FilmIndia (May-Dec 1938)
Reading and Downloading:
Record Details:
Something wrong or inaccurate about this page? Let us Know!
Thanks for helping us continually improve the quality of the Lantern search engine for all of our users! We have millions of scanned pages, so user reports are incredibly helpful for us to identify places where we can improve and update the metadata.
Please describe the issue below, and click "Submit" to send your comments to our team! If you'd prefer, you can also send us an email to mhdl@commarts.wisc.edu with your comments.
View OCR Text
We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.
Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.
The Editor's Mail
} Readers " when you are worried " write to me. I will do my best ! in serving you. Serious matters will be treated seriously, while } flippant letters will receive like replies. — The Editor.
From: B. V. N. Rao (Rajahmundry). How is Kolhapur Cinetone now?
It died a noble death a year and a half back.
From: Nandlal Sharma (Bhagalpur).
Is Devaki Bose related to Rampyari as I find her in every picture of Devaki Bose?
That is what I have not solved yet. I found her superfluous in "Vidyapati". Why don't you write to D. K. and ask him. Don't forget to tell me what he has to say in reply.
From: R. Dayal (Allahabad).
I want to send a sari to Leela Desai. Will she accept?
Of course, she will. But see that you send an expensive one. Why not send me some silk cloth for a suit? I shall print your photograph.
From B. Venkateswarlu (Cocanada).
Who acts better as a villain? Nawab or Chandra mohan?
Once Chandramohan used to act better, when he was in Prabhat, but now Nawab beats him hollow. Good acting is entirely dependent on good direction since he left Prabhat, Chandramohan did not get good direction.
What has become of East India Film Co.?
Nothing is coming out of it since Kardar came out.
Please give me Yasmin's address, as I want her photo in a natural pose.
Natural pose? Good! But will she give it? Anyway I must give you her residential address as being a free lancer she is hardly at one studio for more than two months. Write to her at Rail View, Vincent Cross Road, Dadar, Bombay.
From: R. D. Sharma (Fategarh).
Please rate the acting talents of the following: Shanta Apte, Devika Rani, Ratan Bai and Uma.
Devika stands first due to her deeper understanding of the roles she plays. Uma is a good second. Shanta Apte is fast improving and would rank third. Ratan Bai is to-day a "has been". After "Yahoodi-ki-Larki" the poor girl did not get a chance to act in any good picture.
»
!
I
!
From: B. P. Chincholikar (Baroda).
I shall be glad to receive the following information through your columns regarding Miss Shanta Apte.
1. Birthdate and place. 2. Names of her parents, their education and position. If dead, dates on which they died. 3. Her education — place, school and names of her companions, if any. 4. Her real name. 5. Number of her (a) brothers and (b) sisters. 6. Are 5 (a) and (b) married or single? 7. Who taught her Indian music? 8. Does she know dancing well? 9. When did she join Mr. Bapat's Mela? Did she join of her own accord or was she forced to do so? 10. Were there other girls in the Mela? 11. Her mother's attitude when she acted as Radha in "Shamsunder". 12. How much did she get for this role? 13. Is it a fact that before she entered a film co. she used to give public recitals of her songs? If this be a fact, what places did she visit and whether she was accompanied by her mother or some other elderly person? 14. When did she join the Prabhat Film Co.? 15. In how many pictures has she played (a) principal roles and (b) secondary roles? 16. Have you reviewed all these pictures in your magazine? If so quote the years. 17. Which are her best songs? 18. What does she think of her acting and singing? 19. What is her present salary? Is she thinking of going to Hollywood? 20. Has she been caricatured in some Marathi novels? 21. Is she fond of reading? 22. Are her relations with her brothers cordial? 23. Does she really like her present profession? 24. What is her attitude towards life in general? 25. Is her economical position responsible lor persuading herself to join this profession? 28 Does she think that Indian women can safely join this business? i.e. without the least fear of being molested?
Are you quite sure, you have asked me all that was to be asked? If not remember and complete the list.
From: Moinuddin ( Abbottabad).
How much capital is necessary to start a well equipped film producing company?
Apart from actual experience and technical knowledge of things, a decent studio with pretty good equipment would easily need a capital of five lakhs of rupees if it is to survive in the long run. But contrary to this counsel, several present day producers have actually begun with only Rs. 5 in their pocket. Prabhat — the great and glorious — began with a mere fifteen thousand rupees.
15