FilmIndia (1948)

i ptember, 1948 iX"AHARLAL'S WORD OF HONOUR I Some time in January 1948. the Government of 1 nbay issued an ordinance controlling the use of buildmaterials for constructing only small tenements and lying permission to build any new cinemas. This was a sequel to the agitation launched by "filmia" and the ordinance came in good time, though Conssman Manu Subedar got away with his palatial hotel . his new luxurious cinema at Marine Lines. \S e had requested the Government of Bombav to inigate in this matter thoroughly. Home Minister rarji Desai, it is reported, did not seem to like the iplexion of things but thinking discretion to be the er part of valour did not wish to interfere with little iu's big enterprise which seemed to have a sanction n the Central Government. Official investigations efore came to an abrupt end and Manu Subedar has i able to complete both the cinema and the hotel. The ;1, moreover, acquired an official recognition when a ■;e crowd of A.I.C.C. members was accommodated ■ e recently. We don't grudge Manu Subedar his good I: but we want to know exactly how many poor quaftlicould have been built in the building material miso;l in these two palatial buildings. It is a little pro■n of democratic mathematics. || Every deed, good or bad. is these days attributed to ■ ocracy and democracy is fast taking a new definition. ■ masses are the usual sufferers and it is big guns like VI u Subedar who get the best out of the Congress govInent by virtue of their influence and status. We know that Home Minister Morarji Desai has a ■i democratic outlook on life and it is therefore flhge that he has not gone to the root of the Manu jlkdar scandal. Perhaps it is a case of letting the ileiing dogs lie. I Our present unfortunate lot seems to be to hear H> platitudes of democracy without the support■jacts that take democracy into the home and heart of citizen. I [Recently, in New Delhi. Mr. H. V. Kamath asked in ■Parliament whether government would see that buildUnaterials which were so scarce were not diverted to Hroilding of cinema houses, restaurants and hotels as ■happened in a town in the United Pro\ inces. II Our Prime Minister. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, with ■usual commendable impulse gave us an assurance ■ not a single cinema house would be built in India ther necessarv requirements had been met. In fact. ■fcovernment of India had asked the provincial governAs that even the construction of palatial buildings Hid be put off for the time being. \: the wake of Pandit Nehru's statement comes the ■ that the West Bengal government are enquiring as to Sl8 cinema houses sprang up in Calcutta within a Bnonths in spite of the fact that no building materials ■ supplied to those theatre owners by the government. Hently. there are 18 more Manu-magicians in Cal ■flThis magic of cinema construction is fast distorting *Haeaning of democracy for us and even a diehard ■ ressman like me has started wondering whether FILMINDI A something is rotten in the State of Denmark. Imagine, therefore, the shock to the poor and needy to see 18 in a row and all to show our usually rotten motion pictures. Our theatre owners are unblushing capitalists and they are always out to squeeze the last penny from the pockets of our stupid filmgoers. To let these people run wild with precious building material is simply to deny a square deal to our homeless masses. Imagine the sad plight of thousands of refugees who are clamouring for a roof over their head! Add to this, the tragic clamour of the poverty-stricken millions to whom the pavement is a bed and the sky a roof and it is not difficult to understand so much discontent against our present popular ministries. If the \^ est Bengal Government s investigations ever see the light of day, they should provide a useful guidance to the other provincial governments and help them at least to keep a watchful eye and see that more Manu Subedars don't take advantage of the building materials in the black market. Black marketing of building materials is evidently going on merrily in Calcutta and at a magical speed. And unless the West Bengal Government take a firm and decisive attitude, nothing is likely to come out of their investigations. In the meantime, "filmindiar' will keep a close watch and wait for the findings of the West Bengal Government, but before then let us pray that Premier B. C. Roy interprets democracy correctly to the poor millions who look up to him for food and shelter. Why not send these little capitalists to jail for their Madhubala and Ranjitkumari seem to be discussing the ethics of Ahimsa in "Lai Dupatta", Akash Chitra's maiden social.