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"Follow Russia" Says Sir Stafford Cripps Film People Hs Human Rs Others
Exclusive Interview For "filmindia"
"You are on a fool's errand!"
* * *
"It is a wild goose chase!"
* * * "How dared you come all the way
to Delhi on such a commission?"
* * *
"I tell you, frankly, if I were you. I would quietly get back to Bombay."
"I am very sorry to disappoint you but I am afraid I cannot persuade myself to give you an introductory note on Sir Stafford Cripps, because I consider it highly improper. In the midst of his present preoccupation, I am unable to ask him to give you a few minutes to talk on a subject like films. Don't you think it must be done when he has some leisure?" said one of our nation's prominent leaders, whose personal friendship with Sir Stafford was well known.
* * *
"Without meaning any cffence to your judgment, I must say you are
trying something very very difficult at this peculiar juncture." That was a pressman's verdict.
* * *
So that was that. The long and short of all the advice I got meant discouragement — uniform discouragement, once couched in suave, persuasive words, another time, blunt, reprimanding. I do net blame anyone. In their place, I would talk similarly to anyone who thought of playing my role. I even cursed the hefty editor of "filmindia" for sending me on a mission which he had avoided taking up himself through sheer laziness. With his social ccnnections in New Delhi, his undoubted pre-eminence in the film world and go-ahead methods, he would have done much better than I can ever expect to.
I also thought, were films after all such an unimportant topic, that every one should brush it aside. Why it would at least provide some relaxation to Sir Stafford, perhaps
Lalita Pawar returns to the screen after a long time in "Kirti" a social pictui e of Venus Pictures.
The Rt. Hon. Sir Stafford Cripps, K.C., M.P., member of the British War Cabinet, gave an exclusive interview to "filmindia" during his recent visit to India.
much needed relaxation to the architect of India's immediate future.
Did I say relaxation! Yes, that is the bright idea. Why not send him a letter, some questions and a couple of issues of "filmindia" and await his response! I sent all this to his office and waited fcr a response for full two days, hours on end, in one of the tents in the compound of Sir Stafford's temporary residence at Victoria Road, New Delhi. As I discovered later, his guard of secretaries had sat tight on all my papers including the two issues of "filmindia" in which the interviews cf Drs. Radhakrishnan and Jayakar had appeared. I also learnt that hundreds of similar communications had received the same fate.
Sir Stafford was undoubtedly very busy. But for a few hours' sleep every night, he was always closeted with someone or other of India's leaders or officials. He couldn't call cne minute his own. His residence was a quiet place; the incoming and outgoing expensive cars only making some little buzz. There was none of that pomp and pageantry, usually associated with representatives of His Majesty's Government. But entrance to his camp was very strictly regulated and equally strictly enforced. My problem was how to get near him. Who wculd take my card to him, even for getting a "no" from him.
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