Number 3 2017/08/18

Filmographies

My mentor and guru Prof R K Pathria always proof-reads my books. When reading my book on Indurani he was surprised to know that only one of her films survives. He wanted to know how I prepared the list of her films and if I am sure that these films were even made!

So I told him briefly about the meticulous record-keeping habits of the British (rivaled by the Nazis!). British Govt passed the Indian Cinematograph Act of 1918, which required all films headed for public exhibition to obtain a censor certificate and be notified in the official Gazette.  Censors had to watch the film and give a certificate of approval or reject it.

Where are these gazettes? Nobody had any idea. Then around 1966, one tireless man went on a quest to track these down and prepare the first reliable filmography of Hindi films. Who was that man? Stay tuned.

Now you know! 

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