I’ve been busy this week and not had time to watch any fillums. So here are more bits and pieces from my favorite film magazine editor to entertain you all.
I take great comfort from the fact that even Baburao Patel occasionally gets things completely wrong.
His opinion of Nur (Noor) Jehan in 1944’s Dost:
[She] did pretty well as “Sheela”, the heroine, but she has gone too fat on the face and sings like a little child at its teething stage, not being able to pronounce distinctly her “R’s”. Nur Jehan reveals terrific limitations in music, and it will be well for the girl not to risk singing in the future.
Ha! Good thing she didn’t listen to him!
His infamous review of Dilip Kumar’s debut in 1944’s Jwar Bhata:
Dileep Kumar, the new hero of the Bombay Talkies, is an anaemic addition to our film artistes. He needs a lot of vitamins and a prolonged treatment of proteins before another picture can be risked with him. He looks gaunt and famished and strikes one as a long ill-treated convict who has escaped from a jail. His appearance on the screen creates both laughter and disappointment. His acting effort in this picture amounts to nil.
Another actor who debuted in 1946: Kamal Kapoor, my favorite blue-eyed villain (although since it’s not available *sad face* I’m not sure if he was a villain in Dak Bangla).
Here is a photo of newcomer Geeta Bali at the tender age of 16 or 17:
Bachpan is a movie starring Baby Madhuri, India’s “Shirley Temple” (I think there were several of those, including Baby Saroja). Baby Madhuri was Meena Kumari’s sister, and grew up to become comedian Mehmood’s first wife.
And look at this! The Theatre of Tomorrow! Streamlined splendor with planned luxury!
I want a Cosmetic-Room that charms me. My sister can have the Smoking-Room to soothe her.
(Images and quotes courtesy of Filmindia magazines provided to me by Shalini via Surjit Singh.)
MemsaabStory 