FilmIndia (1946)

January, 1946 FILMIND1 A stoically goes through a number of inhuman tortures. A LEGEND OF HISTORY The legend of Kunal dies hard. There is nothing in history to prove that Ashok did have a son named Kunal'. Leading historians describe this story as a persistent belief while mentioning Tishyarakshita as the young wife of the old emperor Ashok. We are inclined to believe the subject to be an allegoric theme of human passions appearing in the myths of all lands and races at different times. The screen story in a nutshell is that Kunal was the favourite son of Ashok beloved by all, the father and the people. When the story opens Kunal is a motherless son loved by his stepmother, Kuruvaki. All is happiness and peace in the empire until Tishyarakshita comes as the young bride of the Emperor. This is the bad woman of the story who gets attracted by the fascinating eyes and the youthful charm of Kunal. Very soon her desires begin to take morbid shapes and she chases Kunal from place to place to console her lust. But Kunal, whose character was the sheet-anchor of the Mauryan dynasty, rebukes his step-mother in no uncertain language. Frustrated in her desires and stung to the quick by the rebuke, Tishyarakshita soon becomes a dangerous woman with vindictive plans. She starts persecuting Kunal from day to day till the climax of putting out his eyes is reached. Too late does the Emperor come to know of the tragedy and the truth behind it but when he does know the vicious butterfly is soon consigned to the burning flames. KISHORE AND SHOBHANA TRIUMPH The production values of the picture are not uniform. In keeping with his pioneering spirit of enterprise, Kishore Sahu has taken a new man for camera work. This man has given good results in steady shots but has stumbled a bit in pan and trolley shots. Besides, Kishore's psychological requirements in the use of the camera seem to have put too much strain on the maiden enterprise of the cameraman. The sound recording is not quite happy in places. The sets look good without intruding either on the theme or on the audience. The best part of the picture is the direction which is very imaginative and slick in the latter half of the picture. In the earlier half the story moves a bit laboriously owing to a slow script. From the players, Kishore, Shobhana and Durga Khote give a good account of themselves. Kishore fits well the title role ol Kunal and does a lot of clever eyework. In the final emotional sequen ces, Kishore speaks and acts with rare feeling and takes all the sympathy of the audience. Supporting Kishore is Shobhana Samarth who gives al most a classic portrayal as "Tishyarakshita". Never before has this woman acted so well. She succeeds in creating hatred for the character she plays and by her realistic villainy secures for the hero a large measure of sympathy. Shobhana has given her best performance which she seems to have kept as a family secret all these years during which she has been making faces at us through the masks cf Seeta and Taramati. Durga Khote does justice to her role of the good-hearted and loving (Continued on page 68) ■i-lete'i a. ~Tktillet with £onyi and ^.motion-- HILAL FILM CORPORATION'S MAIDEN OFFERING "HA I JANI" CHANDRIKA BABURAO PAHELWAN SAMSON MANNAN RAJA SALEEM PUTLI MUNSHI KHANJAR HABIB AZIM MANCHI TOOTHI MAQBUL RAZI AND MASTER BACHA. l£>ize.ctoi : CPxoducsxi : A. R. ZAMINDAR. JABIR HYDERABADI YUSUF MERCHANT NISSAR BAZMI Our and N. M. AFRICAWALLA ^Production in chaxys. A. R. RIZVI and KAUSAF m /W A rpi^ 47 A X X SHANTA PATEL ALTAF NEXT MATWAL1 HABIB -MASTER BACHA For Particulars : HILAL FILM CORPORATION, Kennedy Bridge, BOMBAY 7. Booking: EXCELSIOR FILM EXCHANGE, BOMBAY 4. 61