The story of love between the shy son of a brahmin and the daughter of a harijan (untouchable), and the havoc this wreaks in their village, Achhut Kanya is an early example of the keen awareness shown by a sector of Indian filmmakers toward the social and political problems of that country, which they wove into tragedies such as this, and musical costume dramas. Achhut Kanya is today particularly appealing “for some of its carefully worked out sequences - for instance, the village fair - and the expressive and subtle performances of its lead players....
“(Producer) Himansu Rai and (actress) Devika Rani had, at the very start of their illustrious career, made successful international co-productions.... ‘Let us learn from these people,' Himansu Rai had said, ‘but let us put the knowledge to work in our country.' Bombay Talkies Studio was built and equipped with infinite care under the supervision of Himansu Rai in the year 1935. The staff...included some foreign technicians such as director Franz Osten and cameraman Josef Wirsching who had both worked on Rai's silent films (see November 10 and 24). The studio was known for its egalitarian ethos. Caste was never a consideration, no work was considered too low for anyone's status....” --“Film India: Looking Back,” Museum of Modern Art