FilmIndia (Jan-Nov 1942)

FILMINDIA more than all our national leaders could do. PANSY BOYS AND MILK SOPS Ah! Here is a woman with a mind of her own and with strong likes nr.d dislikes. I thought of risking a personal question: "Have you any favourites amongst the Indian film stars?" "None in the male section. I feel that barring a couple of exceptions the Indian screen abounds in pansy boys and milk-sop heroes. And men like that don't become favourites. "Among the girls, however, I like Khursheed in pathetic roles. Her music tco, is delightful. Then there is Jamuna. For her one performance in "Devdas", she will remain my favourite all the time. I also like Kanan who can sing and act beautifully (Now, however, she is inclined to get fat). "Now, don't ask me about others. I don't wish to get into trouble unnecessarily." I wondered whether she would talk on music as people who know something of music don't usually talk but those who don't know anything generally find fault with everything musical. I ventured a query, however, and here is how she obliged. "Music is a vast subject and I don't think I know enough to give an authoritative opinion. Friends tell me that I have a good voice and I sing well. Often enough that is a natural gift. But I may risk some of my impressions. I feel that the present day music in our talkies is getting rather monotonous. New Theatres have often given good music for instance in "Doctor" "Vidyapati" and "Devdas", while Bombay Talkies merely give some snappy tunes which appeal to the masses, but to me, their effect is not lasting. "The introduction of songs at the wrong time needs a comment. K. C. Dey being made to sing in and out of necessity should be stopped. The traditional beggar song is nonsensical. Surely, beggars • can't sing so well nor can it be possible that they should • burst into a meaningful song, according to the needs of 32 the hero or the heroine. Singing always under trees or near streams as they generally do in our pictures sounds too idealistic. If music is a form of emotional expression; how can the players wait till they walk up to the stream or is an emotion only inspired at the sight of a suitable tree or a convenient stream? "After 'Jhoola', the jhoola craze has seized many a director and now songs must be sung on a jhoola. "Khazanchi" has brought in the cycle as a supplementary musical instrument. Then there is the popular tune which breaks itself out into an epidemic form taking dif Director Aspi Irani, one of our enthusiastic young directors who will soon be directing a picture for Ranjit. ferent shapes through different pictures. Really, our directors of pictures and music don't show much of originality in their work and very often we hear the same tune being sung through a dozen Hindustani pictures, through half-a-dozen Tamil ones and quite a quarter-dozen Telugu ones. "Music is essential for our pictures. I cannot imagine Indian pictures without music. The masses want music. We have got so used to music ;n our pictures that w cannot do without it (I admit, it has been too much of a good thing). August 1942 g Another reason would be that in the absence of good acting (which is too frequent) we would have had the satisfaction of having heard some good music. It would, of course, be ideal to divide pictures into musical, comedy, tragedy and other classes. But this categorical \ distinction will not hold good in India. We have begun with music j in all pictures and it will always \ continue to be there. We are too slow to change, so let's go on with it." NO SCHOOL OF HUMOUR "What do you think of our comedies?" For a full minute she laughed at the very question. "I don't think our country has any particular school of humour" \ said she with deliberation." We are a serious people and incapable of subtle humour which is supposed j to be the spice of life. Certain Hindu families rule out laughter as bad manners. Dignity, poise, mo1 desty, these are our traditional heirlooms. How can you expect any genuine humour to thrive under j such conditions? "The little forced humour, therefore, which we indulge in is either i slapstick or vulgar. Indian comedies on the screen don't appeal to | me at all. I hardly laugh when I 1 go to see them. Most often there j is a sense of irritation. Indian comedians overact and become unconvincing. Recently I saw a picture I called "Dillagi". It was supposed , to be a comedy but the situations were far from being comic. ! Throughout the picture I didn't laugh even once but at the end j when the lights were on again I ' looked at the mournful face of Pan i dit Indra, the writer of the comedy (he had invited us to see this picture) and the tragedy of frustration reflected in his face excited real laughter. But every picture-goer ( can't be as lucky as I to have the author sitting by his side. "Now isn't that enough for one day?" said Miss Sushila Rani, our new secretary in her sweet musical voice and fearing that I would continue to sit there staring at her gazelle-like eyes, she opened the door for me.