FilmIndia (1940)

May, 1940 FILMINDIA A PLEA FOR MORE THEATRES. During the last five years Indian pictures are becoming more and more popular from day to day. Threefourth of the business which was once monopolised by the foreign productions has been taken away by the Indian producers during the last five years. While the Indian pictures improved in quality and audience appeal, the foreign producers seemed to relax their hold on the Indian market. Getting such a sympathetic help from the local distributors of the foreign pictures themselves, it was an easy matter for the Indian producers to take away one theatre after another. The net result of the aggression of the Indian producers and the relaxation of the foreign distributors is that, out of 1199 theatres to-day, only 214 show foreign pictures exclusively, while 987 play Indian pictures. Twenty years back, the Indian market belonged 100% to the foreign pictures. And yet, especially in the big cities of India, more theatres are urgently needed for the Indian pictures. Unlike the foreign productions which usually run a week at a city theatre, the Indian picture runs 15, 20 and even 25 weeks continuously. A city theatre can therefore take a maximum of four pictures a year. Let us take an example. Bombay has to-day ten first run theatres for Indian pictures which can at the most accommodate forty pictures in a single year. Over seventy pictures are likely to be produced this year, within the Bombay Zone alone. That will leave a surplus of thirty pictures on hand, unreleased. Already, Ranjit has six pictures ready on hand, Circo-four, Hindusthan-one, India Artists-one, Wadiatwo, Paramount-two, New Theatres-two, Sudama-two, National-two etc. These pictures have no first run theatres to-day for release in this key city. Don't you think that it will pay some one to build a couple of good expensive theatres in addition to the present ones in every big city in India? ONE MORE BURDEN. The recent increase of twelve and half per cent, in railway freights on films will hit the film industry in India rather badly. As it is the indigenous film industry is severely handicapped by heavy import duties on raw films and cinema machinery. Taxation on raw films alone comes to nearly Rs. 17 lakhs per year. Over Rs. 45| lakhs per year are paid by the Indian film industry, in one way or other, as its total contribution to the general revenue. The additional impost of 12%% in railway freights is therefore bound to affect the future progress of the industry. Nearly 600 full length films and over 1200 short programmes are constantly in transit throughout the country. And half the time, when the films are returned to the distributors for repairs and storage, they are on an unproductive journey. To say the least, to tax for this return journey is highly unfair. As the Government is not likely to consider any protest, however reasonable it be, it would at least be a mercy to allQvy rebates, on the return bookings )f the films. ST. XHUIER'S COLLEGE RADIO & CINEMA • ABDULLA FAZALBHOY TECHNICAL INSTITUTE, Bombay. • The following Courses of training will be held in the Institute during the Monsoon Session commencing on 3rd July, 1940. 1. RADIO SERVICE COURSE 2. WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY COURSE 3. ELECTRICAL WIREMEN'S COURSE 4. PROJECTIONIST COURSE 5. PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE 6. SOUND RECORDING COURSE 7. CINE PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE 8. GROUND ENGINEERING COURSE 9. RADIO ENGINEERING COURSE For Matriculates Duration. 5 months to 2 years. For B.Scs., duration 2 years. "Prospectus on Application." Admission is open to candidates from all parts of India and from neighbouring States, regardless of caste, creed or sex. To meet the needs of the natural expansion and that of the increased demand for technical staff in the present emergency conditions, the management has doubled the floor space, the equipment and the staff of the Institute; however, equity in the distribution of technical men for all parts of India, compels us to maintain our system of regional quota. Candidates who feel the urgency of ensuring a seat for the coming session, should therefore apply immediately and reserve a place on the waiting list. In spite of the constant renewal and expansion of the costly equipment, the Institute is not increasing the fees for the next term. For prompt reply, write your name, address and province clearly. Rev. G. PALACIOS, s.j., Ph.D.. d.d., Ph.D. (Columbia) PRINCIPAL. 9