FilmIndia (1940)

March 1940 FILMINDIA udie CI ose BOMBAY RANJIT MOVIETONE "HOLI" a social subject featuring Motilal and Khursheed will come to the screen sometime in the last week of March. The picture is expected to prove a big success as it will be released at different stations on the Hindu festival day of Holi. Director JAYANT DESAI is busy taking the indoors of "Dipali" featuring Vasantee, our little great star. "India To-day" a social picture with a new theme as they say is also awaiting release. "Pagal* another social has also been completed and is waiting for its turn to come to the cinemas. Sardar CHANDULAL SHAH is busy scrutinizing new stories for his several directors and hopes to find one for himself to keep him busy during the year. BOMBAY TALKIES LTD. "REBEL" directed by ACHARYA is lying ready but will take its second turn in general release. Just at present the studios are busy with Devika Rani in a new social picture directed by NAJMUL Hasan Naqvi. SAGAR MOVIETONE "KUM KUM THE DANCER" a social theme with Sadhona Bose and Padma Devi in the cast will be on the screen very shortly at the Imperial Cinema in Bombay. The picture has been released in Calcutta and is reported to have done well. Two more pictures namely "All Baba" and "Civil Marriage" are also ready for release. CIRCO PRODUCTIONS With Kumar, Bibbo and Maya Banerjee sharing the acting honours "Laxmi" will be ready for the screen before the end of this month. "Suhag" under Director Balvant Bhatt is being shot "day and night", according to their studio news, while "Gita" with Durga Khote and Chandra Mohan in the lead is already taken in hand by director Altekar. INDIA ARTISTS LTD. "Bahurani" the first social picture with Kishore Sahu and Rose sharing stellar honours is now receiving finishing touches and the producers expect to release the same early in the month of April. NOOTAN PICTURES "Madari Mohan" is now ready for release with Satyarani and Raj Rani in the cast. This mythological story is expected to be well received. That well-known dancer Sunita Devi will perhaps again claim attention by superb dances which she is reported to have given. HINDUSTHAN CINETONE S. H. Manto's "Mud" has really become gold dust, as a film critic puts it, at the Pathe Cinema. This picture has been very enthusiastically received by all people and is likely to continue for a long time at the said cinema. The unexpected success of '"Mud" has suddenly made the future programme of the producers a bit more ambitious. SUDAMA PRODUCTIONS "Chingari" is now receiving finishing touches from director Badami. They say that Sabita will once again score in this one. Another social story called "Sawan" has been purchased from the celebrated writer Pundit Indra and will go into shooting after the present one is completed. ADVANCE FILMS Director A. M. Khan has taken up a fast thriller called "Anar Bala" for production. Shanta Kashmiri and Usha Devi with Benjamin lead a very good cast. MOHAN PICTURES "Hamara Desh" a comedy thriller has been completed with Amir Karnatki in the lead. "Jadu-I-Kangan" a picture full of magic, illusions and romance is receiving finishing touches with Nanubhoy Vakil while "Jagat Mohini" another social mystery thriller is still on the sets. "Volunteer" a subject directed by Amarnath with Yasmin and Nazir in the lead is expected to throw fresh light on our national problems. PARAMOUNT FILM CO. Mr. Kikubhai Desai is now giving finishing touches to "Amazon" (Aflatoon Aurat) which the company claims to be an ambitious production of the year with Moti in the starring role. "Golibar" will be released at the Lamington Talkies from 1st March 1940. "Dunya Mane" has been chosen as the next subject by Kikubhai Desai, the story, dialogues and songs have been written by Munshi Ajiz of 'Dunya Na Mane' fame. "Mere Raja", "Sinbad the Sailor", "Zigomar" and "Sheikh Challi" are on the production list of 1940. FAMOUS FILMS Their Telugu picture "Dharma Patni" with Shanta Kumari has now been completed and will be released in the near future. Mr. Shiraz Hakim is now concentrating on the choice of a new story which will probably be produced in Hindusthani. ROYAL FILM CIRCUITS Mr. V. R. Mehta the enterprising proprietor of this company is now waiting for the completion of "Laxmi" a Circo production which he expects to float in his usual inimitable way. POONA PRABHAT FILM CO. "Sant Dnyaneshwar" a superb mythological story directed by Messrs. Damle and Fatehlal has been completed and will be on the screen by the time this is in print. This picture is expected to