FilmIndia (1939)

January 1939 FILM INDIA persons have been removed to the hospital suffering from burns. CONGRESS AND SILVER JUBILEE IN THE EASTER WEEK! It has been finally decided to hold the Indian Motion Picture Congress during the Easter Holidays, 1939. During the week beginning from 8th April the Silver Jubilee celebrations will start with the opening of an extensive exhibition at one of the popular maldans of the city and all the producers, distributors and exhibitors and other allied tradesmen will contribute their best efforts to make this unique celebration a huge success. Mr. Baburao Patel who was unanimously elected as the Joint Honorary Secretary, had to resign his post due to illness. The Executive Committee was not in a mood to accept this resignation but at the second request of Mr. Patel the resignation was accepted with great reluctance. It is unfortunate that the Congress should lose the incomparable services of Mr. Patel at this stage due to illness. The vacancy created thus was however immediately filled up by the nomination of Mr. Y. A. Fazal'jhoy 'Film City) as the Joint Hoinorary Secretary. I Mr. K. S. Hirlekar the other Honorary Secretary who is so well known in pioneering new ideas and piloting them is doing his utImost to make the Silver Jubilee celebrations a grand success. Already a neat little fund has been collected for the preliminary preparations and the Secretary is reported to have issued a countrywide appeal to all to co-operate with the organisers. Mr. Chandulal Shah. Chairman of the Reception Committee has invited Mr. S. Satyamurti, M.L.A., (Central) to preside over the Congress and other national leaders will in the meanwhile be approached to Inaugurate the different functions. The vigour and enthusiasm displayed by Mr. Shah at the sacrifice of his valuable interests and time are really admirable and have already Instilled enthusiasm in the others. We only hope that the Silver Jubilee celebrations and the Congress prove a great success and they will with such stalwarts at the helm. The Indian film industry should be indebted to Mr. Hirlekar for his splendid lead in a matter of such vital interest to the industry. MR. HntLEKAR'S NEW PAMPHLET! The irrepressible enthusiasm of Mr. K. S. Hirlekar to promote the interests of the Indian film industry has found another expression in his recent publication called Mr. .K S. Hirlekar, Honorary Secretary of the Indian Motion Picture Congress who has shouldered immense responsibility in making the Congress a success. "Place of Film in National Planning." This little pamphlet is an invaluable log of facts and figures about the Indian film industry and It will prove immensely useful to our national leaders and ministers of the different provincial governments in forming a correct estimate of the present development of the industry and in contemplating the possibilities of its future development. MRS. LEELAVATI MUNSH1 PRAISES "ZAMANA" On the 10th of December Mrs. Leelavati Munshi, M.L.A., presided over the premiere of "Zamana" at the Imperial Cinema, Bombay. The picture which is produced by the Krishin Movietone is written by Mr. K. S. Daryani and directed by Mr. Ram Daryani. With the central theme revolving round the evils of the dowry system prevalent amongst the Hindus, the picture has become a pathetic argument for the abolition of this none-too praiseworthy relic of the old customs. A huge gathering of prominent citizens who graced the occasion by their presence was moved to tears as the story was unfolded on the screen leaving on their minds an Indelible impression of the message of the tale. At the end of the show Mrs. Munshi, in a neat little speech congratulated the Daryani Brothers for bringing to the screen so instructive and pathetic a subject and complimented Shrlmatl Padmadevi, the heroine of the picture, for her superb portrayal of the principal role which was none too easy to play. With Padmadevi garlanding Mrs. Munshi, the pleasant function came to an end. "BRAHMACHARI" VOTED TO BE THE BEST PICTURE OF THE YEAR The phenomenal success of "Brahmachari" a Huns picture all over the country, has attracted the attention of The Cine Goers* Association of India under the Presidentship of Mr. Laxmidas R. Tairsee, which Association by a unanimous vote has declared this picture as the best one of the year from the view point of entertainment, instruction and production. At a very pleasant function held on the 7th of December Mr. Tairsee, the President of the Association declared its Award of Merit for "Brahmachari" and in the midst of a deafening applause presented a gold medal to Meenakshi,, the heroine of the picture. The success of this social picture of Huns augurs a splendid future for their subsequent productions. 35