FilmIndia (1948)

fILMINDIA Recruit Pithabas Mahanti, c|o Mr. M. L. Cotton, Asst. Inspector (A.S.) P.O. Volanthra via Berhampur, Dt. Ganjam (Orissa) is 20, knows Hindi and sings and has played in stage plays in Oriya. Vinod who has duly become a Police Inspector also comes along in search of the political dacoits and it is his bullet that hits Ram in the hand, — and, of course, Sheela sends him away, thus saving Ram's life without "knowing" his identity. Curiously enough she and Ram do not recognize each other but she and Vinod talk as if they had been meeting every day. Sheela goes to Ram's house and in her anxiety to meet him, she invades the privacy of his room, discovers her injured hero and, being a medical student, performs an operation, taking out the complete bullet (same mistake as in "Doctor Kotnis"). But it is, emotionally, a tender and moving scene and the Scenarist-director has well exploited it. From now on things move in even more stereotyped fashion. To save her brother. Sheela agrees to marry Inspector Vinod — who is none else but the good old villain of the Indian screen. Ram joins a fantastic underground organization and »oes about openly singing songs in jeep-borne processions, very much above ground. Most ridiculous of all >s the scene when Sheela persuadeher husband to bring two terrorist pri-oners (including her brother) home and you witness the unheard of scene of an Inspector of Police bringing two rs, charged with murder, to talk to bis wife at midnight and leaving them with her, unguard 60 ed, with all the windows open. This is, of course, one of the many other incongruities and unnatural situations. And yet even these are preferable to the vulgar and cheap gags and situations we are used to seeing in other Filmistan pictures. WHEN FILM RECALLS HISTORY But all these are forgotten when Ram is arrested and brought on a charge of murder before a court. You even forget that the court atmosphere is unauthentic. You only remember all the martyrs who once faced the same situations in British courts. And it is not a film actor who stands in the dock but, may be, Bhagat Singh himself; and it is not a film that you are witnessing but the stirring history of our people's revolt. And you cheer when Chandramohan, in the role of the Rai Bahadur, enters the court to defend his rebel son, publicly renounces his title and proceeds to indict the British administration for all its repression and tyranny. In that moment of emotion, our deepest patriotic sentiment merges with the situation in the film. Not that what we actually see on the screen is so great but the memories it provokes sweep us off our feet and much therefore can be forgiven of the director and producers of "Shaheed" for giving us this unforgettably inspiring scene in the film. PROMISING DIRECTION Whatever the failings of his story, Ramesh Saigal proves himself to be a director of considerable promise. Though the production value of "Shaheed" is negligible, he has utilised the limited resources at his disposal to very good purpose. The handling of the love scenes is particularly good and refreshing. In sharp contrast with the tame and dull 'takings' of most Filmistan pictures, Saigal shows a flair for enterprising direction. And yet the amateurish touch is also visible at places e.g. in the childhood episodes, in the hanging scene which is very poorly shot, or in the crudely contrived funeral scenes. So far as acting is concerned, Dilip Kumar steals the picture with his deeply-felt and yet perfectly natural delineation of the main role. Sensitivity and intelligent under-statement are the outstanding characteristics of September, 19i his acting. Kamini Kaushal is so:j what overshadowed by Dilip a I while giving a fairly balanced J formance, fails to rise to any hist I nic heights. But the two of them I some of the tenderest, most intim and most moving love scenes t have ever been seen on the Ind screen. Chandramohan invests role of the Rai Bahadur with drai tic power but his court speech col have been saved from becoming a rangue by grading the tone i tempo of his delivery, gradua reaching up to a climax. Leela G nis is most convincing as the fc mother and gives the impression intense emotional reserve. V. Desai is becoming more and more a bore and was a misfit in sue! serious picture. "Shaheed" may not bring half much money as "Shehnai". Bui has saved Filmistan from being duced to a factory of song-cum-dai trifles. May it be a beginning — a not an end ! performance in "Mitti-ke-KJiilounc a social story of Ranjit.