FilmIndia (1939)

FILM INDIA picture is very unfortunate. The film critics here are thus made subservient to the Advertisement Department. If these papers took up a strong attitude in defence of their critics, the producers would soon realize that they cannot afford to lose such valuable advertising media. THIS "WRITE-UP" MENACE These studio-made "write-ups" according to which every picture is the "greatest, mightiest, starstudded screen epic of all times" are one of the curses of our film industry. I once remember observing that everyone of a dozen pic • tures noticed on the cinema page of a well-known English daily was described as "the best show in town" and praised in the choicest adjectives out of Thesaurus. A greater tragedy is that more or less the same adjective-laden write-ups appear week after week. Having been connected for some time with the Publicity Department of a studio. I realize the difficulties of the Publicity Managers who, often single-handed, have to write out advertisements, look after correspondence, keep in touch with Advertisement Managers and editors, get all the printing done and arrange distribution of hand-bills and putting up of posters. They have little time to think of original ideas of indirect publicity, to create studio "news" or to write articles, interviews with stars, etc., which would be far more effective than the "write-ups" which they mechanically turn out. If only the producers reorganized their publicity departments on better lines and supplied cinema editors with well-written information and interesting matter instead of expecting them to print "writeups" week after week, things would improve fast. They should at least realize that if twelve pictures on the same page are described as the "best show in town", it helps none of them at all. A reader may be justified in thinking they are all equally bad ! AMATEUR CRITICS I don't know who started it. But it was an ill-fated day when someone hit upon the idea of get 22 ting a certificate for his picture from a public leader. Since then such certificates have been given to the most mediocre pictures by (alphabetically speaking) Authors, Baronets, Bishops, Congress leaders, Editors, Governors, Home Members, Legislators, Mayors, Ministers, Municipal Councillors, Presidents, Society Ladies and the Viceroy. They are not content just with expressing a few polite words of appreciation, but must go out of their way to put on record their opinions even on the technical aspects of a film. "The colour process was extremely effective and natural", said His Excellency the Viceroy of a film which (whatever its other qualities) was, at least, a crude attempt at colour . photography. Lady , the wife of a high government official, says of the same film "The acting and photography are above the normal standards of our films" and another Society lady thinks "the colour effects excellent". The Aga Khan who, according to an advertisement has never spent more than fifteen minutes to see any film in Europe or America (what a qualification for a film critic ! ) is said to be another admirer of this picture. I wonder whether he was drugged to sit through the whole picture. A few years ago an eminent national leader who is a lady of great talent and culture spoke in glowing terms of a short comedy produced by a local studio. The film hardly ran for two weeks and was such a miserable failure that the producers did not repeat the experiment. Now I maintain that this publicity method is unfair to all the parties concerned. The Aga Khan (as representing such dignitaries) is as competent to judge films as I am to give my opinion on the form and quality of his race horses. Nor is it fair to eminent people like the Congress President or the Viceroy to be made sale arguments in film advertisements ! By these means you cannot make a boxoffice "hit" out of a mediocre film. We still remember how five years ago a film, which was opened by the Viceroy in Delhi and the Gov April 1939 ernor in each provincial capital, utterly failed to appeal to the public. And yet "Tukaram" created a world-record without any certificate. Not the bureaucrats or plutocrats but the mill-workers of Bombay helped it to run for a year ! It would be far better if producers spent more energy in improving their films than In running after such certificates which mean nothing and which are only creating a class of distinguished, but hopelessly amateur critics. Misinformed appreciation is merely a means of self-deception while genuine criticism is the only guidance for improvement and progress. It is indispensable to producers, Directors, technicians, actors and actresses. WE MUST GO ON But (this is my final complaint), while producers resent criticism, artistes are often found to be utterly indifferent to it. A leading film star (for whom both as an | artiste and as a lady of great i charm and culture I have the highest regard) recently told me rather naively that she did not ! read my reviews of her films. | It was not merely a shock to my vanity but also a sudden realization of the thankless futile task of a film critic in India. And yet, like blundering pioneers in an unexplored territory, we must go on. Perhaps some day some one will thank us for our persistence. • * * I wondered if it would be possible to do a bit of plain speaking without offending many people. I don't think I have succeeded. But at least I have tried. FOR SALE ONE BELL & HOWELL CAMERA in working condition Write: THE STANDARD PAPER CO., 72-74, Sufcar Chawl, BOMBAY 2.