MUMBAI: Assuming that "boldness" in content is a relatively new tendency in Hindi cinema would be a mistake. Indian films began to toy with the social mores of the era in the 1930s by including kissing sequences.

This came at a time in the 1970s when new-wave directors defied social norms to exhibit pictures that celebrated sexual liberation. The main driver of it all was this one low-budget movie that turned one person into a star while destroying another.

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Chetna, a 1970 film by BR Ishara, addresses the dire situation of India's sex workers. In the film, Rehana Sultan, a recent talent, played the major part with Anil Dhawan, another actor in trouble. The film's budget was modest since everything was done on a tiny scale.

Chetna was made in just Rs 95,000 at the time, according to an IMDb report (around Rs 60–70 lakh in today's currency). It was thus among the least expensive Indian movies ever produced. The movie gained significant steam once well-known actor Shatrughan Sinha consented to appear in it for free. Despite having an A-rating and multiple sexual sequences, Chetna was a box office triumph when it first came out, earning many times over its budget.

The lead actress of the movie, Rehana Sultan, attended the FTII and was regarded as one of the most skilled actors of her time. She debuted in 1970 with Dastak, another movie with daring themes, at the age of 19.

It was her second film, Chetna. Due to their fame, Dastak and Chetna were defined as portraying dramatic parts and were never given major roles. She worked during the entire 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s but with little success. Like Khote Sikkay, Rehana had the odd hit song, but her career never quite took off as planned.

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Credit- DNA