Valmiki (1946)

Valmiki is a 1946 Hindi mythological film directed by Bhalji Pendharkar, a pioneer of Marathi and Hindi cinema known for historical and devotional films. Prithviraj Kapoor plays the title role, telling the traditional story of the highway robber Ratnakar who, after an encounter with the sage Narada, turns to penance and is transformed into Valmiki, the poet of the Ramayana. Shanta Apte, the singing star of 1930s and 1940s cinema, co-stars, and the young Raj Kapoor appears in the cast, a year before his first lead role. The film belongs to the golden age of studio-era devotional films and is of interest for the chance to see father and son Prithviraj and Raj Kapoor together on screen early in Raj Kapoor's career.