal Rathod. The film was adapted from Pannalal Patel's short story of the same name. The film won National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Gujarati at the 17th National Film Awards.

Plot

The film deals with struggles of a widow, Kanku.

Production

Gujarati writer Pannalal Patel had written a 20-pages long short story Kanku in 1936 for Diwali Special edition of Nav-Saurashtra magazine. Kantilal Rathod contacted him and convinced him to adapt it into film. Patel also helped him writing script and dialogues of the film.

Soundtrack

Release

The film was released in theatres in 1969. The film was released on Home Video DVD by Moser Baer. It has shorter cut of 136 minutes, 12 minutes less than the original.

Reception

The film was commercially successful and was critically acclaimed. Film critic Amrit Gangar considered Kanku as the "first real spark in Gujarati cinema firmament".

Awards

Pallavi Mehta won an award at 6th Chicago International Film Festival in 1970. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Gujarati at the 17th National Film Awards.

Adaptation

After success of film, Pannalal Patel expanded short story into novel and was serialized in Jansatta daily in 1970. He dedicated novel to Kantilal Rathod.