FilmIndia (1940)

FILMINDIA OCTOBER 1940 He tramped the streets of Bombay for months trying to find a job. The family lived on a small collection of gold ornaments for a time, but when that stock was finished, borrowings began. The old Parsee bought some chalk and prepared a tooth powder which no one would buy. Miles of hawking from morn till eve only increased the hunger in him and his family. It didn't bring in money. Money for food — money for clothing the grown-up daughters — money for the school fees of the two boys — money for the milk of the little one and money for the asthma of the old aunt. Now even friends avoided them. Their appearance meant a demand for money. The old Parsee had no strength left even to try for a job. Heartbroken he took to a sick-bed. Every little thing in the house was sold. There was not even enough money to buy a poison. Many a time he felt like taking the poison. For, in that poison was the food of eternity which has killed hunger through ages. To the proud old Parsee the next better thing than death was begging. One evening he turned out Percy — that was the young lad's name fondly given in good old days — with amateurish instructions to stand on the Grant Road pavements and beg. And the boy not knowing how to do it; asked for four annas every time — the coin his father once used to give him daily when going to school. Percy, at fourteen, had good features. A straight nose and a refined appearance lent him quite a personality, though the blood beneath the skin was looking a little thin after a year's struggle. I asked Percy whether his grown-up sisters were equally good-looking and whether they had his cleancut features. And when he said yes, I knew the family could still be saved. A film man, I was thinking of new talent for my industry. Very gently, I broke my thoughts to Percy. Even little Percy was shocked. It couldn't be done. Little Percy had all the pride of his orthodox race. It gladdened my heart to feel his pride. That pride reminded me of Sohrab and Rustomj the legendary heroes of Persia. But they were overfed heroes of old while my little Percy was a hero with an empty stomach which mere pride could not fill. I asked Percy whether he would work in pictures. He didn't know. I said that the Billimoria Brothers had earned big fame and money in the films. I said that Jal Merchant had bought cars and guns on film work. I said that Jamshed Wadia had made lakhs producing Nadia pictures. And still little Percy didn't know. The orthodoxy of his race had blinded his vision. Percy was puzzled. Something within him clearly told him that his family would be successful in films and the days of hunger would be over soon. But the face of his old father — the strurgling pillar of orthodoxy warned him off the track. No! Percy is destined to beg and starve because an obstinate orthodoxy refuses its sanction to earn an honest living as a film artiste. My poor, poor Percy! I wish he had been my son. Then he wouldn't have been a helpless victim of diehard traditions. BABURAO PATEL. This startled star is Vasanti in "Musafir" wherein she sings and dances and startles you with her charm. 4