FilmIndia (1940)

PICTURES IN MAKING PRABHAT FILM CO. Prabhat's sensational social picture "Padosi" with its theme of Hindu-Muslim unity and its greyhaired and mellow romance between two neighbours is now being edited finally by Director V. Shantaram. The picture which has received excellent advance publicity is eagerly awaited by Prabhat fans but it is likely to be released only during the Christmas holidays in Bombay and Poona. With Anis in the Hindi version and Jayshree in the Marathi one, this social picture of Prabhat is expected to attain new heights of production efficiency and technique. At the studios in Poona the paper work of "Sant Sakhu" a mythological epic has been completed under the supervision of directors Damle and Fatehlal. The portrayal of this famous woman saint of Maharashtra will be in the symbolic role of an ideal wife, daughter-in-law and devctee of God. The actual shootiing of this picture will begin in the second week of December. The constant trips of Messrs. Baburao Patel and Ahmad Abbas to Poona suggest feverish activities in the progress of "Omar Khayyam". Immediately Mr. Shantaram is free with his work on "Padosi" the first executive jobs for this superb costume picture will be taken in hand. BOMBAY TALKIES "Bandhan" the recent thundering success of Bombay Talkies is still making new records in almost all leading stations of the country. If success is to be measured by the box-office returns of a picture. "Bandhan" could easily be called the greatest success of the season. The picture is running at the Roxy in Bombay for the last eighteen weeks and there is an even money chance of it running for a like number of weeks more. "Punar Milan" the new social picture with Kishore Sahu and Snehaprabha in the lead has been completed and will come to the screen at another theatre in the city during the Christmas holidays. Still another social subject written by Mr. K. A. Abbas has gone into production at the Malad studios under the direct supervision of Producer Mukherjee. NATIONAL STUDIOS The second release of this studio, "Sanskar", was well appreciated at the Pathe Cinema in Bombay. This picture would have also had a long run like their first release, "Woman", had the studio shown a little more enterprise in the publicity of the picture. Another picture that is ready ax the studios is "Puja", a social story cn the burning problem of illegitimate romance. Director A. R. Kardar who has just given his final O.K. to the picture, personally thinks it to be a masterpiece of his efforts in artistic expression. "Puja" will be released in Bombay immediately after "Sanskar." The ether pictures in production are "Man" by Director Mehboob, "Kasoti" by Director Ramchandra Thakur, "Radhika" by Directoi Virendra Desai and "Asra" by Directors Lalit Chandra and Chlmankant. Director A. R. Kardar will shortly begin the new picture on a sensa That's Prabha, as we would like her in "Ummid" a Ranjit picture. tional subject written by Mr. Imtiazali Taj, the celebrated novelist of Punjab. This picture will feature Sitara who co-stars with Sardar Akhtar in "Puja." RANJIT MOVIETONE "Diwali" a social picture stressing the multiple problems of penury, was well appreciated by a large number of people in Bombay. At the studios Director Jayant Desai who has just returned from his South Indian tour has again taken up the work of completing his new social picture called "Shadi", featuring Madhuri, Motilal, Khursheed and Ishwarlal. They have still not fcund a suitable name for the social comedy produced by Chaturbhuj Doshi lying ready in the tins. One cannot understand this clumsy procedure of producing a picture fcr months, getting it ready and not finding a name for it. If this is done with an idea of creating some mystery, it is certainly a very crude attempt. Charlie, the . inimitable comedian of the screen, is this time worrying about directing a picture. Taking a chair and its contents as the theme of his story he is reported to have prepared a good yarn, without doubt humcrous, and expects to complete this picture, with the wind in his favour, during the next three months. The new director, Mr. Ratilal is now seriously at it and can be seen moving about with his paper work of "Father and Son." By the time this is in print, the ideas in the paper will be transferred to the celluloid in the indoors. WADIA MOVIETONE "Raj Nartaki", Wadia's ambitious picture in three languages, English, Hindi and Bengali, is fast nearing completicn. It is due to be released in Calcutta on the 21st December and in Bombay on the 28th. With Prithviraj, Sadhona and Pratima in the lead, the picture is expected to be a great success and if half the expectations are borne out. Wadia Movietone will have to be congratulated for their pioneering enterprise in producing the first English picture in India Another picture in making, ready simultaneously, is "Manthan" with the charming Radha Rani in the 51