FilmIndia (Jan-Nov 1942)

April 1942 FILMINDIA ments in the hands of its vulgar votaries that constitute the danger. Full pre-occupation with the study of the art itself is the cure. Keep your gaze centrally fixed on it and the rest is easy." As he was explaining his views, I remembered that he was present at the opening of the Circo Production's "Geeta" or "Karmayoga" and I asked him what he thought about pictures in which crime was sought to be glorified. He confessed he was misled into believing that the picture had something to do with Bhagvad Geeta and as he was a great admirer of the Celestial Song and was responsible for introducing it in the course of studies in the Aryan Education Society's High School which he and his friends had founded, he went to open it. He was disappointed to find that it was a cheap imitation of the American gangster pictures and in between were inserted scenes to commend unduly, Gandhiji's village industries and Khaddar programme. He was clearly of the opinion that pictures which overemphasised sex, love and crime were not calculated to do good to Indian society and particularly to our impressionable boys and girls. There is a certain age, he said, through which we all pass, when the allurements of vice have a great fascination. Depicted in romantic surroundings, smacking of a semblance of courage and sacrifice, they are particularly pleasing. THE INFLUENCE OF FILMS "I do recognize the importance of motion pictures in our daily life. They affect our modes of behaviour, dress, morals to a very great extent, easily to a greater extent than the printed word and the radio put together. We have a right to expect a wholesome and salutary influence in the cinema. Our social conscience must be aroused to that end. I see limitless possibilities of the film as an all-powerful element in educating the young. Our producers and the Governments concerned must seriously take up the problem." Dr. Jayakar, I remembered was a great enthusiast for dramas in his young days. He was a dramatic critic also and seldom missed a good play. He told me, as he went on to say that plays with living persons performing before us were any day preferable to the shadows of the film world cast on the silver screen. The one is of the substance, the other is a mere shadow. What pleases us is the successful deception. In moments of recreation, we all like to be deceived into innocent falsehoods. "With the modern civilisation dominating our life in all possible ways, we cannot help having our entertainments also mechanised. I do not demur to that. But we must have better standards of music, dialogue, photography and what not. So many of the filmic songs I simply abhor — so coarse and jarring are their tunes. The cinema must not be permitted to vulgarise Indian music, the richest heritage of the Hindus and Muslims alike." "It may be so, for the time being", I interrupted, "With the passage of time, so many of our arts will be revived and promoted by the direct encouragement of the film industry." "Yes, I am prepared to hope with you that the film industry will encourage music, photography, dancing, story-telling, dress refinement, spread of Hindustani and many other features. But even for that the public must be on the alert. Intelligent critics and ordinary fans must have their say in their entertainment fare. Organised opinion of cine-goers of good taste and culture must have even a veto on what will be doled out to the public. There is a tendency in the press to boost every picture that is produced and a man like me is often unable to know what is good, bad or indifferent. We rely more and more on a critical press, which must judge by high standards of excellence and not from an emotional regard for the supernatural. Large combines able to dole out press patronage will sometimes interfere with a critical and independent exercise of judgment, but a well-informed and discriminating public must check this tendency. I see the great need of public opinion being educated in this behalf, to act as both a check on and spur to picture production." 41