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April 1938
FILMINDIA
3. Which of the companies, viz., Prctbhat or New Theatres has done better work in the him world of India?
Sita, my child, you are going to be the death of me with your inherent tact of asking awkward questions and then placing a reward on my replies. You have promised me an efficiency certificate and an autographed photo of yours, but just imagine how cruelly kind you are to me to ask me uncomfortable questions which, if I evade, make you angry with me. Anyway here go the replies for what they are worth.
1. Saigal is the better one between the two. He has a good voice and sings beautifully. His diction is clear and he is honest in his efforts to give a good performance, whatever the critics may afterwards think about it. Commercially he is a splendid draw and more often pays his way than the other one. Sanyal is also a sincere artiste, but he has more limitations than Saigal.
2. There is little to choose between the three directors. Every one of them has a different field of work in which he is better than the others. All of them are good directors the first two being really great. Nitin Bose is better than Barua in film technique. In flights of imagination Barua leaves Nitin far behind. Shantaram is a happy combination of imagination and technique. The strong points of Nitin and Barua are well blended together in Shan
taram and in addition Shantaram has enterprise. In the present material world values are assessed by results and not by abstract ideals. Frequent success is the only criterion of judgment and by virtue of this test, Shantaram would be the outstanding director. With his "Devdas" Barua eclipses several counterclaims and would stand an easy second with Nitin a close third.
3. Another difficult and awkward question for a journalist! If New Theatres and Prabhat can be combined the ideal Indian film company will be born. New Theatres has given to us a taste for excellent social pictures served with music and fine diction. Prabhat has immortalised on the screen the glory of ancient India by producing costume pictures with themes dear to the Indian heart and dressed with grandeur that was once ours. While New Theatres presents a mirror of modern life, Prabhat provides a beacon light of guidance to the glories of the past. Occasionally both the companies trespass on the pastures of each other and attain commendable success. Both the companies have done great work for our film world and it is rather difficult to draw a line of comparison between them. It is a deadheat.
And now if you are satisfied, don't fail to keep your promise and don't say I did not sweat for it.
At the Saraswati Studios: 1. C. Desai, 2. Natverlal (Solicitor), 3. Kapurchand, 4. Dada Torney, 5. A. Ebrahim. Standing: 1. B, Gokhale, 2. B. Pcndharkar, 3. Late.
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