FilmIndia (Jan-Nov 1942)

August 1942 FILMINDIA was to have a tremendous influence on his life. Need I tell you that her name is Snehaprabha Pradhan. She was already his fan because she had seen 'Bahurani' and was very thrilled by the young man who took the lead. She thought he was a very fine actor. Kishore and Snehaprabha became fast friends and then their friendship blossomed into something deeper — presumably love. Anyway they were married while making 'Punar Milan'. But unfortunately the dreamy glamour boy and his diminutive glamour girl didn't see eye to eye and separated after six months of rather bumpy married life. Their disagreement came as a great shock to Kishore who is now inclined to looki at everything through rose tinted glasses. However their parting came as a relief to Kishore who shies away from anything unpleasant. But even the most hardened of Hollywood's much married actors and actresses would be upset by a separation after only six months of married life and Kishore who .is ultra-sensitive had to go away for a holiday to his native place. He returned to Bombay six months ago, a new man after his self inflicted exile. Kishore is a real gentleman He does not wish to talk about his marriage at all and I only wormed some of this information out of him by bullying him into a hypnotic state where he was too scared or maybe too polite not to answer my questions. At present he is acting in and directing 'Kunwara Bap' which he says will be a hit. This is his first comedy and he has charming Protimadas Gupta to act with. Kishore has written the scenario and there are very amusing satirical bits in the film. He says "In days of war it is nice to make people laugh. I like to make films in which tears and laughter mingle. I feel that in every great tragedy there is always some comedy." Kishore works for twelve to sixteen hours a day but still finds time to pursue his other hobbies. He likes to paint in oils and water colours, and even does cartoons. He is a popular figure in the student world and presided at the Students' Federation in the Central Provinces last year and at Lucknow this year. Bullying him into a hypnotic state As if all this isn't enough, Kishore is also an author and journalist. He writes short stories for Hindi journals and is considered to be one of the best Hindi Short Story writers. His first book is in press now and is called "Tesu-Ke-Phool" while he is busy writing a novel now about the film industry which he has very aptly called "Painted Faces". Kishore lives alone at Shivaji Park and his only form of recreation is playing tennis and badminton at the studio where there are courts laid out. He has a special fondness for what he calls good clothes and for what I call flashy clothes. I have seen him on two occasions and on both these occasions his ties practically hit me in the eye and his clothes screamed 'film star'. Once he was dressed in a dazzl ing white China-silk suit with exaggerated shoulders and a tie which would have made a dago blush and the other time he wore a checked coat which didn't match his trousers and his tie was conspicuous by its unpatterned whiteness. Anyway the ladies continue to fall heavily for Kishore so perhaps clothes aren't so important after all. The ladies don't notice Kishore's clothes because they are probably much too busy looking at his eyes. He has fascinatingly strange eyes with heavy sleepy lids. Women fans write to tell him that they adore his eyes and worse still, they say they are dying for love of him and threaten to follow him wherever he goes. Does our Kishore feel flattered by all this feminine adulation? Not he. He blushes modestly, runs a nervous finger inside his collar and seems determined to shun the fair sex. Once bitten twice shy, you will say but you'll be wrong. Kishore has every intention of marrying again and he says the young lady he has in mind is a good looker even though she isn't a film star, but who she is Kishore won't say. No, not even I with my third degree methods could make him reveal his new lady love's name! But he may tell you if you write to him at Shivaji Park, Cadell Road, Dadar. Bombay.