FilmIndia (Jan-Nov 1942)

Shantaram Hits The Tin -Gods On The Head! Warns The Capitalists To Look Out! Pays A Glowing Tribute To Filmindia ! (On the 6th of October 1942, Mr. V. Shantaram, Honorary Film Adviser to the Government of India, was the distinguished guest at the Rotary Club of India. After the poor lunch which the gilt-edged Rotarians often offer to their guests, Mr. Shantaram addressed them on "Society and Our Films." — The Editor.) "I am a film producer and one of those who produce talkies every day of their life but become tonguetied when it comes to talking to a distinguished gathering like the present one. Amongst you there are many a professional orator and to such my present performance may perhaps not appeal. But I take courage in the thought that as a film producer I am used to addressing, though indirectly and through my productions, a much larger audience cons sting of millions all over the country than, perhaps, the best professional orator found in our social circles or in our political field. The spcken word of the Individuals, however great their personal popularity, reaches comparatively a small audience of intellectuals while a popular film covers a much wider field in entertaining and instructing millions all over the country. The influence of a film, therefore, is much larger and more potent than the spcken or the written word. Therefore, friends, whether you agree or not. you must concede to me the privilege of being heard with a seriousness as those very ideas which I may express today may affect the life of millions thrcugh my own productions In future. Several amongst you have pernaps been looking upon the motion picture film as an harmless medium of entertainment — sometimes frivolous and at times serous. That is certainly one way of looking at films, but it is not the only way to justify film production. To the producer who takes his profession seriously, production of films is an opportunity for rendering remarkable social service. THE REAL SOCIETY Here it is necessary to explain to you, friends, what the word 'society' means to me. During the last ten months that I have been the film producer to the Government of (nd'a, this word 'society' has fallen on my ears a million times. One clay I have been introduced to a big society lady, another day I had to attend a big society wedding, a third day 1 was inv ted to another social luncticn, but somehow, maybe perhaps due to my own drawbacks, I have never felt at home at al! these functions where instead of breathtng fresh air f have always taken in the aroma of different perfumes and my eyes have been dazzled by the finery and the wealth of costumes worn by men and women. This Is not the society that 's ever affected by cur films except perhaps in their ever-changing modes of dress or vogues of hair-does. At the most, the membership of this society throughout India should not go over 10,000 persons. No producer who has a bit of social conscience would bother about this 10,000 when there are 400 million others waiting to be taught a new way of life. But somehow, Western civilization with its clubs and dances has lent us an artificial standard of life which ill-befits the majority of our people. My idea of soc'ety does not necessarily exclude these people but includes the millions of others in the country who, like the proverbial dumb-driven cattle, follow the glamorous few in Mr. V. Shantaram — and who does not know him. their unequal race of life and come to grief. When I speak of the requirements of society, I have \this particular society in my mind, and if any art or science, in fact any human endeavour, fails to touch this entire society, I consider all such arts and sciences and human efforts as completely purposeless, entirely off the mark, and futile. Like every other art, the filmic art consists in surmounting difficulty to produce beauty. Indeed the finished film is always a result of several arts and its character is necessarily composite. Synthetic and co-operative, production of filmic beauty is a thousand times more difficult than painting a picture or writing a poem which is always a more or less individual effort. A film is a synthesis which partakes of not only poetry and painting but a number of other arts like music, acting, photography, dress-designing, eloquence etc. The combination of so many arts into the sing^ filmic art has resulted m the film inheriting a great power, a power which can be used for good or evil according to the conscience of those who will it. The greater the power, the greater the responsibility for the mot'on picture producer. The people who produce films have in their hands a terrible weapon which they can well use 65