FilmIndia (1948)

May, 1948 F ILM INDIA absolve the Government of its responsibility; it must order these 'torture chambers' to be dismantled. Is not sanitation as necessary as discipline, Mr. Patel?"' Mrs. Indra Devi Pandit. KAXPUR CANTT. THEY ARE ALL PHONEY, BROTHER! "Something has been annoying me for a long lime. It is the make-up that is plastered all over stars' faces, regardless of their natural features. What bothers me most are: false eyelashes that stick out like wires, and lipstick that goes on about an inch beyond the girls' natural mouth I would really like to see some pictures of famous screen actresses without their immoveable eyelashes and phoney mouths." Prithi Paul Singh Chawla. SIMLA. GLORIFYING R. S. S. ? "In the last scene of "Mera Geet" of Jai Shakti Pictures the volunteers saluted the flag in the style of R. S. S. and their uniforms are just like that of R S. S. Now the question arises that when R. S. S. has been banned, why not the said scene should be cut off from the film? "1 want to convey this thing to the censors board through your famous magazine, and have full confidence that the censors board will do the needful. We must not allow those people to propagate about their party which have destroyed the greatest asset of India. Will the censors board take steps as eajly as possible." T. P. Jhunjhunwala. KAXPUR. DON'T SEND IT ABROAD "1 agree with Baburao Patel when he says that our South Indian standard of motion picture has not improved even though we have been one of the Pioneers in that line But the recently released Gemeni's "Chandralekha" is an exception. Produced and directed by S. S. Vasan who is a recruit in the field of direction it is by far the best picture produced in the South Its great drawbacks are its length (more than 18,000 ft ) and the story which combines both ancient and modern customs It is more or less the silly Arabian Nights stories in modern settings. The really commendable features in it are good photography and direction. When considering the huge money and time spent on producing it, the picture could have been bet Bharat Bhu-shan appears to be perplexed while Indu Paul is enjoying his embarassment in ' Batohi", T. K. Screen Classics' maiden production: ter done; in some places the settings look natural and in some the cardboard shows up pitilessly. "The producer has hopes to screen the picture in America; but I wish he doesn't do anything of that sort since we already knowhow the Americans receive our film especially when they come to know that it is boosted up as a "million dollar production". C V. Gopalan. KUMBAKONAM. CENSORS, WERE YOU SLEEPING? "A Gaumont British newsreel was very recently shown in the local Regal in which the producers show a synopsis of the happenings in Kashmir and proclaim that "a section of the populace in Kashmir rebelled against Nehru Government and Pandit Nehru poured in troops to aid the Hindu minority". The film is a complete travesty of facts and is a sinister political propaganda calculated to do harm to India's ' Kashmir Case" at the U. N. OWhatever be the motive and source of this film I am really bewildered at the complacent and inert attitude of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry towards such malicious foreign propaganda against our Government. To tolerate a fallacious propaganda is an unpardonable crime; it must be curbed and condemned and we fondly look forward to our beloved leader, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to not only ban this newsreel in India but to seek explanation from the British Government about its origin and exhibition." CAWNPORE. Shashi Datt. CINEMA HALL OR HELL? "Being fascinated by the glamour of advertisement in the Filmindia the other day I went to see "Sham Savera" at the local Shirccn Talkies. The front view of the Hall has been made attractive but the inside is very poor It is a poison pot with milk in the mouth. The surroundings are dirty ajad dismal. But what brings the patrons to hell is that there is no lavatory provided for them. Being a victim to nature's call the place I had to face reminded me of Hell and I was feel 67