FilmIndia (1939)

FILM INDIA March 1939 From: K. V. Bhat (Mangalore). Please give me the names of the actor and the actresses who have the largest wardrobes. If you mean wardrobes filled with the latest clothes, then Baburao Pendharkar and Rose will take the lead. From: Jashan T. Dadlani (Nairobi). Please rate the talents of the following music directors from Bombay: Bali, Biswas, Jnan Dutt, Mushtaq Hussein? Bali is easily the best, having a better idea of film music than others. But he has not been able to do much owing to lack of opportunities. Jnan Dutt comes next. Between Biswas and Mushtaq, I like Biswas. He has more experience to back him up. From: K. Rama Pa.i (Cochin). Has any of Rabindranath Tagore's plays been filmed? Yes, on this side only one: "Sacrifice" and that too as a 'silent' produced by Oriental Pictures Corporation Ltd. "Gora" is another, which is reported to have been filmed in the Bengali language. From: Sajjan C. (Baroda). Can Prem Adib compete with the mighty Motilal in acting? Oh yes! he can compete, but can he beat him? From: P. N. Sharma (Bhopal). You say that "Kanan is good in parts" in the review of "Street Singer". I think she is superb throughout. Don't you think you have erred, for once? I like that "for once". Well, I have erred often, but not this time. Kanan could have been far better in other hands and that is why I have said she was good in parts. Do you remember Kanan in "Vidyapati". Well, how much of her did you see in "Street Singer"? From: K. L. Asthana (Meerut). Where is Bimla Kumari working nowadays? With Bhavnani Productions in the "Son of Zam bo." Is that not enough? From: Suresh Datta (Calcutta). I visited Kanan at her Howrah residence several times when she wan a girl of 12 or 13. Since then she has beromc famous and does not even recognise her old intimate friends nor cares to reply to their lettrrv What more, her mother does not allow any 18 body to have an interview with her, if he happens to be a commoner. Will you kindly suggest a way out? At 13 Kanan was safe from prying eyes, but at 23, she is not. Her mother is right in keeping off idle and inquisitive persons. Kanan is a star and as such has a large following. And if her mother allows everyone to come along and have a chat with her, when will the girl pursue her career? Anyway, if you have been on old and sincere and tried friend, it will be easy for you to get round the mother and persuade her to grant you a few minutes with Kanan. From: Satya Deva (Dehra Dun). Please recommend some books on film acting? "Film Acting As A Career" by L. Bamburg and "Film Acting" by V. I. Pudovkin are two good books you should read. You can order them through the New Book Co., Hornby Road, Bombay. From: Miss Chandermani Puncham (Natal). I am very anxious to correspond with Sulochana, Devika Rani and Madhuri as I like them very much. Will you kindly give me their address? Sulochana, you can address as Miss Ruby Myers, Warden Road, Bombay; Madhuri is Miss Beryl Claessen, Mahim, Bombay; while Devika Rani's letter can be sent c|o The Bombay Talkies, Ltd., Malad, Bombay. Baburao Patel. i AN APPEAL TO MY READERS i Our film industry has completed 25 1 years of its struggling existence. And it is celebrating its Silver Jubilee in the Easter Holidays by convening a Congress and organizing an Exhibition in Bombay. It is the duty of every film fan to do his bit on this occasion. He has two chances of doing so — either by becoming a Delegate to the Congress or by being a visitor. Filmindia has intelligent readers and they hardly need a second telling. Write to-day, to the Secretary, Indian I Motion Picture Congress. 160 Tardeo Road, Bombay for details and enrolment forms.