FilmIndia (1945)

U/oQA & Sic It OQ5 ( This is the reader's forum — as and when space permits. From the producer to the lay film-goer, every one can write to the Editor and ventilate his grievance. For every letter published in these columns, the publishers will pay Rs. SILetters should be signed and marked "Hoes And Echoes". Photographs of the readers will be published along with their letters, if convenient. — The Editor.) SEARCHING COURTESY, EH? "I had sent my man to purchase two tickets of rs. l|4j each for 7-0 P.M. show of 'Vikramaditya' but through mistake he brought tickets for 4-0 P.M. show. I went to the Manager of Super Talkies to get the tickets changed but he refused to do so, saying that tickets once purchased were useless and that I would have to buy new ones. Under the circumstances I had to lase Rs. 2|8| unnecessarily. Do Evergreen people wish to make money this way because 'Vikramaditya' does not collect well otherwise?" SANTA CRUZ N. V. Vatsraj. EVERGREEN, EH ? "The part of a hero or a heroine, 20 or 25 years old as depicted in Sheikh Hassan — a newcomer — makes motion picture history in "Gvalan", a social story of Amar Pictures. the story of the picture is invariably played to our surprise and disappointment by film stars who are far above that age and appearance, in spite of the make-up, and then we have to believe things which our naked eyes refuse to believe. While I have great regard for their histrionic abilities, I fail to understand how they can succeed in playing roles for which they are not physically suitable. How can they camouflage age?" BOMBAY. S V. Bhalekar. ONE MAN JOB "Your reviews of pictures are the most outstanding feature of "Filmindia" and thousands of your readers buy the mag for reviews only. It is noticed that you publish late reviews of many films and our money is wasted in many cases as we are led astray by false publicity of certain films. Will you kindly pay special attention to this and instruct your lieutenants who do this job to be a little more prompt in this respect? If you can arrange to publish reviews as soon as films are released in Bombay, you will save a lot of hard-earned money of people like me. Thanks." LAHORE. J. L. Mehta WELL. DALSUKH? •Tn the local Prabhat Cinema, sanitary arrangements are rotten. Bath-rooms are in a shocking condition, and the theatre is owned by people like Pancholi. Can't you do something for the good of the public?" LAHORE. J. L. Mehta. GRAVE DIGGERS "Is it lack of originality or bankruptcy of brain which prompt the South Indian film producers to unearth the fossils of grandmotherly tales one after another and exhibit them with such great boosting? It is a pity that they have become archaeologists !" BANGALORE. A. N. Narayana Rao MASSAGING AGE •'Almost all the social pictures of Director Sohrab Modi have invariably failed. Take 'Parakh,' for instance, and you will find it hopeless from the beginning to the end. Such themes seldom coincide with our every day life and stories of this type can hardly appeal to the average intelligence. As for Mehtab, she is too old and out of date for such roles. One gets cross with her continuous presence in almost every scene, and there is no way out except the 'EXIT'. Is there any iota cf possibility for a weather-beaten woman to play the part of a maiden of sixteen and that too with the pious hope of courting success? There is a place for 'Make-up', no doubt, but if crabbed age is to be chosen as substitute for youth, the choice is sure to lead to disaster." SIMLA. Hassan Amir. ALL ROT "The other day when it was announced that the Government Raw Film Control would go very shortly, I had a rude shock. Inspite of the drastic cut in their rations, our producers flooded the market with a lot cf motion picture trash. Recent years have not seen even half a dozen pictures of worth. I don't know how much more of rotten stuff we may have to bear." MADRAS. H. Gopala Rao. A WAIL "In all cinema houses lower class seats (1st & 2nd classes) cannot be reserved. A person who enters the house first, ties up a few kerchiefs or some rags and we have to accept these seats as "reserved''. It transpires that many such seats are not for the guys for whom tickets have already been purchased but "they are anticipated to attend that "Gvalan", a social picture directed by Baburao Patel will introduce the future great character-actor of India — Mr. Bipin Gupta. Watch this man. He is your favourite. show " Many a time these fellows never turn up at all! "Quarrels often take place amongst cinemagoers because one entering a house sufficiently in advance is denied a better seat. "Would all cinema managers look into the matter and give directions to their staff not to allow this tie-up business any more ?" BOMBAY. H. S. Narayan ALAS ! "Keeping in view his latest productions, i.e. "Shanker Parvati", 61