FilmIndia (1945)

November, 1945 FILMINDIA In "Pehli Nazar" Bibbo gives you the fireworks with those well-shaped eyes of hers. Look out! When Bibbo is in that mood, there is danger ahead. capitalists. And we have had them as long as we care to remember without any improvement in our film industry. TELL US ANOTHER, HIRLEKAR ! Mr. K. S. Hirlekar, one of the five 'experts' who went flying to Hollywood, has been talking some rank nonsense in Hollywood. Here is something from his latest talk, "Now that the war is ended, we might produce pictures for exclusive distribution in America to acquaint the American people with the Indian way of life." What a pious platitude and what a thundering lie! Years ago, Jamshed Wadia sent to America "The Court Dancer", an all-singing, all-dancing talkie with English dialogue. Not one American has yet paid to see that picture, not even to acquaint himself with the Indian way of lite. The Indian film industry has not yet produced a single good picture for its own country during the last 30 years and here is "expert" Hirlekar bluffing the Americans making the cultural angle an excuse. And how many Americans are anxious to know the "Indian way of life"? For that matter exacdy how many Americans know the exact spot on the world map where India is ? At his age Hirlekar should be more realistic and practical. Whom is he bluffing: the Americans, the Indians or himself ? People who assume the responsibility of representing a nation should learn to talk in a responsible manner. To dole out any spring-time bluff in the name of the Indian film industry is not the correct industrial representation by a so-called "delegate." The cheap publicity which Hirlekar is gathering by such stupid bluffs can hardly be beneficial to the future stability and status of our film industry. The least that the Producers' Association can do is to contradict the silly utterances of Hirlekar as the "delegate" of the Indian film industry. Hirlekar seems to be fast learning the "Yankee way of life." But the Yankees have Hollywood to boast of while we have a few tin sheds as studios. Why not be truthful and humble once in a while ? , THE AMERICAN WAY OF BUSINESS While "Expert" Hirlekar talks of "producing pictures for exclusive distribution in America" (a thundering bluff in itself), American film people are showing some strange sportsmanship towards their British competitors. News has reached India that parts of "Henry V", a British picture, have been ordered to be cut and reshot by the Hayes office because Americans have recently acquired rather delicate ears and can't bear to hear Shakespearean slang like "bastard" and "damn". American censors consider this to be coarse language for the present day Americans, while their own "bullshit" and "boloney" are expected to be taken as gems of the English language. It is difficult to believe that the Americans have suddenly become so touchy and decorous remembering that they have usually been known to be quite unconventional and honest people in their approach to life. There is more in this ban than meets the eye. The American film people seem to be scared of British competition in the post-war years because the Yanks have heard, not with a little heartburn, of the commercial success of "Henry V" produced by Laurence Olivier. It seems to us that this frivolous ban is nothing but a dirty trick to delay the Broadway release of "Henry V" and incidentally to frighten away other British producers Don't be scared ! Ragini always looks that. She aims well in "Nek Parvin", a picture of D. R. D. Productions. IS