FilmIndia (1945)

February, 1945. FILMINDIA If our artistes had any sense of responsibility we wouldn't see bald-headed Motilals and pot-bellied Chandramohans disgracing the screen in their autumn days. In our film industry no one retires. Everyone is kicked out. Who is the best male dancer on the Indian screen? If by 'male' you mean manly, Alakhnanda. The men who dance always look effeminate. What is Shantaram's opinion about your direction of "Draupadi"? He has not yet seen the picture. Probably he is scared. Why are all our great directors like Shantaram, Barua, Nitin Bose, Debaki Bose and Mehboob not in the news? To quote the reasons in their respective order: — "P. P. A. Dera", "Ranee", "Mujrim", "Ramanuj" and "Sister". What has made you a quarrelsome person? It seems to be the fault of my parents. SHAMSHUDIN (Dar-es-Salaam) What is the age of that new actress Nargis? As an actress she is only a yearling. SURESH CHAND GUPTA (Cawnpore) Tell me why Pankaj Mullick is not seen on the screen so long ? There is nothing to see in Pankaj, though there is everything to hear. So long as we hear him one way or other, we won't miss him. M. G. UTHAPPA (Bombay) What should be the aim of a woman? Man. If she shoots well and true, the corpse should be at her feet. K. H. BHATIA (Lucknow) Can you tell me the name of any actress who is not a "PROSS"? There is no such word in the English language though I know what you mean. I know one woman who played her part through a life time honestly and yet clumsily and who is not a "PROSS" — your kind, old mother, who gave birth to a cad like you. G. R. S. YADHAV (Bholepur) It has been noticed very often in our cinema halls that when some beautiful siren of the silver screen is at the height of her melody and soo.hing our aching heart, suddenly a new tune is produced by a crying child. At that critical juncture it is rather next to impossible to decide as to which tune we should listen to. What action can possibly be taken against the "Producers of these Piping Progeny"? India is a colourful country and if we begin complaining about our crying children we shall be withdrawing support from our greatest national and productive industry. The only article in which we can compete with the world and beat the world hollow in doing so, is children. We cannot afford to run down the one monopoly we have enjoyed through ages. Apart from these little pipers who protest out of tune with our pleasures, our music halls are full of smokers, pan-eaters, pista badam sellers, obstructive floor walkers, Sikh turbans, cocked fur-caps, bloated turbans, chattering mammas, whispering lovers, giggling belles and what not. Don't they all add to the colour of the country? JAWAHAR KHANNA (Simla) Which is the next picture of Raghupat Roy ("Shahen shah Akbar" fame)? It threatens to be a social story called, "DarziKa-Beta". Is Sushila Rani a charming girl? Ask me another. SUGANDH SINGH (Calcutta) Dear Uncle, I sent seven letters to Devika Rani addressing her 'didi' (elder sister) and asked her a few questions, but I am very sorry to say that she did not reply. Dear Uncle, can you tell me why? Dear nephew, Devika is still too young to be 'didi'. And that is perhaps the reason, my dear nephew, why your dear 'didi' did not answer. S. K. MITTAL (Dalmianagar) Why do the women folk like Ashok Kumar so much ? Because he looks so harmless and women always like deception. R. MANSUKHANI (Kalyan) My parents don't want me to marry a girl I love. Tell me what to do? Commit suicide, kill the girl, or poison your parents but don't ask me. It is your love affair and therefore your funeral. ATIB USMANI (Bombay) I have seen "Shakuntala" directed by your friend Shantaram as I have seen "Draupadi" and I have to say that "Draupadi" is miles ahead of "Shakuntala". Do you still call Shantaram the greatest director in India? If I were you, I would say, in the words of Dr. Johnson, "If I contradict myself then I contradict myself", and that settles it. I do not wish to compare myself with Shantaram for several reasons. One of them is that I am not a professional director earning a livelihood by directing pictures. Shantaram used to be a great director once when we remember his skill in "Admi" and "Padosi". I have still a great regard for him as a man of hard work and perseverance. I often admire his luck, though I had always scant respect for his intelligence. His recent work as a director as seen in "Shakuntala" and "P. P. A. Dera" relegates him to the position of a third-rate director. Directors become great or small by the quality of tbeir work and not due to the publicity behind them. Debaki Bose proved himcelf an intellectual giant in giving us "Vidyapati", Barua squeezed the last emotion out of our hearts in his "Devdas", but since, these two persons have been sliding down till Debaki gave us "Ramanuj" and Barua "Ranee". Unless Shantaram produces something outstanding, be will not regain his old position and when he does so, I shall be the first one to call him again the greatest director of India. The story of Shantaram's greatness began with "filmindia" and "filmindia" will always be glad to reclaim its lost hero when he earns the laurels. 31