FilmIndia (1939)

FILMINDIA October 1939 have made the whole thing jerky. Photography is excellent, soundrecording not so good. Points of Appeal: Sagar's trade name plus the star value of Surendra and the songs he and Jyoti sing may ensure a moderate success for this picture ADMI (or "Life's for Living) Produced by: The Prabhat Film Co., Story by: A. Bhaskar Rao Direction: V. Shantaram Dialogues and Songs: Anant Kanekar and Munshi Ajiz Music Direction: Master Krishna Rao Cinematography: V. Avadhoot Audiography: S. Damle Cast: Shanta Hublikar, Shahu Modak, Bai Sundrabai, Buwa Saheb, Ram Marathe, Chhottu, Gouri etc., Released at: The Central Cinema, Bombay Date of Release: 9th September 1939. This is undoubtedly the finest picture produced by any Indian Studio this year. After two years, Shantaram has come out with a real winner. For the social significance of its subject matter, the realism of its treatment, the perfection of its technique and the wealth of gripping dramatic elements, "Admi" will be difficult to surpass. In the opinion of many independent observers it is better than any other film seen this year in India — not excluding 'hits' from Hollywood, England. France and Russia! The Story of this film can be summed up in a few words. Moti, a young policeman, the sen of a pious religious-minded but kind and gentle old woman, falls in love with Kesar, a 'song-and-danoe girl' who has been forced into this life by fores of circumstances and who desperately wants to abandon this life. They decide to get married. Moti's mother, a simple soul, gives her permission — not knowing the antecedents of Kesar. At the last moment, however, Kesar realizes that in such a pious household she would not fit in. She leaves the town. Moti, at first tempted to behave like all frustrated lovers, is saved by the com monsense advice of his colleague and friend, Meghram. Meanwhile tragedy that has been dogging the footsteps of Kesar overtakes her. To judge "Admi" from this story would be like judging the beauty of a human form from an X-Ray photograph showing only the skeleton of bones. It is the clever scenario of Bhaskar Rao that has endowed the story with a rich and stimulating variety of incident and given it point and purpose. And Shantaram's direction has breathed into it a soul — the soul of Man! Mr. Carl Laemmle Sr. whose death occurred at the age of 74. A series of real-life characters move across the screen and the men and women in the audience may well say to themselves, "That's me. That's me". Moti, raw young man and obedient son, at once the coward and the hero, who keeps on justifying his moral cowardice by saying, "After all I am an Admi", until Meghram reminds him "Don't forget you are an Admi!" These arr the only two occasions on whicl1 the word "Admi" is used in th( dialogues. And yet they are sufficient to reveal the entire psychology of Man who has within him both the instincts of cowardice and heroism. Kesar is a 'Song and Dance girl*. But she has a heart and a brain. She feels the indignity and humiliation of her position in life. She also understands (as few fallen women do) that she has been ths victim of cruel circumstances and that fundamentally she is as good I as any other human beinj. She I upholds her self-respect by using I irony and a healthy cynicism. But I a human being is but a part of I the social system and ultimately I she has to voluntarily accept So I ciety's unspoken verdict on herself. I There are other interesting and I significant characterizations I Mannu. the boy of the slums; I Meghram and his wife, represent I ing love as the masses of India un I derstand it; Moti's mother-pious, I gentle, affectionate and superstl I tious, a typical Indian mother; I and the blood-sucking parasite to I whom Kesar represents a perpetual I source of money for drink. As variegated an assortment as you will invariably find in life itself. Performances: The hero of the I film is none else but Shantaram who has succeeded in getting uniformly good work out of his artistes. Shanta Hublikar who had not created a great impression in "My Son", rises to heights of histrionic triumph in the role of Kesar. She brings to this characterization a wistful charm, a sparkling vivacity which has yet the tracss of a tortured soul within, a natural gift for music. Her "Kis Liye Kal Ki Bat" song, sung in six languages (Hindustani. Gujarati, Eengali, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu) will win her millions of fans from Kumbakonam to Rawalpindi, from Ahmedabad to Calcutta. Shahu Modak. appropriately 'soft' and boyish, reveals outstanding histrionic ability. Bai Sundrabai's songs, especially "Man Papi Bhula Kaun I Ise Samjhaye'?" will be rummed, I all over India. Buwa Saheb is I 'natural' for raising laughs and I Gouri is already known for her. I characteristization of an unsophis I ticated Indian housewife. The sur j prise of the film is provided by I 32