FilmIndia (Feb-Dec 1949)

FILMINDI A March, 1' Only two studios, the Filmistan Ltd. and the Bombay Talkies Ltd., have so far fully co-operated with the Union. The greatest headache to the Union officials, however, is the collection of Rs. 2,50,000 the balance of the bonus from the Ranjit Studios. In April 1946, Chandulal Shah, flushed and intoxicated by the doubtful glory of having producing 100 rotten pictures, while celebrating his picture centenary, announced in the presence of the Jam Saheb of Nawanagar and thousands of guests a bonus of 2 lacs to his studio workers. To this, Jam Saheb, after whom the Ranjit Studios are named, graciously added Rs. 50,000 as his personal contribution and another Rs. 25,000 were contributed by the different Ranjit distributors. That made a total of Rs. 2,75,000 as bonus and the day looked like a workers' divali. After the workers had eaten the sumptuous meal given on the occasion to every one by Seth Chandulal Shah and with the prospect of getting that grand bonus in mind, every grain that lowered itself into those long sweating stomachs came up in gratitude and shouted "Seth Chandulal Shah ki Jai". "Seth Dayaramji ki Jai", "Seth Ganpatbhai ki Jai", "Seth Chhotubhai ki Jai", "Seth Ratilal ki Jai", "Gohar Bai ki Jai". All the members of the Ranjit ruling family blushed deeper in their own dye with the weight of all these "Jais", the gratitude of sweat and salt that went into making those 100 Ranjit pictures and buying a dozen cars, palaces, race horses etc. for Chandulal Shah and Miss Gohar. Three years have passed since that glorious day when Chandulal Shah promised the workers a bonus of KINE EXAKTA (made in Germany). The latest worldfamous Kine Exakta precision miniature single lens reflex camera with fast lens combinations. The most perfect instrument in its class for the keen amateur, the professional and the scientific worker. Built like a jewel — a pride to own. Limited stock just arrived. Prices from Rs. 1 ,075/ upward. SOLE AGENTS: New Industrial & General Imports, Ltd.. Distributors : PRECISION PRODUCTS, 4th floor, " Bombay Mutual Annexe ", Gunbow St. Fort, P.O. Box 850, BOMBAY, I. Rs. 2,75,000 and made every grain in that free ml shout "Jai" for this and "Jai" for that. But so far oi| Rs. 25,000 have been paid as bonus. When the Union demanded this bonus, Mr. ThakJ the General Secretary of the Union, was told that bonus would be paid in December 1948. December l| come and gone and Chandulal Shah has won anot | Derby but the balance of the bonus has not been pi yet and the workers are swallowing only the sail which the thought of the grand bonus still brings I their mouths. Chandulal Shah is reported to have told Thakl that even the Jam Saheb has not sent in his promi:] Rs. 50,000 yet. How can the workers then expect Jam Saheb's protege to keep his promise? The silly workers, they think that with years of si and sweat, they deserve that bonus. Little do thev kn | the ways of tycoons and tingods. Even the free ml that this film tycoon gave made the throats of the wol ers hoarse in crying out "Jai" this and "Jai" that. a single grain of the capitalist must cause an ulcer| the stomach of the sweating worker. That is how world is run today. What chance have these pJ Ranjit workers to get those Rs. 2.50,000 from SI Chandulal Shah seeing that the sporting Seth has to fu 50 race horses costing Rs. 400 per horse per month, to mention many jockeys and lackeys. \ve do not think that the Union will ever succa in getting that bonus from Chandulal Shah but becal that money belongs to the workers and smells of thl sweat, let us pray that Chandulal, in his moment of <] gust, throws it out of his safe some day when the Un officials happen to be standing below the Seth's bj room window. That will be another Diwali to the Ranjit workil who have slaved to buy race horses, motor cars ; I palaces for their Seth Saheb. STOP THIS HIGHWAY ROBBERY ! With the division of India into two dominion] new racket is in vogue these days among some of Muslim producers and artistes of India. It is not exactly a state secret that quite aj Muslim producers now operating in India owe til spiritual allegiance to Pakistan and are anxious to t| their profits to the sister dominion as fast and as qui«l as they can, without having to carry out the unpleas obligation of paying income-tax in India. To circumvent the necessity of paying income-] in India, quite a few Muslim producers are chargl very nominal prices for their pictures for the explol tion rights in Pakistan and sending dup-negativesj their pictures to their own distributing firms, runj brothers, cousins and in-laws. Their firms in Pakiff make as many copies of these pictures as required after exploiting the same keep their collections in Pal tan banks in the name of the original producers. This method of sending pictures to Pakistan hai double advantage. In the first instance these MusJ producers are able to build up a reserve in Pakistan future purposes and secondly the so-called poor jl chase price obtained for a picture for Pakistan expi 10