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Published: 25 September 2017

Last Updated: 25 September 2017

A lot of people (including me) think that Cinema is a modern art for. However, the people involved in the business keep remind us how much money they made or lost. You may not be surprised to learn from an old book on Indian Theater the following.

A quotation from the owner of a theatrical
company, when a suggestion was made to improve the literary quality of
his plays,

ham yahaan rupayaa paidaa karne aaye hain, kuchh
saahitya bhanDaar bharne naheen. deshoddhaar aur
samaaj-sudhaar kaa Thekaa ham ne naheen le rakkhaa.
hamen to jismen rupayaa milegaa wahee karenge.

which means,

We have come here to make money, not to add to the
literary treasure. Uplift of the country and social
improvements are not solely our duty. We will do what
makes money.

Now you know!

 Listen to Jay's BCSP 20190724

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Published: 24 September 2017

Last Updated: 10 March 2018

Despite many famous researchers such as Anna Morcom decalring that Saraswati Devi is the first female MD, RMIMers know better. Read about it here

Sound and Music in Hindi Talkies

Unfortunately I do not have any song with her as MD, enjoy this Meera bhajan sung by her

Bhajan by Ishrat Jehan (Bibbo)

Now you know!

 Listen to Nishan (1965)

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Published: 23 September 2017

Last Updated: 23 September 2017

We all talk about the influence of Parsi-Gujarati-Marathi theater on cinema. We have about a dozen books on theater listing the plays, year, writer, company, actors, some cases MDs. Of course, we have at least two silent filmography books and the HFGK for talkies. Why cannot somebody just compare the two and say more?

Well, Dr Narendra Shrimali 'Kamal'. Associate Professor, Faculty of Performing Arts, M S Univ of Baroda has done that and much more in his path-breaking doctoral thesis published as a book, Music of Theatre and Hindi Cinema (1900-1950) [A discographical study with particular reference to the theatre of western India]

He lists about 55 dramas used as a basis for the silents and 59 for the takies mostly in the first 5 years.

Now you know!

 Listen to Mujrim Kaun Khooni Kaun (1965)