[6] The film revolved around an incident from the Mahabharata and told the story of Draupadi as Malini/Sairandhari (female servant), the thirteenth identity she took in order to remain safe and hidden from the Kauravas.

Draupadi in her identity as Sairandhari (female servant) is acting as the maid-in-waiting to Queen Sudeshna.

Shantaram had been impressed by the "technical virtuosity" in films of Pabst, Lang, and Max Ophuls.

[7][8] However, the technique failed and the film was released as a Black-and-white production as the colours turned out to be too garish.

[2] Draupadi, a "mythological image" and an oppressed figure was used as a nationalistic representative for India under the British Raj.