FilmIndia (Jan-Nov 1942)

FILMINDIA July 1942 "Weil, well, how is my darling' he said, taking Radha in his arms and kissing her with a possessive air. But Radha, in her new-born optimism, was thrilled by what shp regarded as a demonstration of genuine love. "Did you miss me much?" the Raja asked settling down on a sofa and lighting a cigarette. Radha coyly nodded her head. Now was the time, she thought, of broaching the subject which was agitating her heart. Noticing a cloud over Radha's countenance the Raja asked: "What is troubling you, my dear? Won't you tell me — your devoted lover?" Summoning all her native courage Radha blurted out in one breathless sentence, "Raja Sahib, I love you so much — if only we could be husband and wife!" The Raja of Jaipur was not surprised by Radha's demand. Tndeed he had been expecting it ever since she had come to live with him. "They are all alike," he reflected Everyone of his series of mistresses had ended by making herself a bore with her matrimonial ambitions. Radha too had ultimately proved no exception. And yet he had once hoped she at least would show more commonsense! "What are you thinking, Raja Sahib?", she persisted, throwing her arms round his neck, "don't you love me sufficiently to marry roe?" "Oh, bother," the ex-Oxonian thought, "this woman is becoming a bore. "But she was beautiful and he had not yet tired of her amorous delights. She must be humoured. "My darling," he said and, taking her in his arms, smothered her with kisses. So, you too believe in all this conventional clap-trap of marriage! I believe, my dear, in something more sublime and eternal — Love. What difference does it make to us, I ask you, if a priest blesses our union with some hecus-pocus incantations? It is sacr ilegious to fetter love in bonds of convention.' Radha, nestling against h.s bosom like a frightened dove, was iceptic. "Eut, my dear, after all we ha. e to live in this world. And the world does not approve of free love. 1 want to be yours — now and always." "That you will be, Radha," the Raja replied, "Never has there been a girl like you in my life — and never again shall one be. I swear I will love you always. Is that not sufficient? Why must we worry as to what the world says. I am under no one's obligation and so long as 1 am alive, nor will you be. Rid yourself of this superstitious belief in moth-eaten customs like marriage. I have been to Wilayat — to England and France and America and I tell you there no one cares about marriage. They are all free. They only believe in Love." The Raja had a glib tongue and this was not the first time he had cursed the matrimonial phobia of a mistress by giving her a lecture on the rational basis of sex and love. Radha, who had less than an average woman's regard for conventions was soon wavering in her recently acquired belief in marriage. And whatever doubts had remained were swept away by the Raja's expert petting and passionate words of love. There was i knock at the door and a maid-servant appeared. "The Raniji wants you. Raia Sahib," she announced and the Raja left for the Zenana, promising to return soon. Radha's emotions at the moment were complex, indescribable. She did not know whether to be happy that she possessed such an ardent lover or to be sorry for the blighted prospects of matrimony. It was then that she noticed Lachhmi who had quietly entered and sat down in a corner. The old woman was weeping. "Why Lachhmi," Radha asked. "Why are you weeping?". What was it that troubled this withered creature? Radha had often felt curious about her past, wondered what experiences and emotions she had had. "Nothing. Baiji'', the old woman replied breaking into a hysteria of sobs. "Only this that one day I too had come here like you and — " her voice was hoarse v ith emotion — "his father had said much the same things as the Raja Sahib said to you." The scales seemed to fall from Radha's eyes. She looked at the wretched old Lachhmi and she looked at her reflection in the mirror. In a moment she had made up her mind — . Thai night there was dancing again at Radha's house. She had . found out what she wanted. Kumar is between two girls, Azurie and Pramila in "Jhankar", a social picture of Silver Films.