FilmIndia (1945)

ffiMttin NEW HUNS PICTURES LTD. (Bombay) "Draupadi" is having a merry run at the Imperial Cinema in Bombay in its nth week inspite of the counter criticism and propaganda against it. The very fact that it is drawing huge crowds shows that the picture has captured the fancy of the people and inspite of the instructional angle in the story, the public seem to have accepted this picture as the best entertainment in the town. Sushila Rani's music and performance naturally become the highlights of the picture as "Draupadi" is essentially a heroine story and as such revolves round the vicissitudes of an ancient woman who became a martyr to the passions of unruly men. On the production side things are now got ready for the production of "Mera Watan", a social story with a patriotic theme. By the time this issue is in your hand the shooting of this picture will have started at the Prabhat Studios in Poona. Producer Baburao Patel and, of course, Sushila Rani, are concentrating on their new joint effort ''Matwali Meera". To secure authentic atmosphere for this picture they will be visiting Nathdwara, Brindavan and other places where Meera lived in her times. People in Delhi, Benares, Muttra and Calcutta need not be surprised if they spot these two in their towns during the first week of January. :/ FAMOUS FILMS (Bombay) News comes to us that Producer K. Abdulla has at last completed the shooting of "Phool", a social story which is reported to have become an excellent motion picture. They say that it is an unusual story based on rumour mongering and its disastrous results on life. Featuring Veena, Sitara, Suraiya, Prithviraj, Mazharkhan and others the picture promises a rare treat in versatile talent. EASTERN PICTURES (Bombay) Director Shaukat Hussain reports that he has made considerable pro gress with the shooting of "Zeenat" in wmch Nur Jehan leads a useful cast with Yakub, Manjula, Dixit and Karan Diwan. The music is in the hands of Mir Saheb who came to light in that picture "Pukar". Another picture planned by these people will be called "Gurudev", and this is supposed to be a story of Swami Vivekanand. ROHINI PICTURES (Bombay) They tell us that Producer Phani Mqumdar is progressing at neckbreaking speed with his new picture 'justice'. We hope he docs not break his neck in doing so. With Veena, Swarnalata, Kusum Deshpande, Navin Yagnik and others, the picture promises to be a successful affair insofar as Producer Majumdar's work is concerned. BOMBAY TALKIES LTD. (Bombay) "Jwar Bhata" is drawing good crowds at the Majestic where it was released. The story of this picture is tieated in rather an old fashioned v. ay and that is perhaps the reason whygood old people like it. The next item on the production programme of the company is not yet announced but, as tar as we understand, it is supposed to be a social pictuie under the captaincy of P. Jairaj. SHALIMAR PICTURES (Poona) We are still waiting tor the release of "Mun-ki-Jeet". At the studios, Producer VV. Z. Ahmed has almost finished the shooting of "Ghulami", a propaganda story featuring Renuka Devi. Mr. Ahmed is also pretty busy with the preliminary preparations of "Shree Krishna Bhagwan", a mythological story planned on ambitious lilies. The cast of this picture is not yet announced but we are confident that Neena, the leading star of the company, will lead a very versatile and useful cast. SANTRAM PICTURES (Bombay) This is a new distributing company with its head offices in Lahore. They In the old-fashioned way they are at Renuka's throat in "Ghulami", a Shalimar picture. 42