FilmIndia (Feb-Dec 1949)

OR REViEW eg "Anjangarh", A Trite And Boring Picture ! Picture Exploits People's Patriotism ! Anjangarh" is another poor pice from the New Theatres. It has usual hackneyed formula of a idal king oppressing his people; a ning syndicate exploiting the mi■al resources of the state; a ndhian Sadhu doing humanitarian vice and preaching tolerance and rebel offering the usual guerilla istance. The whole affair is disgustingly niliar and its pseudo-patriotism v stinks in the present after-pains our freedom. At best, "Anjanh" is a poor attempt of a produto cash the prevalent sentiment oi triotism among our people in their i>t glow of freedom. A BEARDED GANDHI The ruler of Anjangarh is casl in old feudal mould. He crushes people with taxation and forced tour. A mining syndicate. symising capitalism, enjoys a state nopoly and plays the divide-ande game between the ruler and his >ple. The Syndicate pays for the >our but the labourers pay back re in sweat with the result that ANJANGARH Producers : New Theatres Ltd. Language: Hindustani Story : Subodh Ghosh Dialogue: M. Bajpai Lyrics: Bhushan & Panday Music: R. C. Boral Photography ; Kamal Bose Audiograph) : Bani Dutt Cast : Ajay Kumar, Sunanda Devi, Hiralal, Bipin Gupta etc. Released At: Excelsior, Bombay Date of Release 26th November 1948 Directed By BIMAL ROY there is a general dissatisfaction among the people. To keep in tune with the times, tluj story now introduces Dr. Chowdhary, a bearded humanitarian with a young daughter and a crowd of disciples. Dr. Chowdhary heals the poor physically and spiritually. Though we are not told so, we are still expected to identify this kindly old man will) Candhiji. The words placed in his mouth echo quite a few of Gandhijfs l.dbubala is fast becoming a popular artiste. Once again "Angrai" produced by K. B, Lall -he will be seen in teachings but in case we miss these words in a moment of boredom, there is "Raghupati Raghav Rajaram", the famous 'bhajan' of Gandhiji and additionally this bearded doctor is also shot dead precisely with three bullets by the guards at the mine. So don't make a mistake about Dr. Chowdhary being the screen Gandhiji with a beard and a fat, clumsy daughter to boot. The conflict between power and people and between capitalism and labour continues with power and capitalism getting the upper hand as usual with one IVir. Mukerjee thrown in as the Junior Dewan of the State to crush any rebellion. Now the screen is got ready to give us glimpses of the 1942 revolution — or was it rebellion? — and Dulal Mahato, a people's man, becomes the supreme symbol of an underground guerrilla movement. Call him Jayaprakash Narayan, Nana Patil or whatever you like, Dulal sneaks in and out of windows under cover of the night and escapes his capture like Robin Hood with a price on his head. DEMOCRACY THROUGH LOVE Mr. Mukherjee, the Junior Dewan, has in the meanwhile fallen in love with Shubha, the fat and ugly daughter of the bearded Gandhi of Anjangarh. \\ hat all his education could not teach him about democracy, his love for this ugly woman teaches him in a few days. Realizing the quick transformation of Mr. Mukherjee from an autocrat to a democrat, it wouldn't be a bad idea to start love schools in our country to teach democracy to some of our sex-starved ministers and politicians. It is a much easier way, seeing that amongst our women volunteers there are many women a thousand times better looking than Shubha of Anjangarh. The Raja Saheb, symbolising of course the Rritish in 1942 or perhaps Vallabhbhai Patel in 1948 against the R.S.S. and the Communists — it cuts both ways unfortunately, soon lets the guns deliver their message of death and the poor are soon riddled with bullets in place of curry and rice. The event is staged as a forest satyagraha to remind us of the forest satyagraha we had at Chirner in our freedom's battle. ONLY DRAMATIC INCIDENT The directors of the mining syndicate now design to exploit this tragedy of feudalism by broadcasting it to the world when an explosion in 59