FilmIndia (Dec 1937 - Apr 1938)
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FILM INDIA
VOL. 3 No. 9
From: A.B.R. (Kandukur).
Your reference to the Motion Picture Society of India regarding information on Technical Books resulted in no reply to my letter to the Society. Please advise me in the matter.
Write to Sir Pheroze Sethna Kt., President of this Society and ask him what his subordinates are doing if they are not serving the better interests of the film industry. Address a personal letter and I am sure Sir Pheroze is polite enough to expedite a reply.
Will you please tell me how many society girls have so far joined the Indian film industry and their names?
There are several girls coming from very good society who are working actually in the industry. Prominent among them are the following: Mrs. Durgabai Khote, Devika Rani, Miss Prabha, Padma Devi, Shobhanadevi Samarth, Shanta Apte, and Leela Desai.
I regret I cannot classify them as suggested by you, so the latter portion of your question must go unreplied.
From: K.B.M. (Hyderabad-Sind).
Where is Jamna nowadays? Has she left New Theatres? Which is her next picture?
Jamna is still in the New Theatres, but I can't tell you which is her next picture, still whatever that picture will be it will be directed by Mr. Barua.
From: J.T.M. (Surat).
I am a story writer, but before I submit any stories of mine to our producers, I want them copyrighted for obvious reasons. How shall I proceed?
I advise you to get in touch with the Registrar of Copyrights at Calcutta who will grant you a semblance of protection against the larcenies of some of our producers.
From: M.S.N. (Cocanada).
Why did Chandramohan leave Prabhat and join Huns Pictures?
He had an idea that he could better his prospects. The cat will be out of the bag when "Jwala" is released.
From: P. R. (Kurnool).
You said once that Kumari Vasantee is at twelve, but Sunday Times of 21-11-1937 states "Vasantee is a chip of a girl of "Dharmatma Fame" has grown into a charming young lady. What is the justification of this statement.
Don't believe ' Sunday Times". Instead, believe me as I know better about these matters.
From: P.R.R. (Bangalore).
Why do Prabhat take a long time to produce a picture? Why can't they give us quicker pictures like other producers?
The reason is simple. Because Prabhat's know the correct meaning of the word "picture". Besides they have to produce a picture for universal appreciation, and in doing all this they have also to serve art. Their problems do not seem to worry some of the other producers.
From: A.H.T. (Bombay).
I want to know something about Miss Azurie — her age, caste, where she is working — whether I can address her a letter etc.
Miss Azurie, if I mistake not, is an AngloIndian girl about twenty-two years old. She is not working in any company at present but is a free lancer. The last time I heard of her she was staying at Colaba, but since then I have lost all track of her. She happens to be a personal friend of mine, but evidently she has forgotten to keep me posted of her movements. Azurie is a famous dancer and the very fact that she is in demand proves her popularity.
From: N.C.P. (Surat).
What is the "Play-back" system? Under what circumstances is a scene shot by this system?
The 'play-back' system is a complicated process. It is invented to give the singers a better chance of putting over their singing performances. It is operated in two stages. In the first stage several silent shots are taken in which the artiste says the words of the song to give the correct lip movement. This procedure is followed through several shots in different locations if necessary. Later on, when the song is to be put in, the artiste is made to sing the same in view of the pictures taken previously. But this is a careful process in which a complete synchronisation of the words with the lips is essential. In India, "play-back" is used with considerable modifications by different producers, with the result that sometimes, the singer and the artiste in the picture are two different persons. The "play-back" is useful to put a song into the mouth of an important artiste when the artiste herself cannot sing the same.
From: S.K.S. (Pabna).
Will you contradict if any one puts a bracket before the names of Barua, Shantaram, Nitin Bosc, and Devki Bose to denote the greatest of the directors?
I won't. On the contrary I will go one better and call them the only directors. What I
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