FilmIndia (1945)

February, 1945. FILMINDIA great picture for which he obstinately took 25 weeks in Bombay. That Kapurchand sent a bill to Baburao Patel for 300 broken chairs at the Paradise because Sushila Rani did not appear on the stage to please the crowds during the premiere week. That Baburao Patel is wondering whether another small bill will follow for the garlands Kapurchand's representative put round Sushila Rani's neck. That Sushila Rani is proving a rare headache to Editor Patel, seeing that he has to act as her bodyguard from one corner of India to another to protect the little beauty from being mobbed. That Sushila Rani's fans are not satisfied with the mere endorsement of the Governor of the Reserve Bank on ten and five rupee currency notes, and they secure her autographs perhaps to make the instruments more negotiable. That Film-fan Shyam Kumar, a good-hearted crazy guy, seemed to have missed all the temples in Delhi to touch the feet of Sushila Rani with an affectionate ' didi '. And now Shanta Apte will demand similar homage. That the cold wave in Delhi seemed to have been switched off in a minute as soon as Sushila Rani entered the Roshanara Club as the guest of the ever-courteous Secretary Ganesh Pershad. That the male partners of the ball-room couples missed their steps and stepped on the corns of their angry partners is entirely another story. That the impulsive and affectionate Pershad daughters showed round Sushila Rani with such proprietary rights that Rani's mother, who had done the original trick, was completely eclipsed. That all the producers from Raja Pandit to Shantaram, not to mention Ratnamala, went to see the curtain going up on K. A. Abbas's "Zubeida", a dance ballet at the Cowasji Jehangir Hall for the Indian People's Theatre Association. They say Shantaram kept his eyes closed after the curtain went up. That Ahmed Abbas's theatre department proved a speaking affair with people lecturing and Prithviraj presenting his usual boring performance. It also turned out to be a social, political and municipal affair the way they regretted Romain Rolland's death, requested the Viceroy to grant a pardon to the Ashti and Chimur accused and ultimately demanded a municipal theatre in the city to facilita.e such seasonal 'tamashas'. That Ahmed Abbas's noble efforts to earn a four figure living through versatile stunts are admirable. But why pull in the poor producers away from their work? Raja Pandit at least, cannot spare a minute being busy with the epical biographies of the different producers. That the only producer who was not invited to view Ahmed Abbas's "Zubeida", was Chandulal Shah. Chandulal probably went to see the run of his 'Mastani'. That Producer Vishnu Kumar Vyas presented an address of welcome to Editor Patel at the Grand Hotel in Calcutta and very much regretted the idea of our editor becoming a film producer. That Vyas's address of welcome was written in English but the Englishman who can understand the language i« yet to be born. That one Mr. Sharma, evidently a local journalist, read the address and spoilt the taste of the pudding served by the Grand Hotel. That as Baburao Patel could not understand the language of the address of welcome, he made an unwelcome speech and as usual hit back Vyas and his Bengalee guests. This fellow, Patel, is always a dangerous customer. That, however badly Producer Vyas stumbled, his intentions being good, he escaped chastisement from Editor Patel. Incidentally, Vyas taught a lesson or two to Kapurchand's local representative how to treat guests invited from such a long distance. That Director Debaki Bose seems to be going through bad planetary influences seeing that Leela Desai will be the heroine of "Meghdoot". At this rate, Debaki Babu, will never recover his lost reputation. That Editor Chandrasekhar of "Dipali" has also become a film director and wonders whether he will get the same reception as was given to Comrade Patel — of course, from other comrades. That Publicity Officer Chatterjee of New Theatres was shocked out of his skin to find Editor Patel, "such a nice man" after his hearing lot of stories about the Loch Ness Monster. That Film actress Mehtab is reported to be touring the sandy deserts of Rajputana to bring home the atmosphere for Sohrab Modi's new film about the bandit who became the king for a day. That after her return, Mehtab will look out for new residential quarters on the Nepean Sea Road where motor cars don't stop without previous warning. That Director Kedar Sharma is reported to have discovered new talent in Leela Desai these days. It wouldn't We regret to announce the sudden death of Comrade E. P. Kanga in Nairobi on the 5th of January, 1945. Comrade Kanga's pioneering zeal and sincerity of purpose proved of immense benefii to the Indian motion picture producers who acquired new markets for their productions in Iraq and the Africas. He leave, behind his widow and a young daughter to whom our heart runs in affectionate sympathy. Mr. E. P. Kanea. 15