Filmindia (1941)

Our revievV nauyug's Second Slapstick Picture ! L. P. K. Gives Malwaskar His Chance Slapstick Entertainment For The Masses After seeing "Lapandav" the maiden picture of this company and now this, one would hardly approve of the ideals which the producers seem to have set for themselves. While pictures like "Lagna Pahawe Karun" may appeal to the cruder and lighter senses of the masses and thus make a little money for the producers, it is hardly a work to brag about as Winayak, its director, has been doing recently with and without provocation. If "L. P. K." is Winayak's idea of a comedy then it is, indeed, tragic. A slapstick that stinks of ridicule, pointedly projected at the Hindu institution of marriage, can hardly be welcome to the women of Maharashtra to whom marriage is still the only career of a life time. To paint the father of a bride (note Kidmide's actions) as almost a pimp wild stoops to endorse the amorous frolics of his daughter and of his prospective son-in-law is a little farfetched for the average Maharashtrian mind to accept. While portraying the natural anxiety of a father for the future of his marriageable daugliter why should dignity bo thrown over board? KHANDEKARS TRAGEDY Kliandekar's pretensions at comedy writing must be accepted with a pinch of salt. While he has utterly failed to create truly comic situations, his efifort at witty dialogues is most pitiable. Comedy is certainly not a forte of this well-known writer and to ask him to create comedy for the screen is like taking a strange companion to bed. The actual plot of the story is very transparent. Chimanrao, a good hearted, blundering Brahmin, is anxious to get his grown-up sister married. He starts on the husband-hunt for his sister. But before he can find a suitable match for his sister, ho is himself landed into matrimony. After Chimanrao's wed ding, the husband-hunt begins again. And after a long search the girl is at last married to a city worker. The city worker, guided by the prejudices of his own father, chooses to cut away from his wife for a time. But Chimanrao reconciles them in time for the story to end well. The picture has hardly any screen story beyond Damuanna Malwankar, who is certainly not the story. Remove Malwankar and look at Khandekar and Winayak together, and L.P.K. will look a horrible ske LAGNA PAHAWE KARUN (Marathi) Producers: Navayug Chitra pat Screen play: Dialogues & Songs: V. S. Khan. dekai Photography: Pandnrang Naik Music: Dada Chandekar Recording: Chavan Cast: Damuanna Malwankar, Jog, Vasant, Damayanti and Shakuntala Released At: West End Cinema Date of Release: 2\st Dec. '40 Direction: WINAYAK leton in the family cupboard. The treatment of the subject is utterly unimaginative and impotent and one wonders how Winayak, of all people, could have allowed the screenplay writer to run amok. With a screen play built so weakly, the direction can hardly be outstanding. Winayak seems to have. taken the whole thing like a big fun and has done his job carelessly. After his brilliant effort in "Ardhangi" he has come down a lot in "L.P.K." Damuanna Malwankar who makes 'Lagna Pahawe Karun" a lively picture. A STINKING CARCASS Damuanna's performance, though aping Chaplin at places, is still very good and naturally becomes the n^.ain support of the whole show. After him come the charming Shakuntala and the steady Damayanti, both of whom have done pretty well. From the rest, none acts. And it is well, they don't. The music in the picture is rather poor and so is the sound at places. The photography is however excellent, particularly the outdoor shots in ihe palm groves. Well. "L.P.K."' is a carcass of a comedy dressed in colourless clothes of slapstick and with a stink of social ridicule. Winayak must apply himself to something better in future, if his brilliant career as a film director is ever to be applauded by a nation. Picture making is a precious opportunity which should be utilized in producing purposeful pictures and not frittered away in stupid gambols Uke "L.P.K." People expect it from Winayak who in addition to belns an educated man is considered an intellectual by his fans. And is he not the pet pupil of Shantaram? 22