The Indian Film PDF
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THE INDIAN FILM bv PANNA ~HAH '\ rn GREENWOOD PRESS, PUBLISHERS WESTPORT. CONNEC T ICUT Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ioi,:J.1 55;;). 71\'\ftbrary of Congres1 Cai.loglng In Publication Dai. ,qz' Shah, Penna. The Indian film. Reprint. Originally published: Bomb~ : Motion Pic ture Society of India, 1950. Originally presented as the author's thesis (doctoral -Bombay University) under title: A social study of the cinema in Bombay. Bibliography: p. Includes index. 1. Moving-picture industry-India-Bomba.y-. I. Title. PN1993-5.I8S5 1981 384 1 .8 10954 81-6268 ISBN 0-8371-3144-8 (lib. bdg.) AACR2 Published in November 1950 by I. K. Menon for the Motion Picture Society of India. Reprinted from an original copy in the collection of the Library, State Univenity College at Purchase, New York Reprinted in 1981 by Greenwood Press A division of Congressional Information Service, Inc. 88 Post Road West, Westport, Connecticut 06881 Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN To MY FATHER who, br, hi, encounzgmaent, critici1m afld labou", ha.a con. tributed ,o much t.o this book. Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN - FOREWORD It is very seldom indeed that one comes acrom a 11niversity in India which encourages a research student to take up the study of the motion picture industry. It is in the fitness of things that this was done by the Uni versity of Bombay the birthplace of the film industry in India. The present publication is the concise version of a thesis prepared by Miss Panna Shah for which she was awarded a doctor's degree by the Bombay University. The book gives a historical, sociological and economic survey of the industry, particularly in Bombay. It is a 11nique work of its kind in our country and I am sure it will prove to be of great help to any one who wants to know something about the growth of our Industry. The Motion Picture Society of India has undertaken the publication of this book in the confident hope that it will seive to meet one of the long-felt needs of the Industry. I congratulate Dr. Miss Panna Shah for the hard work she has put in for bringing out this book and J am sure her services will be thankfully acknowledged by every one in our Industcy·. CHUNILALL PTeBident, M.P.S.l. Bombay, August, 1950. Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN CONTENTS Page Preface • XI • • • • • • •• 1. Tm: CINBIIA PLACE OF IN SoaETY 1 • • 2. THE AIIUJCAJf Fu.II 1896-1949 8 •• 3. THE OO>Wf S11.ENT Fil.II 1913-28 19 • • 4. To IJmLUf F11.11 1931-49 4,7 • • • • 5. F11,115 AND FILIIC('US 102 • • • • 6. THE Soail S1cmnCANa F1U1 STABS oF 137 7. THE INFLUENGB OF fu115 159 • • • • 8. THE Fn,11 FACTUAL 200 • • • • 9. CINEMA CBNSOasmP AMD 227 • • • • 10. TeE FUTUaE OF TBE FIL11 • • • • Appendices 269 • • • • •• Bibliography 279 • • • • • • Index 282 •• • • • • • • Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN PREFACE I N modern, civilized and machine-dominated society, man's leisure has been eommercialized and the pro vision of entertainment for spare time hours has be come a large scale b1isiness. In that business the film industry plays a major role, for the primary aim of the cinema, no matter what its critics say, is to entertain. And yet, the film is not only a leviathan in the sphere of entertainment; it has become the most potent single factor in modem life. Its influence, though largely un measured, is enormous. Though the power of the film as a medium of crea tive expression, education and social significance is ad mitted, it is curious that so little should have been done to investigate its problems and capabilities. Hundreds of pictures are made every year, tons of newsprint com mend them and millions of people see and are moved or thrilled by them. But there, in a way, the whole thing ends, for the films quickly disappear from sight and very little thought is given to this powerful but transient medi11m. One of the reasons for the dearth of significant literature is that films fade into the past with rapidity and are to be viewed again, if at all, with the greatest difficulty. Moreover, till recently, there was virtually no means of informing ourselves about this medium of ex pression which appeals to the greatest 1111mber of people. The moving picture world is for ever changing and tends to cast into oblivion the things that it leaves be hind. The investigator has to deal with the most evanescent form of expression, which is due not merely to the change of interest and taste on the part of the Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN •• lW THE DmUlf FIi.ii -udience but aJeo to the change in technique of produc tion which renden the most important films of the past antiquated and incapable of conveying their full message to succeeding generations. In spite of these diliculties. in Western countries some social inv-estigations have been carried out. But these efforts, however good in themselves, are far from complete. They have only just touched the fringe of the problem while the core yet remains to be probed. Strange though it may seem, this industry of such gigan tic dimensions-it rcanks as the fifth largest in the U .S.A. and as eighth in lndia-lmowa little about itself and has done little systematic research on its product and the acceptance of that product by the public. To questions such as ''What is the nature of the impact of the content of motion pictures on the audience?" or ''What are the pqchological needs of the audience?" and "Why do they go to pictures?", there is little in the way of tested and reliable a:aswers. DiviciK and often contradictory viewa are held, based on a variety of assumptions about human nature and the reactions of man to duferent social situa tions. Even in matters of reliable statistical information, there is a sad dearth of authoritative factual data. More fiction than fact bas found its way into the domain of films resulting in much erroneous information being spread. More often than uot, this information is based on nothing more then common talk or mere guesswork, and given out with the hope that in the absence of proof, it would not be easily challenged. Today, in Western countries, this factual deficiency is slowly but surely being remedied. The industry bas realized the value of sound data, and steps have been taken to compile reliable and unbiased statistics. Yet there is ample scope for future research. The economic stature of the industry, an intelligent analysis of the pro duct, the weekly attendance of the audience, their psychological needs and the cinema's influence on them, especially on the younger generation, and the scope for non-theatrical films, all these factors and their problems can be better solved with the help of reliable factual Google Original from Digitized by UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
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