FilmIndia (Jan-Nov 1942)

OUR ft E VIEW "Khilauna" Draws Well fit Opera House Snehaprabha's Smart Performance Here was good story material which with better direction cculd have become an excellent picture, But producers, as is usual, when they get hold of a good story fail to find suitable directors. "Khilauna" has this fundamental defect in the picture,— poor direction. Barring that, the picture has a wealth of music and theme, which inspite of lack of correct development, appeals to the audience. AN ARTIST'S YARN We are introduced to a poor struggling artist whose art in painting is still unrecognized by the world. He is an easy victim of drinks and has an understanding friend in Vijay who helps him. This young artist, Amar, in an unusual way meets Asha, an educated but poor girl with a bit of fire and enterprise in her. She falls in lcve with Amar and gets interested in his art and for a time acts his sales girl for the paintings. Amar reciprocates her feelings in the modern silent way which prescribes passive resistance for the man as against the aggressive love of the woman. Strangely enough, of all authors, Chowdhary has presented these attitudes for his respective roles. Asha's sales-tours always lead to the other characters in the story. It seems as if she had dreamt of KHILAUNA Producers: Amar Pictures Language: Hindusthani Story: Vaju Kotak Scenario & Dialogues: ft. Chowdhari Songs: Pandit Indra Cinematography: Dronacharya Audiography: Thakorbhai Music: Khemchand Prakash Cast: Snehaprabha, Jairaj. Prabha, Satish, Kanaihyalal, Mukerjee, Nagendra Mujumdar etc. Released at: Royal Optra House Date of Release: 21st Mar. 1942 Director: SARVOTTAM BADAMI the particular customers waiting to huy Amar's paintings. However, in her first selling campaign she meets Maya, the sex starved young and beautiful wife of a rich old gambler called Seth who is on the wrong side of the sex-conscious years and whose passion is his speculative business. Maya meets Amar and almost thrcws herself at his feet goaded by her sex-obsession. Amar again takes the passive defense, while Asha becomes jealous. In the triangle now enters Kishore a rich young man who, due to his motor accident injuries, fancies Asha to be his recently dead wife come to life. The muddle of jealousies and ccunter-jealousies continues through some clever situations till it all comes to a happy end in Amar and Asha getting married and being adopted by a rich widow, the mother of Kishore. In the development of several emotional moments, the director has shown pocr intellectual understanding with the result that many an excellent situation goes crying for vigorous handling. The director also shows poor imagination in fixing up the interiors of the artist's living quarters. The artist who it supposed to be living in poor tenements and is not even able to pay his rent, always enter;; a well furnished, smart flat with a bathroom attached. We would like to see in the city poor tenements with sucn conveniences. SNEHAPRABHA'S SMART BIT Among the players, the smart little Snehaprabha once again comes to the top of others. Singing, dancing and throwing her eyes all round she supports the picture excellently all throughout. Jairaj is quib good as the quiet vegetarian type of artist with a stray Bohemian strleak. Prnbha looks sweet enough as the sexstarved Maya and obtains all the sympathy of the audience. Kanaihyalal is excellent as usual. The dialogues of the picture are bold in places while the songs are beautifully composed and more beautifully sung. With the exception of the first reel, the photography is easy on the eye. Sound recording calls for a little more care. Well, "Khilauna" is a very entertaining film with its snappy music and an excellent story idea. 53 fiagendra Mujumdar and Motilal are arriving at an understanding in "Arman", a social picture of Ranjit.