FilmIndia (1946)

October 19| The two "little" ones are not Shamim's kids. She is too young to have those "little" ones in "Shikarpuri", a Charolia picture len there is so much talk of lalization, it is a disgrace i we have to read of a fire outbreak in a film studio or godown every six months. One wonders how many more fires the industry has to endure before those in power turn their attention with a view to prevent them." BANGALORE. Ar. S. V. Chalam. LET US PRAY "It is a pity to note that while foreign producers are contemplating to launch a progressive programme of film production purposely to educate and enlighten the masses and devising ways and means to promote this object, the film industry in India is still very backward, and it seems that 'she has no need for such things. "For the past two or three years the standard of films is rapidly deteriorating and the same old stuff is being reshaped and presented with a new label. And why should not deterioration take place when, there is lack of enthusiasm and sincerity on the part of our directors and producers who are ignorant of the ABC of film direction and production? Instead they should learn to work hard and create some thing new. At present they only know how to amass money and spend a leisurely life. "Now that a new Interim National Government has been formed at the Centre, shall we hope that early steps would be taken to prevent worsening of this industry?" DELHI. Baldev R. Bajaj. ALL THE SAME "There is a theatre here, Elgin Talkies which is nothing but a third-rate dungeon. It has neither proper timings nor good seating arrangements. Partly, it resembles the Majestic of Delhi regarding pillars. While the picture is ■ oing on the people upstairs wave eir hands in front of the prowindows thereby throwing sha 'ows on the screen. This idle pra oon starts a din in the rest of tl. all. Thus, we are disturbed, 0 entertainment is spoiled, and i i v is wasted." G. Syed Ismail. BANG A'' )RE CANTT. CEREBRAL ANAEMIA "The other day I saw Prakash's "Kavita". I think it is the most rotten picture Prakash has ever produced (so far as their social pictures are concerned). "I am really shocked to see Vijay Bhatt, who once gave us pictures like "Bharat Milap" and "Ram Rajya", producing a totally rotten picture like "Kavita". "What is wrong with "Viju" now a days, Mr. Patel?" KARACHI. Naraindas P. Kotak. ROTTEN SYSTEM "I agree with Mr. Surendra Kishore when he says that even our best poets when they write for a film story present a very low standard of poetry but I feel that the poets are not the only persons to be blamed for that. "To me it appears that the producer is mainly responsible for exhibition of such bad poetry, although we cannot absolve the Indian cinema-goers also of their responsibility in this respect. "So long as a poet writes for the sake of art he writes something which springs up from his heart and which is more of a spontaneous nature but when it comes to writing for somebody he has to write according to the dictates of his employer. And there lies the rub. "It seems to me that the pro-| ducers of our film companies navel in their view the accumulation of I gold even at the cost of art andl the past history of Indian filml production has exhibited that the best hits at the box office are those j which are not worth the name in; so far as the field of art is con-' cerned." NEW DELHI. S. A. MalikA WASTE OF TIME "There is a general notion in South India that you have ignored the South Indian film industry from your critical review. To some extent it may be due to the impropriety and cheapness of our films. But don't you think it your duty to elevate our film in1 dustry also, yourself being the) veteran journalist of whom we are proud? "Our Telugu pictures are pretty small in number and even those are very boring and tiresome with stereotyped themes and ear-splitting tunes. Even Vauhini Pictures to which we had hitched some hope, have miserably failed in their "Swargaseema", which has been delivered after two years of birth pangs. "But for their numerical majority, the Tamil pictures are in no way better. In addition, we find the Tamil pictures unsocial, objectionable and dirty. They want 66