FilmIndia (1945)

October, 1945. FILMINDIA One item of control, however, the Government seems to be anxious to continue is the 11,000 footage ceiling of Indian pictures. While this was a good war-time measure to economise the consumption of raw film, and it had also a salutary effect in cutting down the previous torturous length of Indian pictures, the continuance of this measure will become a severe hardship and a distinct trade disadvantage in the post-war period, seeing that many foreign pictures, imported into this country, have long lootage these days and as such constitute a terrific competition to the Indian product. To quote some recent instances, the following statistics may be examined: "Winged Victory", (20th Century) 11,802 ft.; "National Velvet", (M.G.M.) 11,110 ft.; "White Cliffs of Dover", (M.G.M.) 11,347 "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo," (M.G.M.) 12,404 ft.; "Hollywood Canteen". (Warner) 11,421 ft.; "Song of Bernadette", (20th Century) 14,048 ft.; "Since You Went Away", (U. Artists) 15,887.; "Dragon Seed", (M.G.M.) 13,302 ft. It is a well-known trade truth that masses in India require a long picture. Whatever the entertainment value of a picture, its very length also contributes to its trade value from the view-point of the masses. If Indian producers are compelled to stick to the 11,000 feet length in their productions and the foreign producers are allowed to import features with unlimited length, the Indian product will be seriously handicapped in its commercial returns in the long run. If the 11,000 feet ceiling is to be maintained, it is but fair that this restriction should also apply to all the foreign productions imported into this country. If this measure is enforced on a common basis, it is going to be very difficult for Hollywood to observe these footage restrictions, especially in case of their big and mighty productions. In such an event India will have to lose some outstanding productions from Hollywood. The only alternative, therefore, is to scrap the rule that restricts the footage of Indian pictures to 11,000 ft. and thus restore parity oi competition between the Indian and the foreign films. Foreign distributors in India often use the long footage of their productions as an argument to increase their admission rates and actually get away by making more money. Unless the Government scraps this rule of 11,000 feet ceiling immediately, we shall be constrained to believe that the Government is inclined to favour the foreign product in preference to the indigenous one. CENSOR BOARD RACKET A recent press announcement states that the Government of the Central Provinces and Berar has decided to establish a Board of Film Censors to examine and certify films as suitable for public exhibition. Already we have a number of censor boards functioning in India and thosin Bombay, Madras, Calcutta and Lahore have been constantly in news* for their numerous erratic decisions from time to time. Add to this general muddle oi censoring the tiny little censors who exercise their autocratic authority in the ditterent Native States of India and imagine how difficult it must he lor film producers in the country to satisfy all. In addition to these officially constituted censor boards, there are innumerable district magistrates sprinkled all over the country, magistrates who for some trifling reason or other often proceed to ban films in their own districts without the least consideration for the huge loss the producers are asked to bear. To all this hardship is now added one more headache by the Government of the Central Provinces and Berar. One can understand the existence of censor boards in towns where films are actually produced, but what particular purpose are they expected to serve in towns and Native States where not a foot of film is produced ? Ii some of the other provincial governments, Native States or District Magistrates have reason to restrict the exhibition of a film due to some special local circumstances — political or social — they can always exercise their executive authority by banning the picture or by cutting, out the offending portions of the picture without much ado. But where is the sense in establishing a special board of film censors and requiring the compulsory censoring of all films without exception? At this rate a Single film will have to secure some day not less than 573 censor certificates (11 British Provinces and 562 Native States) and calculating an average charge of Rs. 6o| per censor, the producer will have to spend nearly Rs. 34,000 per picture in obtaining an all-India free ticket for country-wide release. I It is not impossible to imagine this impossible future position. Our provincial governments and Native States Wonder what Kishore Sahu has put on Shobhana's head but it gives her more height to balance with her breadth in "Veer Kunal," a Rainnik Production. 13