FilmIndia (1946)

FILMINDIA March, 1946 natural scenery, which, at times, has been we.l photographed." N. S. V. Chalam MALLESWARAM. DON'T MERELY THREATEN "As you know, the three "Chands" of our film industry own two cinemas here. They are the leading distributors of the East and they generally book all the box-office hits. But unfortunately, it seems they think more of earning money than of the interest of the fans. Whenever they release a new picture, they keep it on the screen for months together. "Bandhan" and "Jhoola" ran for months at 'Paradise'; 'Basant' and 'Naya Sansar' ran for years at the Roxy. After 'Basant' they released 'Kismet'; and now in its 113th week 'Kismet' is still drawing huge crowds, Pictures like 'Humayun' and 'Bhaijan' are the coming attractions. But it seems we shall have to wait for these pictures for at least a couple of months. Believe me, Mr. Patel, we are now fed up with this "Kapurchand touch". "I had been out of Calcutta for about 45 days. I returned only last week expecting to find at least a new picture either at the Roxy or at the 'Paradise'. But after arriving here, I felt like committing suicide to see that 'Kismet' was still going strong and that age-old film 'Bhabi' was on the Paradise screen. Don't you think Mr. Patel, that these great 'Chands' have become very selfish? Instead of considering the demand of the public, they are busy collecting the loot. As they are your friends, why don't you advise your 'Chands' to change their policy; or, we, the younger generation will start a 'hunger strike' and if we die, our blood will not only be on the heads of these great 'Chands' but also on vour felt. Thanks." M. E. Sheriff. CALCUTTA. SEND ME PROOFS! "The other day I went to purchase a copy of "filmindia" from the nearest shop and was hurt to note that black market charges were demanded from me. I had to pay as much as Rs. 3I8 for a single copy. It is a matter of confounded pity that we readers are penalised like this. The most annoying thing is that though several reports have been sent to the publication department of "filmindia," no steps seem to have been taken. Mr. Patel! It appears to me that all these greedy people want to take an 'undue advantage of the great demand and heavy sale of "filmindia". Can you suggest a way out, keeping in view that we would, in no case, like to part with the magazine?" Kamta Prasad Shukla. CAWNPORE. BURN THE SCREEN "Inspite of loudly trumpeted, proudly proclaimed and boldly justified as an unusual piece of motion picture, "Bisvi Sadi" is a rotten picture, a sheer waste of eleven thousand and odd feet of celluloid which cannot even be tamely tolerated. The name is itself a misnomer entirely divorced of all that "Bisvi Sadi" stands for. The direction is reckless, music composed of too clumsy and unpopular tunes and the story — the less said about it the better. Unmindful of storms of protests from the public and the press it amounts to criminal negligence and folly on the part of producers to go on presenting stereotyped stories with little or no innovations when vast and unlimited avenues of human appeals are just left unexplored. Moreover the story has been butchered by the abrupt introduction of the oft-repeated and seldom-practised pious motives of communal harmony which has become the fashion of the day. Mr. Patel, with all the amount of resources as India's most successful film jour nalist at your command, can't you J bring these producers to book and compel these hopeless maniacs to act I a bit sensibly? You will thus be sav I ing the time and money of the public from sheer wastage and this, of I course, will be a great act of charity!" R. U. A. Kirmani NEW DELHI. WILL HE? "This is a Municipal town and there is only one theatre here. Considering other places, the rates are too high. For instance, the rate for a I chair is As.' 12] whereas the same is As. 8| in other places. Will the proprietor look into this and reduce the f rates to help the film fans?" N. V. R. Swamy NEGAPATAM. THROW STONES "Out of those numerous defects } which are so common in the cinemas L of this place, the capital of the land of the five rivers, perhaps the most outstanding one is that the distance ! between the screen and the front row of seats is very small, as small as n> feet in some cases. All this, you know, is done with the only object of getting more space and ultimately 'I getting more money. "In accordance with hygienic rules, the minimum distance between the I cinematographic screen and the front row of seats should, in no case, 1 be less than 25 feet, as otherwise the I rapidly moving film is liable to CONSTRUCTING CINEMA HOUSE, IN KARACHI Parties hlerested in constructing the theatre on lease system or lease for certain period, also suppliers oF Cinema Eqjip-npnt, Building Materials and Furniture are requested to communicate with Post Box No. 25, Karachi. 64