Filmindia (1941)

FILMINDIA March 1941 lody. Nagiah is melody plus emotion." That was very high praise from a man who is no respecter of persons, and whose criticisms have been very often cruelly trenchant. Director B. N. Reddy, Cameraman Ramnath and Art Director Sekhar who made "Sumangali" together must be congratulated on their triumph. And Baburao feels that these three are wasting their time on provincial pictures. They deserve a bigger field to frame their talent. LILTING LALITHA A quiet lunch at Director Nandlal's home prepared us for another reception at the Sagar Talkies where "Raj Nartaki" was drawing the crowds. Hardly were the garlands removed and we were driven to a grand party given by Mr. Subrahmanyam in honour of Mr. Patel. With dance and music and Mrs. Rukmini Arundale Baburao had his time full. Between Mrs. Arundale and Mr. Baburao Patel, as far as I heard, almost all the different schools of dancing in India were laid open. What I, however, liked was little Lalitha's dance plus emotion performance and Baburao Patel in his characteristic way remarked "That little girl has more womanly grace in her than all the women there put together," and when a lady looked twice at him he qualified the statement quickly "excluding my present company." Sweet Lalitha, who can forget her? Another mad rush took us to the Broadway Talkies to preside at their anniversary. The programme was advertised and there was a crush of students. As we had to leave for Bangalore that night, a forced interval was given and the boss stepped on the stage midst thundering applause. He seems to like that sound though it swallows his own. In another brilliant little speech he again held his hearers spell bound and with his blunt offensive they had to step back "I don't blame the producers for the pictures they give you. I blame you for not demanding better pictures. Ask and you shall be given." SHOWMAN IS A TEACHER Elevating the status of the showman he said "Our theatres are our future school rooms and the theatre owner is no longer a mere showman. He is a teacher, certainly a nobler profession than that of a showman." Congratulating the proprietors of the Madras Theatres, for the clean environments which they provided to the cine-goers in all their theatres, Baburao Patel stepped down amidst applause only to fall into the hands of a crowd of pressmen. When some one said that it was time to rush to the station, Baburao replied, "But I must meet my family and wish them good-bye" and he met the journalists, shook them all warmly by the hand and started for the station. Kannabiran, the efficient manager of Madras Theatres, had the train, the station, the seats, the beddings, all set up and ready and he was now controlling the crowds who had come to see us off. They were all there— friends, new and old, producers and journalists, and Mr. Subrahmanyam and dear old K. R. Narayan. I had tears within but not having the permission of our hard-boiled editor to shed them I had to swallow them. There is certainly more humanity in the South and they said, "Don't forget us Miss Carlyle and don't let Baburao do it too." And what impression did Baburao Patel leave behind? Let me again turn to the Sunday Times of the 2nd March "The visit and four-day stay of Filmindia Baburao Patel, accompanied by his charming secretary, Miss Rita Carlyle, highlighted Madras film circles last week. His stay was short but intensive. He had a packed programme of activitiea, meeting people visiting studios and seeing pictures, talking, debating, speechifying and wisecracking, all the while taking mental stock of the South Indian film industry in its many aspects. Tough, witty, shrewd and brainy, fast in thought, work and talk, a frank friend and formidable foe. a rather startling practical Idealist — that is how he impressed most of the people here." If permitted, ofcourse by the Editor, I hope to write something about Bangalore and Mysore. I hope to, I said. 30