FilmIndia (1940)

FILMINDIA February 1940 Mr. Ram Bagai the well known Hollywood Indian, is now in India to make some films here on behalf of some American producers. Mr. Bagai is a graduate of the Stanford University and M A. (Cinematography) of the South California University and has worked with eminent directors like William Dieterlie and George Stevens. I owe them no malice for having mistaken me for a communalist. Bu: I just related the incident to indicate how quietly the devil of communalism walks in. THE EVIL SHADOW The above incident had a sequel a tew weeks ago when a group of Hindu directors, technicians and artistes approached my friend, Baburao Patel, to join their group which was to counteract the communalist activities of the Muslim group. To which he replied, "I am sorry I cannot help you. There is only one man who would support you — Abbas." T take that as a great compliment and I can return it by saying that whenever the Muslim workers in the studios have any legitimate grievances, they will not find a better supporter for their cause than Baburao Patel. But neither of us is going to countenance the formation of communal groups in the studios. And we will fight like hell to keep the film industry free from the insidious communalism which is slowly spreading its evil shadow over the studios. THE FAITHLESS "FAITHFUL" It is difficult to apportion blame in such matters. But one incident vvhicn has come to my ears Is symptomatic of the situation. It appears that a certain Muslim Director of a studio (that is owned by two partners — a Hindu and a Muslim) actually delivered a speech to a gathering of his Muslim colleagues in ihe studio and told them, in eloquent terms reminiscent of a Muslim League meeting, that soon they hoped to rid the studio of all-nonMuslims, including the Hindu partner. This is the limit. No such fanaticism can be allowed in a studio, which, as a centre of art and industry, has to be conducted regardless of any sectarian considerations. No man who preaches such petty, narrow-minded ideas has any right to step into a studio. And if he persists in such beliefs he cannot but bring discord and unhappiness wherever he works. EXCUSE FOR INCOMPETENCE My study of the general political situation in the country has taught me one thing about communalists; that quite often they are not even communalists. A genuine "communalist" is he who is imbued with a desire to help his own community; he is misguided but he is not selfish. The common variety of communalist, however, finds in religion and communal sentiments an excuse for his incompetence, a cloak for his selfish pursuits. "Won't you help me to get a job in a studio? I am a Muslim." As soon as I hear that. I know the man has no real merit. If he had. he would come and say, "Won't you help me to get a job in a studio? I am a good actor." Any director who expects special privileges because he is a Muslim or a Hindu or a Parsi is a bad director: any technician who wants a job on the strength of his communal label perhaps does not know the difference between a 'boom' and a 'dolly.' Often communalism is also a convenient cloak for cliquishness and party politics. If you want to have half a dozen 'lackeys' dancing attendance upon you, saying "Yes, Sir" to everything you say, the best thing to do is to start talking in communal terms. All the half-educated unemployed youths of your community will soon be hovering round you, boosting you and basking in your reflected glory. If you are a director, they would go about saying you are a bigger director than Dieterle. In turn they would become technicians, artistes, assistants, writers — in each case talking of communal solidarity to make up for their own intellectual bankruptcy and incompetence. "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel." And communalism is the first apology for the existence of charlatans and hypocrites. Beware of the man who talks to you In terms of "We Muslims" or "We Hindus." It is ten to one he does not know his own job, be he a director or a cooly. FANATICISM IN FILMS So much for the persons. But of late we have seen the emergence of communalist pictures also. These are to be distinguished from the genuinely historical, mythological or biographical films. "Tukaram" was not a communal picture though it glorified a Hindu saint and "Pukar" is not a Communalist picture though it glorifies a Muslim King. The communal character of pictures is not implicit in their subject matter but is revealed in their presentation, treatment and dialogues. Two recent examples are "Ghazi Salahuddin" and "Bhagwa Zenda." The one (Con. on Page 33) Shobhana Samarth, as Shushila in "Mud" a Hindustan Cinetone social picture now running at Pathe in Bombay. 32