FilmIndia (1945)

Octobsr, 1945. FILMINDIA teous words in reply from the company? Needless to state that the sheet of photographs which was of a small size could have been returned if the company had affixed an extra stamp of Anna One only. "Another producer-director of Bombay who takes pride in being Known as the greatest director of the country has evidently little time to waste in just casting a look at the Registered application lying over his office table. Heaven knows if the incourteous greatgun has used the stamped cover, intended for his kind reply, for his private purposes. "There is yet another producer— this one from the Punjab — whom the young artiste had the 'privilege* of seeing personally. Throughout his first interview the producer treated him nicely which, as understood later on, was only due to the presence of an acquaintance of the producer who had introduced the applicant to him. Upon the next appointment the producer suddenly turned out to be 'too busy' and went on giving further appointments till it was known that the worthy producer has left the station. "These are a few bitter experiences of the art:ste, of those big-bellies who have not yet learned what courtesy is. "It may probably be thought that the artiste had little attraction about himself and hence the indifferent attitude of the producers. But I am conscious that I am addressing this to you, Mr. Baburao Patel, and I dare challenge I can show and convince you that, if there had been even an atom of sincerity in the industry's repeated calls for fresh talent, the industry would have deemed itself fortunate to have secured such an artiste of extraordinary abilities. "Unto these persons, whose preachings are devoid of sincerity, we, therefore, sav at the top of our voice: "PRODUCERS, BE MEN." KARACHI. Moti Panjwaney. INDEED WHY? "After Kedar Sharma's "Chitralekha" not a single picture of his has appealed to me. I do not know why Sardar Chandulal Shah, after seeing so many rotten pictures directed by Sharma, still allows him to direct more and more from time to time. Is it that Sardarji is interested more in his 'SATTA' business rather than in his film business. But after see:ng Sharma's 'Mumtaz Mahal*. I think he is not able to handle historical subjects properly and therefore it is better for him to do away with these subjects and handle social subjects in future. "In the end, I must second the general feeling which prevails among the cine-goers that Kedar's pictures are lifeless, dull and boring." KARACHI. Hotu Tikamdas. DANGEROUS DREAMS! "Recent flops like 'C.C.R.N. Jawan', "Aina", "Shirin Farhad" etc., show that our Indian Film Industry is on the verge of death. The producers and directors are adopting veritable suicide tactics. The wastage of valuable raw materials in such hard times is deplorable. To save this industry, what is needed now is a person, who can come above all these (moneymak'ng business), and try to work assiduously for industry's sake. I wonder, when we will be able to Recruit Uday do Volga of 195 Hornby Road, Fort, Bombay, is just 5'-o" and has a face for character acting. He is ready to come in it some producer has imagination enough to use that face. see pictures like "Madame Curie", "Random Harvest" and "Gone with tbe Wind." Hope it v/on't be a day-dream." BASAVANGUDI. Mrs Shyamala Sirsi. "I am shocked to learn that Saigal has been selected to play the role of Omar Khayyam in the forthcoming film of that name. I cannot think of anybody among our male actors w!i<> could fit into that role, least of all Saigal. Do the skulls of those who are responsible for this choice contain nothing better than pure cow-dung? "Yet another shock is the selection of Arun and Nargis for the roles of Romeo and Juliet. One of the film rags — there is only one film magazine in India — writes that it is the ideal choice for "Romeo and Juliet." In the first place there was no need for the same story already filmed by Hollywood to be filmed again in India, and if they we're so desirous of filming it here they could surely have made a better choice. "I read that a certain film producer from the Punjab, named Rood K. Shorey, is going to Hollywood to film in technicolor the story of Omar Khayyam, and that he has secured the services of Ronald Colman to play Khayyam The choice is excellent, no doubt. However the question remains whether this day dream is ever going to be materialised. What do you think?" BOMBAY. Atib Usmani. TELLING ME? "I saw 'Humayun' in Bombay after reading its reviews in some magazines, all of which had praised it very much. But I was thoroughly disappointed in the picture Why don't our reviewers be true to their conscience and give us correct revi^ws? if the wrong reviews which they give us, are their real' opinions of the pictures, let them stop reviewing pictures, for thev are unfit to do so. "But to proceed, after I returned from Bombay 1 read the review of 'Humayun' in "filmindia" and it was almost the same as my own opinion about the picture. I take this opportunity to declare that "filmindia" is the best film magazine of India and that its reviews are correct and unaffected either by personal prejudices or obligations." BASAVANGUDI. C. S. Venkatesh IT'S THE SUN "Do not you think I am right to say that all these attempts of the "glass-eyed" and "good-for-nothing" journalists to fling mud at ycu are simply spitting at the moon?" SIALKOT CITY. K. P. Paul Singh "A producer, looking more like a starved murderer, black, ta'l and thin, clad in white dhoti and kurta and with glasses, who happens to be a friend of my uncle came to his office in his old black Baby Austin. He was out in search for WRONG ONES! EH! PEARLS BEFORE—? 39