FilmIndia (Jan-Jul 1943)

OUR REVIEW Dalsuhh Pancholi Produces Another Thunder ! 'Zamindar' Draws Huge Crowds Rt West End Baby Akhtar's Sweet Performance Once again Punjab's leading producer Dalsukh Pancholi has given another box-office success after his remarkable hits in "Khazanchi" and "Khan-daan" . Purely from the production point of view, the new picture is a decided improvement over the previous ones, and day by day Dalsukh Pancholi threatens to improve till one day he will wrest the supremacy of production from the old stagers in the industry. The plot of the story is built on too familiar lines in which a bad. Zamindar grinds down his poor farmers and exploits them mercilessly. This theme has come in a number of pictures recently on the Indian screen, and the course and the end of the story are well anticipated by the audience all throughout leaving no dramatic suspense to maintain the continuous interest of the spectator . THE USUAL STORY The property of Ganesh the Zamindar has been faithfully and loyally looked after by Raghbir, his estate manager. Raghbir has a grownup daughter in Rupa. But suddenly the Zamindar returns, takes charge of the property and dismisses Raghbir, who is thrown back into the lap of poverty to struggle as best as he can. Ganesh has a grown-up son in Karan and a grown-up daughter in Tara. Though both children are modern, they are more kindly souls than the father. So when Ganesh tries to buy up the lands of the farmers by coercion and through the agency of Baini, the children protest vehemently. Baini is a crook and a low type who is also anxious to double-cross Ganesh to make his own profits. In securing lands, a lot of blood is shed and a little child is also killed. The son, Karan, rebels against his father and leaves the roof of his father in disgust. The farmers decide to kill Ganesh to end his tyranny and oppression. In a blind ballot it falls to the lot of Raghbir to shoot Ganesh, the Zamindar. All along, in the shadows of the Zamindar's mansion has been living a sweet, blind girl by the name 't. ZAMINDAR i ^ Producers: Pancholi Art £ Z Language: Hindustani i v v ^ Screenplay: Imtiaz Ali Taj ^ f Music: Ghularn Haider £ 2 £ Photography: M. N. Malhotra f £ Audiography: lshan Ghosh $ Z Cast: Shanta Apte, Z Manorama, 4 z Baby Akhtar, V s ^ and others. % i Released at West End, % v. J Bombay, f t Date of release: 18th Dee. '42. Z Director MOTI GIDVANI of Rambha. This is a beautiful touch in the story which portrays a contrast showing that right in the shadows of wealth lives grim and blind poverty holding precariously to human life. On the eve of Ganesh's murder, this blind girl meets Ganesh accidentally and gives some sound advice. Ganesh repents and decides to make amends for his past behaviour. No sooner he does so, he is shot in the back by some mysterious person . For a while, Raghbir is suspected, while Karan is actually put into Producer Dalsukh Pancholi who seems to have secured the knack of producing box-office hits one after another. the lock-up, because his gun was found on the scene of the murder. But ultimately, it all clears and Baini is hauled up for the murder of Ganesh . It is unnecessary to mention that Rupa and Karan being the younger brigade of artistes lead the team of romance. In the end they get each other. GULAM HAIDER FAILS This familiar tale is unfortunately told also in a very familiar strain leaving no novelty in situations or presentation . The direction of Moti B. Gidvanl is a considerable improvement over his work in "Khazanchi". At places, his technical direction has helped quite a few emotional situations. The photography could have been better with a little more care. The sound was quite satisfactory. Ghulam Haider, the much-boosted music-director has entirely failed to deliver the goods. We feel that his stock of music is exhausted the way he used old "Khazanchi" tunes in the back-ground. This man's idea of giving oveiioud mu 83