Premchand is considered as the first Hindi author whose writings prominently featured realism. His novels describe the problems of the poor and the urban middle class.
He used literature for the purpose of arousing public awareness about national and social issues and often wrote about topics related to corruption, child widowhood, feudal system, poverty, colonialism and on Indian freedom movements. His novel Sewasadan deals mainly with the poor conditions of women in society.
The hero of Rangabhoomi is a beggar from the untouchable caste. Godan tells us a moving story of a peasant couple. Premchand believed in social realism and his novels lifted Hindi literature from the realm of fantasy, moralising and entertainment to p serious reflection on social issues.