FilmIndia (Jan-Nov 1942)

August 1942 Fi t M I N D I A To those poor friends, he h^: to pay back that money ;ome day. It will take Chandrashekhar half of his life fime to do so. In the meanwhile our producers will keep crying for mew talent blind to the existence of a genius below their very nose. The Government-Producer Shantaram will keep Ln giving certificates as follows: "From conception of the subject to the script, frcm scenario to photography, direction, editing and general production, everything done single handed— that is the singular achievement Df Kumar Chandrashekhar whose admirable enterprise I'Pravasi" is a joy to speak of. The flight of imagination and the correct execution of ideas through a medium to which he is quite new, show that all that talent needs is opportunity." And after singing such high praises unblushingly, bie great producer can not find even a small opportunity for the little man with "singular achievement" in Ithe Film Advisory Board which usually employs over B0% of junk in technicians and idea men. Can antipathy go further? I appeal to Rai Bahadur Chuni Lall and Mrs. Rai to give this young man "the opportunity" which Shantaram so charitably recommends and take him in the Bombay Talkies Studios, the only nursery of cur future efficient technicians. There, perhaps, in the field of commercial films, Kumar Chandrashekhar may get his long sought opportunity to give a full expression to lis genius. The young man stays at 46, Ranade Road, Dadar, Bcmbay 14. BUSINESS AND SOCIAL REFORM Back in 1924, a penniless young lad started from his village home for Bombay to build a fortune. On 29th June 1939, the "Los Angeles Times" in Jistant America published "A. J. Patel is a youngish little man with an idea that may go far in the eduction of the 400 million people of India". And nowadays, whenever I observe the five-floor activities of Ambalal Patel at his Hornby Road place of business, I wonder about the giddy heights of sue cess to which an ambitious mind can soar. Ambalal began his life as a movie cameraman but soon gave Lip that profession for commerce and opened his photo-goods firm: The Central Camera Co. Throughout these years, Ambalal Patel has struggled hard and fought well to achieve his ambition. His firm has become known for its multifarious departments which offer Mr. Ambalal Patel everything to both the amateur and professional photo enthusiasts. Ambalal Patel was elected the Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain and he stood first in the British Empire in the International Photographic Exhibition, winning as many as fifty awards. But it is not as a successful man of commerce that Ambalal attracts the attention of all. He is a national minded sccial reformer. He has helped the Government of Bombay to introduce a Visual Education Scheme in the villages of the province. As a result of his active co-operation, nearly 500 portable projectors are actually in operatic n in the villages imparting visual education to our illiterate villagers. Amongst his other activities is the production of about 150 short educational features and another series of shorts called "A.R.P. and You". The latter series has proved very popular amongst al! audiences as these short features give pointed instruction for times of emergency. SHANTARAM DISAPPOINTS "The Voice of Youth", third production of the ' Films of India" is an unworthy successor to "Our Valiant Neighbour" and "The Gallant Effort". The disappointment is all the more so, perhaps, because pec pie go to see it with certain expectations. And this opinion seems to be shared by all one meets and talks with about this film. "The Voice of Youth" was advertised as a documentary. A documentary must bear truthfulness on its very face. There must not be any attempt at 'suppresio veri' and 'suggestio falsi'. As it is, the film appears to be a lop-sided denunciation of fascism by the youth of India. Young India is undoubtedly antifascist, but it is anti-imperialist as well. None of the speakers at the All India Students' Conference held at Delhi of which "The Voice of Youth" is a pictorial representation is shown to denounce imperialism, while all of them including the President, Swami Sahajanand undoubtedly did it. We must object to this on the same ground on which we objected to the total omission of Indian leaders in 'Our Valiant Neighbour'. Turning to its technical side one is surprised to observe defective synchronising in a Shantaram production. While certain speakers were seen furiously waving their hands no words passed out of their lips. This has happened half a dozen times. By the way, are there no strong, virile, well-built young men and well-formed, sweet-voiced, healthy young girls among India's youth? If the conference did not have enough delegates of this variety, it is no fault of the producer or the cameraman. But if there were at least a few to answer this description, their shots would have made the film more worth while. We hope, at least, that this disgraceful representation of our youth is not sent overseas. It will be a libel on our nation. 11