FilmIndia (Feb-Dec 1949)

OUR REVIEW "Chhota Bhai" Revives New Theatres' Old Glory ! Kartik Chatter jee Deserves A Salute ! "Chhota Bhai" takes you back to the golden age of the Indian movies when the New Theatres of Calcutta gave us one beautiful picture after another and in doing so lent rare art and purpose to entertainment. We are so rudely disappointed with the spate of rotten pictures turned out from the studios these days that despite the proverb that one swallow does not make a summer, we still cling to the fond hope that "Chhota Bhai" is the precursor of a series of beautiful creations from New Theatres. "Chhota Bhai" is a beautiful experience in which one forgets the usually dirty environments of a rotten theatre and lives with the modest and unobtrusive characters of a story which has more in it than the mere antics of a high-spirited, self-willed boy. The story is a provocative essay in child psychology and an eloquent lesson for parents and guardians entrusted with the care and upbringing of problem children. Taking the too simple, and a little dull story. "Ramer Sumati". written by the late Sarat Chandra Chatterjee. Kartik Chatterjee, the director of "Chhota Bhai". has made a picture which, in its human appeal and social purpose, far surpasses the original work of the great author. Ft is like putting life into clay models and creating a vivid world of ideals and emotional conflicts. LOVE AS CURE It is all about Ramlal the yotjng step-brother of Shyatnlal a middleclass wage-earner. Ramlal is an orphan entrusted to the care of Narayani. Shyamlal's wife. Narayani seemed to love Ramlal more than she did her own little son Govind. Probably because Ramlal was an orphan, possibly because he was a step-child in the family and certainly because everyone else hated Language: Story: S. Music: CHHOTA BHAI Producers: New Theatres Lid. Hindustani Chatterjee's "Ramer Sumati" Pankaj Mullick Songs: Prakash, Ramesh & Hajendra Krishna Photograph \ : S. Mazumdar Audiography: S. Ghosh Cast: Molina, Shakoor, 15a jlaxmi, Paul Mohinder etc Released At: Minerva, Bomhav Date of Release: 3rd June 1949 Directed By: KARTIK CHATTERJEE Ramlal. Narayani protected the boy with all her love. To the boy, Narayani was the only goddess of his little world. Ramlal nur>ed almost a very keen sense of justice and fairness and tried to mend the ways of the world with his impetuous and childish methods of retribution which made him a terror among the people of his village. Incidents after incidents, which look like so manv pranks of a spoilt and self-willed child but which are in fact expressions <>f the inner conflicts of a high-spirited child, contribute to portrav the character of Ramlal who is hated bv every one but his ever-loving, always-understanding Bhabhi. Though the world around including her own husband, sees such a lot of evil in the little boy. Narayani. with her eternal motherlv love, cannot see anything bad in him. It is this loving faith of Narayani that ultimately helps the boy to adjust himself to the expectations of the world and assume normal behaviour. After showing a series of childish pranks in an indirect manner, the director brings Digambari, Narayani's old, shrewish mother, to portray a direct conflict and lend the story its intimate soul. Digambari creates numerous embarrassing and heartrending situations in which the soul of the little boy gets its callous hammering from a cruel world till it cannot bear any more and the climax is reached when the little rebel relinquishes his struggle in the loving lap of his Bhabhi. MOLINA'S SUPERB PERFORMANCE The production values are in keeping with the old standard of New Theatres— the standard we have learned to love. Without a single crazy angle, the photography is at once beautiful and effective. The Hindi dialogue of Mohanlal Bajpai is perfect with the solitary exception of the word "Langhan", used twice by Digambari, which only educated Hindus can understand. Pankaj's music does not at all intrude but mixes well with the emotional pattern of the story. Only the last song of the boy looks detached enough to be an after thought. It fe, however, very effective. It is a pity that a superb artiste like Molina is not seen on the screen more often these days. In the role of Narayani, she lives the role of an !deal mother, the greatest poetic solitaire of the world. No one could nave done better. Both the boys, Shakoor and Khurshid, in their respective roles of Ramlal and Govind, do extremely well as maiden artistes. Rajlaxmi is good as Digambari in spite of her diction of Hindustani having the round Bengali tone. Mohinder gives a good stoic performance as Shyamlal. the middle-class drudge. In short. "Chhota Bhai" is a picture worth going a Jong way to see. Uld it is worthy of the old reputation of New Theatres. Thanks to Kartik Chatterjee. whoever this guy Did you dust your grey matter with "Grey Dust"? 43