Malli Pelli (1939)

Synopsis: Lawyer Jagannatha Rao Panthulu (Balijepalli Lakshmikantham), fearing that Sarada Act (which prohibits child marriage) may come into force, gets his six-year-old daughter Lalitha (Kanchanamala) married to an elderly person, who dies and she becomes a child widow. Rao is against any social reforms and wields considerable influence in the area. He hosts a Swamiji, Kaliyugananda. People throng to his house to have the Swamiji's darshan.
Sundar Rao (YV Rao), an unemployed graduate, stays with his sister Kamala (Bezawada Rajarathnam) in the opposite house. Kamala and Lalitha become friends. Soon love blossoms between Lalitha and Sundar Rao, who decides to marry her. Jagannatha Rao's nephew Venkata Rao (Kocharlakota Sathyanarayana) and Kamala are also in love.
One day, when Kamala comes to his house, Jagannatha Rao attempts to molest her. Sundar Rao thrashes Jagannatha Rao and goes to jail. A rumour spreads that Lalitha is pregnant. She goes to Sundar Rao and tries to convince him about her innocence, but when her plea turns futile she decides to end her life. The next day Sundar Rao is released from prison. He finds Lalitha lying on the roadside. She is taken to a hospital, where the doctor examines her and says she is not pregnant but is suffering from a stomach ailment. Sundr Rao repents. Ultimately, Jagannatha Rao realizes his folly. He performs the marriages of Lalitha withe Sundar Rao and Venkata Rao with Kamala.
Cast: YV Rao (Sundara Rao), Kanchanamala (Lalitha), Lakshmikanta Kavi (Janardana Rao), Bezawada Rajaratnam (Kamala), Rangaswamy (Kaliyugananda Swamy), Kochcharlakota Satyanarayana (Venkata Rao), Kasi Chenchu (Sabhapathi), Narayanaiah (CID Inspector), Natesaiah (Aparala Ananthaiah), Srinivasan (Ramajogi), Suryanarayana (Sapindi Shankaraiah), Rajaratnam (Subhadramma), Manikyamma (Venkamma), Rajalakshmamma (Subbamma), C. Krishnaveni (Annapurnamma), Ramachandra Murthy (Ramudu), AA Somayajulu (Subba Rao), Nagalakshmi (Nancharamma)
Story and Screenplay: YV Rao
Dialogues and Lyrics: Balijepalli Lakshmikanta Kavi
Music: Vogirala Ramachandra Rao
Cinematographer: Jiten Banerjee
Art: F. Nagoor
Publicity Designs: TVS Sharma
Producer and Director: Y.V. Rao
Banner: Sri Jagadish Films
Trivia: Yaragudipati Varada Rao (YV Rao) hailed from a rich, traditional family of Nellore.
This was debut movie of Ogirala Ramachandra Rao as a music director.
'Naa sundara roopa' was hailed as the first male playback song of Telugu cinema. It was duet shot on Kanchanamala and YV Rao. Since the latter could not sing, it was Ogirala who rendered the song. But on the gramophone record one finds only the name of the actor as was the practice in those days. Also, Ogirala was the first music director to use dialogue in a song. 
Popular Songs:
1. Aanandamega vaanchaneeyamu
2. Koyilaro yedi nee premageethi
3. Gopalude maa gopalude
4. Naa sundara suruchira roopa
5. Cheli kumkumame pavanamu