Pooja

Pooja is a 1954 Bollywood film starring Bharat Bhushan and Purnima, produced and distributed by Varma Films. It was directed by Bhagwan Das Varma, one of the founders of Varma Films, who also wrote the screenplay for the film. It was the first film in which Purnima, who had previously worked in character roles for various movies for Varma Films, worked as the leading actress playing the role of a child widow. The film revolves around the issue of remarriage of Indian women in general and, more specifically, remarriage by widows. Plot When Keshav Das (Badri Prasad), a temple singer falls ill, his daughter Kala (Purnima) starts singing in his place at the temple. Although the temple priest (Om Prakash) likes her singing, he forbids Kala from singing any more at the temple when he learns that she is a child widow. To protest the temple priest's decision, Keshav Das decides that he too will not sing anymore at the temple. With no alternate singer being available in the village, the temple priest and the elders invite Deepak (Bharat Bhushan) to sing for the temple. Kesav Das likes Deepak's singing and invites him to learn more about music by living with him and Kala. As the days pass, Deepak falls in love with Kala without knowing that she is a child widow.