A treasure for scholars

In the archives of the Sangeet Natak Akademi lie the reports of the historic Film Seminar held in 1955 that discussed different facets of the film industry and its role in our national life.

May 28, 2015 07:09 pm | Updated 07:10 pm IST

Jawaharlal Nehru with Prithviraj Kapoor

Jawaharlal Nehru with Prithviraj Kapoor

It is not surprising that few people know that 60 years ago Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) had organised the first ever Film Seminar from February 27 till March 4 in 1955 at National Physical Laboratory and sessions were conducted at the conference room of The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research in New Delhi. It was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Between 1955 and 1958, SNA had organised four major seminars focusing on film (1955), drama (1956), music (1957) and dance (1958), the arts it was meant to nurture. These events were the first all-India seminars convened by the national academy to discuss the state of performing arts and the cinema in independent India, and enjoyed the participation of the leading lights, scholars, and other professionals in each field. At a time when meetings of musicians, dancers, or theatre people from all over the country were far less frequent than now, these seminars provided an opportunity to participants to exchange notes on the practice of their arts, to spell out common problems before the new Indian state, and to make long-term recommendations to government for growth of each art.

When SNAwas established in January 1953, in its aims and objects besides preserving, promoting and popularising traditional, classical and folk performing arts, films were also included. The chairman Dr P.V. Rajmannar, Chief Justice, High Court, Madras, had observed that the advent of film as a new art form on the Indian scene nearly four decades ago and its continuous growth as a major art industry employing thousands and entertaining millions was being progressively recognised as a force and hence must be channelled to the best interest of people.

To achieve this, a Film Seminar, a-first-of-its-kind, in the annals of the motion picture industry of India, was sponsored by the SNA following the decision taken by its General Council. Its objective was to direct a collective probe into the many facets of film industry and to assess its role in our national life. It was primarily an attempt ‘to evaluate its cultural, artistic and aesthetic aspects as also technical, social and economic aspects’. The seminar was planned ‘to provide a common platform for discussion of several aspects of film production, and distribution, to take an overall stock of the existing state of things and to plan a future by putting together these eminent personalities of the film world’.

The structure of the seminar was well planned and Devika Rani Roerich and Prithviraj Kapoor were appointed the directors of the seminar. Its proceedings were conducted under the chairmanship of B. N. Sircar, of The New Theatres Ltd., Calcutta. The number of delegates was limited to 40 among whom were the outstanding personalities of the film industry, including the stars Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Nargis, Durga Khote, David and others.

A glance through the papers submitted by some of them reveal the range of topics discussed by people who knew their job well. S. S. Vasan, for example, spoke on film production in India today; M. Bhavanani on the future of information films in India; V. Shantaram on the responsibility of Indian film producers towards the public for entertainment films; Kishore Sahu on independent producers and their contribution to the film industry; Anil Biswas on the wealth of Indian classical and folk music and its place in films; Durga Khote on the film actress and her contribution to the cultural and social life of India; Keki M. Modi on foreign exhibition and distribution; David Abraham on the film artist as the all important facet of the film industry. Uday Shankar on the message of dance in films; and K. K. Abbas on two aspects: dialogue and dialogue writers and the importance and significance of a good film story – its power with the masses.

Devika Rani had great support from the Honorary Zone Secretaries of Bengal, Bombay, Delhi, and Madras who contacted the members of the seminar in their respective zones. They assisted with the papers contributed by the members, resumes of papers, life sketches photographs, etc., and discussed the papers with members initiating discussions on the papers read.

A social committee was formed with Indira Gandhi as its Chairperson. They looked after accommodation and also receptions held at dignitaries’ residences. The attendance of the Prime minister, President of India Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Vice-President Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, Chairman of SNA P.V. Rajmannar, Vice-Chairman Smt. Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay dignitaries V.K.Krishna Menon, Pandit H.N.Kunzru, Deviprasad Roy Chowdhury , Chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi, Pandit Nehru also as a Chairman of Sahitya Akademi, and the delegates from China and observers from United Kingdom and Sweden was noteworthy.

Through the courtesies of U.S.I.S and British Council, interesting cultural films were shown to members and invited guests. A few reels of selected Indian films were also shown, courtesy Indian film producers.

Browsing through the Film Seminar ‘report, I found interesting facts. The renowned film actor and singer Pankaj Malik, whose evergreen songs we still hum (“Ye kaun aaj aaya savere savere...”) had recited the richas from Rigveda Sangacchzadhwam at the beginning of the seminar. The photographs show participation of stars reading papers and discussion. Impeccably edited by Dr. R.M Ray and published by SNA in 1956. The proceedings of the seminar throw light on the state of films and the challenges it faced.

About 45 leading newspapers, weeklies, and film journals brought out special film supplements on this occasion. The press recognised the significance and the importance of the seminar in the development of the film industry in India.

This rare documentation and report will engage the attention of researchers in history of development of Indian films, from the point of view of policy and patronage and the relationship of arts and the State. Film scholars curious to learn about the cultural aspect of nation-building will find material in this historic Film Seminar most valuable.

(The writer is a noted dance historian and critic.)

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