From the era of black and white cinema to the coloured canvas, there have been drastic changes in the Hindi film industry. Actor Kamini Kaushal, who recently celebrated her 80th birthday, gives an account of the industry in 1950, the year the Indian Constitution came into effect.

The mood
“The mood of the country was very patriotic and upbeat. Filmmakers and actors were happy, each one of them wanting to contribute to the spirit of a free  nation. So, there was a bout of patriotic films,” recalls Kamini.

“I began acting at the age of 18. So, I didn’t feel like a movie star. I felt I was still in college. Also if I was unwell, I would have to plead and request the producer to let me take a day off. Today it’s not so,” recalls Kamini. She also mentions that in those days the unit felt like one big family.

“Now it’s the individual who matters. Also, the studios held a lot of importance then. Audiences believed that if it was a Filmistan or a Bombay Talkies production, the movie would be good. The value of a star was limited to the screen alone.” Kamini makes it a point to mention that advertisements and shows were non-existent then, leaving behind more time for actors to work on their scripts and boost their performances.

Set pattern
Kamini elaborates on the type of the sets, “For black-and-white cinema, sets and costumes were simply designed. There was not much emphasis on colour, texture and quality of  production. Also, we didn’t have the latest equipments. Most of the movies were shot in studios and didn’t involve much travelling. All the required sets were created in the studios.”

She adds, “And if we required outdoor shots, then the entire unit would go in the campus area behind the studios and film them. There was greenery and huge spaces. We didn’t have studios tucked away in between buildings, like how it is now. The majority of the studios were situated in Parel, Dadar and Worli.”

Showtime
In this age of worldwide releases, this may sound a bit ancient but it’s true. Movies released in the 1950s were initially distributed only in one specific state. For instance, a movie would be released in Maharashtra first.

Then after months of showing, it would move to other states such as Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Kamini affirms, “Movies would be screened in cinema halls for a couple of months. The prints were sent last to the smaller cities. Cities like Mumbai, Chandigrah and Kolkata were on the priority list. There would be only two to three prints. These would be on rotation.”
But today we can’t afford to let that happen. Piracy has taken over!