FilmIndia (Jan-Nov 1942)

OVR REVIEW "Uijay" H Better Picture Of national Durga Khote's Sterling Performance Strong Emotional Drama Draws Crowds At last after a long time, the National Studios have broken their long sequence of box-cffice flops by producing a picture which should appeal to all types of people. "Vijay", the recent release of National, has become an excellent production as it releases on the screen a strong melodrama with a popular tKeme. The name, "Vijay" is wrongly given and helps to mislead people who are inclined to believe that the picture has something to do with the "V" for Victory slogan. Vijay, incidentally, is the name of the hero who is a rich fatherless boy, brought up by his sister Jiji. Jiji's husband Kamptaprasad is a wolf in sheep's clothing and has an eye on young Vijay's extensive property. Vijay grows up under the loving care of Jiji and has in addition Dulari, the village belle, as his playmate. Right from childhood both Vijay and Dulari are sort of meant for each other, so when they grow up, their engagement is not accept ed with any surprise by the villagers. Vijay, a brilliant boy, has now to go to the city for his medical studies. In the city, he gets into bad company. His "friends" lead him VIJAY Producers: National Studios Language: Hindusthan;. Story & Dialogues: Dr. Safdar Music: Anil Biswas Recording: M. B. Moolgavkar Photography: Muioo Bilimoria Cast: Durga Khotc, Harish. Husn Banu, Sankatha. Released At: Swastik Talkies, Bombay. Date of Release: 6th June 1942 Director: MOHAN SINHA on from one bad thing to another till Vijay fancies himself to be a dramatist and wastes all his monetary resources without even bothering about prosecuting his studies of medicine. Gradually, a time arrives when Vijay has lost all his money and his sister Jiji secretly sends him money against the wishes of her husband. One day Jiji pawns her personal ornaments to set Vijay free from his creditors. Kampta Prasad comes to know of this and drives his wife out of the house. By this time. Vijay has realised the folly of his ways and he returns home a disappointed youth. Kampta Prasad now thinks ol marrying Dulari, Vijay's sweetheart. This enrages Vijay and he swo.-js to wreak vengeance. Vijay returns to the city and ence again takes up his studies, this time under the shadow of poverty. Vijay soon becomes a brilliant eye specialsit. Strangely enough. Kampta Prasad, after a long ailing, loses his eye-sight. Only Vijay can cure him. The story now reaches a thrilling climax which is well taken and well played. Durga Khote as "Jiji" gives a sterling performance. As an affectionate sister and a loving wife she portrays the ideal Hindu womanhood with her characteristic polish and artistry and convinces one and all through numerous highiv emotional situations. For the first time Sankatha Prasad can be said to have done well in the role of the sly Kampta Prasad. His movements were less jerky and his dialogues less stagy than ever before. If Sankatha continues to exercise similar restraint in future, he can still make himself an useful character actor. Harish is also improving fast. As "Vijay", he gave quite a good performance throughout, though he makes rather sour faces whilst singing. Husn Banu is quite chic as "Dulari", the village belle. But one wished she had not been shown so much in the profile. Parts of the picture are excellently directed and if some footage is cut out from the early half of the picture, not only will the story content improve, but the slight length that is felt in the early half will have disappeared thereby giving the picture a better tempo. In any case, "Vijay" is a good picture and worth seeing for many reasons. 51