FilmIndia (1939)

FILMINDIA ROUND THE TOWN (Continued from page 36) picture would have become more instructive a'nd entertaining. The Story: The whole affair is a struggle between good and evil between contentment and greed, between faith and heresy, and between religion and reformation. It is one big clash between virtue and sin. The names of the characters such as: Shradhha. Maya, Dharmanand etc. have symbolic significance. Dharmanand preaches a better life, free from greed, contented, virtuous etc. To which Satan in the form of Bazigar takes objection and throws a challenge which he ultimately loses. The story passes through several familiar tussles between good and evil and reaches one grand climax wherein in a storm, of course a convenient one, the power of evil is at last destroyed with a moral that when Religion and Faith meet in harmony and unity of purpose, evil is destroyed. Quite a good yarn on the whole. Acting: Charlie as Rasiklal a street pedlar easily gives the best performance. It is more or less just slapstick work, but it is good as long as it lasts and amply serves its intended purpose of entertainment. Trilok and Iladevi are quite encouraging. Khatoon as Shraddha had not much to do. Others were not upto much. Production: The picture shows good enterprise in its technical aspects. Sound and photography are pretty good. The musical side however is not so very encouraging. The dialogues are well written and so are some of the songs. The direction is nervous at places. Points of Appeal: There is some good trick work which will appeal to people who believe in illusions. Charlie's slapstick performance is certainly good entertainment. DEVATA (Marathi) Producers: Huns Pictures — Story, dialogues and Songs: V. S. Khandekar — Direction: Vinayak — Photography: Pandurang Naik — Recording: Aluwalla — Music: Dada Chandekar — Art Direction: Palnitkar — Cast: Baburao Pendharkar, Indira Wadkar, Meenakshi, Salvi, Damuanna Malwankar, Sardar and Baby Vimal— Released at: West End Talkies, Bombay — Date of Release: 11th February 1939. "Woman is Divine" is the burden of this tale. The story is beautifully thrown in the midst of so E. Billimoria. We shall meet this old favourite again in "Thunder" a Rex picture. cial usages to reach its ultimate theme. In between, there is a provocative episode suffering a vivid and intimate peep into the lives of some pseudo swamis who trade on the credulity of the society. The picture conveys a piquant instruction while being subtly entertaining The Story: Ashok is a college professor with ideals. Though popular with everyone, his ideals hardly find practical parallels in life. His father Dasopant returns to town after a long stay overseas and driven by a craving to possess March 1939 a little child of his own, marries Sushila, inspite of his old age and contrary to the ideals nursed by his son. Sushila, young though she is, accepts her fate merely as a : martyr to enable her to give a 1 heme and to educate her younger; brother and sister. Then compll1 cations set in to make the plot intriguing. Pushpa a young society girl loves Ashok and goes to no end of trouble in pursuing her object. Some of these pursuits are, of course, romantic. The married life of Dasopant and Sushila proving disappointing in achieving the supreme object of getting a child, Dasopant sends his wife to a pseudo swami against her will. There, however, she Is rescued from an outrage on her chastity by one of the new devotees. The swami| flys into a temper and sets about wreaking his vengeance on Ashok with whom Sushila takes protection, leaving the roof of her own husband. The papers next day accuse Ashok of kidnapping and immorality. Society takes up the scandal with a rare relish and with the help of Chintopant, a social sponger, Ashok is thrown out of his employment. Ashok now faces poverty and privation. To add t his worries Prabhakar, the brothe of Sushila joins the poverty stric ken family, being driven out by Dasopant. Dasopant howeve keeps Prema, the little sister o Sushila. Sushila's stay with Asho creates compromises and Ashok i very soon sadly misunderstood. Ul timately Sushila leaves home afte restoring the estranged relations between Pushpa and Ashok. Things soon travel to a climax, in whic" Dasopant, Ashok and all other search for Sushila, who is ultl mately found at the Broadcastin station where the story ends happily. Acting: Salvi as Dasopant h given a very good performance li a role that Is none too ?asy li certain parts. Baburao Pendhar kar as Ashok playing the hero fo the first time, acquitted himsel marvellously well and with parti cular brilliance in light scenes Baby Vimal, as Prema gave a beau 62