FilmIndia (1948)

k ember, 1948 F I L M I N D I A I Quite a number of Congressmen were also seduced latronize these pictures from time to time including I a few of our hard-worked ministers who always I free relaxation. I Savadiants soon threw the mask away. China had I'd his purpose and he now announced the establishI: of "The Soviet Film Distributors". The Soviets had I the war and Savadiants was now the cultural repreIttive of the victors. I A couple of years ago another Russian. Nicholia leskv. came to India in right royal Soviet robes as ■official representative of the Ministry of CinematoIhy. l .S.S.R. to do his bit and of course help SayaIts. There was no dope left in the Chinese Poppy ■ Savadiants now wears the Hammer and Sickle in his whole with the gentle, soft-voiced Congressman vi still the chairman of the "Friends of the Soviet •n" organization and the Congress ministers still nitted to the policy of wiping out the Communists, that a strange anomaly? But that is Indian life, a ;n of conflicting patterns, in which a Congressman "ten loses sight of his country's ideals. What have these Russians been doing all these years ur country? They have shown several Soviet films ur country and helped their political counter-parts ie country to emphasize the paradise that Russia is •osed to be under Stalin and Communism. So far have shown in our country more than 21 pictures iding several documentaries like "Leningrad". "Peo. Avengers". "Sevastopol". "Defence of Moscow lingrad". '"Berlin" and "May Day" which are all ned to emphasize the bravery, the chivalry and the :ial qualities of the Soviets. These films also give a plete picture of Stalin's terrific war machine which oralised the German people and is in turn expected emoralise the Indian people whenever the Indian UBunists are finally ready for their long planned retion. According to the Communists the seeds of fear ■ been sown in our country with these war docutaries. As against this fear-complex, there is the olive ich of peace and culture proffered to those wise ans who choose to follow the Communist ideologies Mesented in pictures like: "Childhood of Maxim <y". 'Musical Story". "Law of the Great Love", ring Song". "Four P.M.". "General Suvarov". "Peter Great". "Professor Mamlock". "Tanya". "After the ", "Zoya"', ''Christmas Eve". ' She Defends Her Hy", "Masquerade", and "Stone Flower". The last one. a colour film, is dubbed with Hindusdialogue and is naturally intended to cover the le of India. Very recently three more colour films: :umph of Youth". 'The Happy Bride" and "Glory to cow" were shown in Bombay and they drew crowds iuse of the wide publicity given te them. No Soviet ure. however clean, can be completely free from Sopropaganda and it is not surprising to find all these ures presenting one aspect or other of Soviet life and ■logv in flattering terms thus commending in unmisihle terms the Soviet way of life to Indians. Beguiled by Savadiants" s> smiling ways even some of Via di mar S. Savadiants, our Soviet friend in India, who i« spreading Soviet culture in our country. our provincial governments have purchased quite a few "educational" and "informative" Soviet films for exploitation in their provinces. Of course, the "education" and "information" in these films have a strictly Soviet smell. But some of our popular ministers not only seem to have lost their sense of smell but also their commonsense to realize that the money that was paid in purchasing these Soviet films is being used in turn in doing more Soviet propaganda in the country. While the benefits of the "educational" and "informative" aspects of these films will always remain doubtful, the fact that these films will propagate the Communist ideolosv cannot be overlooked. Strange as it may sound, the firm, that distributes these Soviet films in India, is owned by a multi-millionaire, whose own life was the very antithesis of the Soviet ideology. We regret to find this firm, as a well-financed, powerful organization, using all its influence to popularize Soviet films all over the country by obtaining exhibition for them in Indian theatres and thus crowning the pioneering efforts of Sayadiants with success. Savadiants and Livitesky are so much encouraged by this unexpected backing from unexpected quarters, that they have now established a permanent dubbing unit at the Famous Cine Laboratories in Bombay, owned by Rungta. another multi-millionaire, for dubbing Soviet film: with dialogue in Hindustani and other Indian languages. All this is. of course, done under the cultural guise 5