FilmIndia (1948)

June, 194S riLMiNDIA Devika Rani of 'Mamta" will once again delight her countless filmfans in Diamond Pictures' first production venture, "Anyaya". [ cording is even worse and reLrecording makes many a dialogue I inaudible or at least incomprehensible. Processing is bad and Leven the release print had scratches and pin-points galore. The sets, particularly those shot Lin Prabhat, are solid, massive |,and impressive, but there are occasional jiopeless patches — like the plain, modern, cheap-looking door of Juliet's otherwise beau'tifully — designed room! Generally, the picture suffers from lack of [l care in the matter of details, i Music is another department to which no particular attention seems to have been paid. Husanilal and Bhagatram may be all Iright for ordinary socials like "Aaj |Ki Raat" and "Heera" but certainly a better music director was (required for a picture like "Romeo Juliet". The songs are well-writ,ten, no doubt, but the tunes are cheap and jazzy — and hardly in (keeping with the dignity, sobriety land period atmosphere of the Istory. (Could there be something Imorc incongruous than a rhumba Irhythm used for the background music in the grimly tragic death scene?) And yet, except one, none of the songs has the touch of popularity. TRIUMPH FOR NARGIS According to Shakespeare, Juliet was only fourteen years old and the fairest girl in Verona — "0, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear; Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!'' It is obvious that no mortal girl can come up to the standard conjured by the poet's fancy. But, nevertheless. Norma Shearer (though twenty years older than Juliet was supposed to be) is generally regarded to have given Ian exquisite characterization in ithe M.G.M. film. Nargis, in playing this role, undertook a grave responsibility, for her performance is bound to be compared with ithat of Norma. There arc those (who cannot believe that any "native" Indian artiste can ever equal the histrionic achievements of the Hollywood stars but if we get rid of that inferiority complex, one must concede that Nargis comes very near to Norma's high standard of performance. She has the same look of innocence, the same naivette, no less dignity and poise, and what she lacks in the veteran Norma's emotional intensity she 1 lakes up for her more youthful appearance. With this picture, she takes her place among the best film stars in India. Sapru (cat eyes and all) is really miscast and has to contend against his looks, but nevertheless his performance is not bad. In some of the scenes he even achieves a measure of valid emotion. The love scenes between the two are played with appropriate restraint and dignity, though (in a tale of classic fashion) a little more fire and intensity was indicated. Among the other artistes, the old trouper, Sunalini Devi, plays a 'natural' role as the garrulous old nurse, Anwar makes a likeable Mercutio (though he is liable to over-act at times) and Aman, a new-comer, makes a handsome and dashing Tybalt — here is a young actor who deserves a break. Director Akhtar Husain has tried hard to give a faithful copy of the M.G.M. version and, in view of the comparatively limited resources, his effort and achievement are not negligible. He deserves credit for earnest hard work. But I wish he had not been so obsessed with the Hollywood pattern and had given himself scope for some originality. Hollywood's standards are not necessarily the best in the world — and at any rate, that kind of spectacular production value is out of the reach of even the richest Indian producer. It would have been far better if the director had concentrated on the essence of emotion — the romantic and dramatic core of the play — instead of lavishing so much time, attention and money on sets, costumes and effects. After all, with all its lavishness of technique and production, the Hollywood "Romeo and Juliet", as a classic tale of love, did not have half of the authentic emotion of our own "Devdas" or "Laila Majnu". 43