FilmIndia (1948)

oe5 (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. tor every letter published in these columns, the publishers will pay Rs* SiLetters should be signed and marked " Woes And Echoes"' Photographs of the readers will be published along with their letters, if convenient. — The Editor. ) EXPLOITING PATRIOTISM ''Really I was surprised to see our etional flag in "Sajan", which I re;ntly saw in Delhi. Without any lyme or reason the flag was shown id now it seems to have become a ractice to display the Indian Naonal flag in Indian films. Never ave we seen the display of foreign ags in foreign pictures. I cannot nderstand why our national flag lould be thus insulted by all and bndry?" HIWANI. Rajesh N. Saxena. WARNING OFF | "Your reviews, no doubt, are masrpieces. You not only point out ie defects in the pictures but also ake suggestions as to how they iuld have been avoided. But I would ;quest you not to go into all the deils of the story itself, for in this ay the film fans are likely to lose iterest in the picture. On the other and, a mere outline of the main indents would help stimulate their iiterest." jEW DELHI. Omes/i Chandra Whig. BELIEVE IT OR NOT "We beg to inv ite your attention to ie reproduction of a letter by one Wazir Chand (New Delhi I regarding our cinemas in Delhi, on page 23 of the July issue. The letter seems to be absurd and wrong in as much as it concerns the sound at the theatres. We consider it necessary to state that we have the best sound system at our cinemas; one theatre is fitted with Mirophonic Master Western Electric and the other with Western Electric Standard and the third with R.C.A. PG 51. "All these equipments are maintained at a very heavy cost by ha\ ing one special Engineer deputed to look after the sound and reproduction of projectors. "The theatres are maintained in a most up-to-date way in all other respects." DELHI. Lola Jagat Narain. LET S HOPE! "I read with great concern Editor Baburao Patels letter published under the caption '"Stop This Slander" in the July issue of "filmindia". It really pains every Indian s heart to read what a good deal of malicious propaganda is going on against India and her people in Europe and America. n almost every prominent inc-idenl from Gandhiji's life, the statues played heir symbolic part in "Bapn ki Amar Kahani", a short film produced by Famous Pictures. "The three so-called Indian Information reels entitled "Child". "Mother" & "Community" are but one of those innumerable examples to degrade India before the eyes of the Western people. It is the sacred duty of our government to see that our prestige is nowhere lowered in the world and that these documentary reels are immediately banned and destroyed." LUCKNOW. P. Chandra. DELHI SMOKE "The Commissioner of Bombay has recently issued an order banning smoking in cinema halls on grounds of "public health and decency". The order also states that persons found smoking in cinema halls in contravention of this order would be prosecuted and fined. "It is high time that the Delhi authorities should also follow suit and take some steps in this direction and prohibit smoking in cinema halls. This will tend to remove suffocation in cinema halls. Moreover, in the ahsence of "clouds of smoke" the audience will be able to see the pictures clearly — without having to strain their eyes too much." NEW DELHI. Raj Kumar. DISGRACEFUL "It is a common vice with almost all the local cinema halls to have nasty, insufficient urinals or none at all. During the interval of a show the sight becomes horrible. People are seen moving in a hurry and they turn the whole compound into a lavatory. Considering the fact that about 90 per cent people in the major towns of India lead a sickly life, the present unhealthy practice may soon bring the percentage to cent per cent. Will the owners of the halls please provide a larger number of urinals for their patrons with instructions on a notice board in the local language?" POOTVA. H. Banner jee. DEAF BABUS "The three documentary films viz., "Child", "Mother" and "Community", were criticised by you in the July issue of "filmindia". As far as I think there cannot be any 43