FilmIndia (1946)

FILMINDIA January, 1946 a single dialogue. This widowed sister springs up so suddenly in the picture that at every dialogue thereafter people expect some more relatives to turn up. Dr. Kanhaiyalal, as a child, loses his father and is adopted by a dancing girl, with his own mother acting as his ayah. We are shown that at the time of his birth, an astrologer had prophesied that Kanhaiyalal's was an ominous entry into the world and that he would bring bad luck to his parents, death to his elder brother Jwala Prasad, would use a knife often and end his life on the gallows. Jayant and Dave, obsessed with their theme, didn't bother to worry about an accepted superstition amongst the astrologers not to forecast anything about any new birth till the proverbial twelve days have passed and the child has been christened. They have used astrology merely to prove their theme. Now with this prophesy on hand, the writer proceeds to prove that man can change his destiny with character and perseverance. So the murderer's knife soon becomes a surgeon's knife for which the hero continuously struggles. From the father's home, Kanhaiya lal passes to the dancer's quarters. But there again pursued by the villainy of Jwala Prasad, Kanhaiyalal loses shelter because the dancer is soon killed and Kanhaiyalal's mother is sent to jail for 20 years to permit the story to proceed without unnecessary interference. Kan haiyalal now takes shelter with Bharatram, a blind old servant of his father, without any one knowing whose child Kanhaiyalal was. There he grows from a child into a man and becomes a doctor and also meets the heroine, Nirmala, the younger daughter of Bharatram. Goaded by the astrological forecast that Kanhaiyalal would be the cause of his death, Jwala Prasad still persecutes Kanhaiyalal, now a doctor. Between the romantic interludes of Kanhaiyalal and Nirmala and the villainous enterprises of Jwala Prasad, the hero goes through a number of sketchv and unconvincing adventures, till it all ends well -as usual with Mohanlal Dave having convinced himself and perhaps Jayant Desai that the theme was proved to the hilt. MUBARAK'S PERFORMANCE The production values of the pic'urc are rather hurried and crude. The music is not happy. Sound and photography are indifferent throughout. Almost every item of production seems to be a clumsy job done in an unholy hurry. The direction is far from being suitable or satisfactory. From the players Mubarak has given an excellent preformance in the very sympathetic role of Bharatram, the blind servant. One wishes, however, that his make-up had shown some age with the years skipped through in the story. It seems Bharatram had a rare gift of good health and looked the same even after a lapse of 20 years. In any case Mubarak's good performance is very welcome after a long time. Saigal is asked to play the role of a 24-year-old medico. He looks exactly double the age in the role of Dr. Kanhaiyalal. The poor fellow tries to act but most of the time he seems to drag his half-dead bedy. What he sings is no longer music. Suraiya is not at all bad as "Nirmala", the heroine of the story, while Salvi does justice to his role of the villain in the traditional manner. From the rest Jilloobai does very well as "Parvati", the mother of Kanhaiyalal. though at times she over-acts terribly. Well, "Tadbir" is tolerable in parts if you don't look the gift-horse too closely in the mouth. After the interval the story succeeds in gaining some grip which helps to keep the specta tors in the chair much against their will. VEER KUNAL ( Continued from page 61 ) Kuruvaki. She hasn't much to do but what little she has to do she does very well. Mubarak as Ashok displays an emperor's gluttonous abdomen. At best he looks stupid and unconvincing. His appearance sent a ripple of laughter through the audience every time. The most disgusting contribution to the cast was, however, made by Nila Nagini in the role of Kanchan Mala, the wife of Kunal. This woman looks hideous and repulsive on the screen and seems to nurse a lunatic expression in her eyes. She acts stupidly and speaks more stupidly. She is supposed to play the royal princess — the consort of the most popular idol of the Mauryan times. Her appearance as such is expected to be if not fascinating at least plea sant and charming. Nila, on the contrary, shocks the eye unbearably by her ungainly appearance on the screen. The genius of Kishore Sahu seems to have gone begging while selecting this cast and he can never be excused for this outrage on our idealistic notions about the ancient women of our country. In fine, "Veer Kunal" is a picture more for the intellectuals than for the masses — though the crowds have a lot to see and feel in the concluding emotional sequences.