TO WHOMSOEVER IT MAY CONCERN

Shri B.D.Garga, who over a period of several years has done considerable research on the Indian Cinema (much of it has appeared in Filmfare in India and Sight & Sound in England and several other periodicals in Europe) is making a film on the ‘Growth  and History of Indian film industry’. The project has the sanction and approval of the Government of India.

This film would be mainly based on the material (stills, film clippings etc) which Shri Garga has in his personal collection. But to augment this material, he plans to use brief excerpts from old and new films. This film will be released by the Films Division, government of India in mid-May on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of our industry.

There is no doubt that this is a worthy effort and difficult undertaking. IMPPS desires to extend all possible help to Shri Garga. In addition, we would request all producers in Bombay, Calcutta and other centres to provide him with whatever brief extracts he requires from their productions to make this film a truly historical record of the artistic development of our cinema.

Mehboob Khan,
President, 
Indian Motion Pictures Producer’s Association, 
Sandhurst Building, 
Vallabhbhai Patel Road, 
Bombay 4

Dear Mr.Garga

Thanks a lot for your kind letter dated 25th February 1963, the contents which have been duly noted.

Whereas I will be very happy to give you the excerpt from one of my old films of Miss Nadia,  I would also like to meet you in person any time convenient to us both.

I have several other worthwhile things in my library of Wadia Movietone films - sort of an historical record and I should like to speak about it all to you.

Would you please phone me at 42797 any day in the morning so as to enable us to fix an appointment.

Meanwhile wishing you all success in your laudable project and with kind regards

Yours sincerely,

J.B.H.Wadia

Dear Shri Garga,

I have for acknowledgement your letter dated 14th March 1963.

Regarding Uday Shankar’s Kalpana, our connection with that picture ceased a long time ago,  and I regret that I am not in a position to be of any help to you in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

S.S.Vasan

Dear Mr.Kapoor,

Shri B.D.Garga is making a short documentary film on the History of Indian Cinema to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the Industry which falls in May this year.

Shri Garga is desirous of including a brief excerpt from my film Aurat in his survey (the length not exceeding 200 ft.).  Please, therefore, allow Shri Garga to make a dupe of the portion he would like to include in the said film and also give him necessary authority letter to the Laboratory concerned so that he may go with his Editor to thread the necessary portion for duping. Necessary raw materials will be supplied by Shri Garga to the Laboratory.

Kind regards,

Yours sincerely, 
Mehboob Khan
100 Hill Road, Bandra, Bombay 50

Dear Shri Garga

The print of Ram Rajya is lying ready at Bombay Film Laboratories and Mr. Naterwala of M/s. Evergreen Pictures has sent a letter to deliver the print to you today.

The length of the piece is 195 ft. I hope, this will serve your purpose. I had phoned Mr. Naterwala today. Kindly phone me tomorrow between 3 and  4pm here in the office.  If there is any misunderstanding on your part I want to clear it. I have spoken to Mr.Naterwala in this connection. Kindly see that the piece is  included in your proposed documentary.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,
Vijay Bhatt

Dear Shri Garga,

I thank you for your letters of 25th and 27th enclosing the letter from the President of IMPPA.

Let me congratulate you on your laudable project to make a documentary film on ‘Fifty Years of Indian Cinema’ on the occasion on the Golden Jubilee of our Industry. From the days of silent pictures i.e. 1928 I am in this industry producing and directing silent pictures and then talkies till today. I had gone through your article in FIMFARE of 8th March 1962, but I was surprised to see that there was no mention of any of our pictures even RAM RAJYA , BHARAT MILAP, BAIJU BAWRA etc. However I am glad that you have remembered me on this occasion which is most important for our Industry.

I have talked to Mr.H.C. Naterwala of Ms. Evergreen Pictures who possesses the rights of my film Ram Rajya and he has agreed to allow you to take out the dupe negative of the portion of about 200 ft. selected by me. I would like to know how you would like to proceed with the matter. If we meet any time convenient to you we may discuss and introduce to you Mr.Naterwala personally, so that he may make arrangement to have a dupe negative of the relevant portion required by you.

I shall therefore, thank you to write to me when you can make it convenient to see me.

Once again I send you my heartiest greetings for your proposed film, and I hope that the film will prove worthy to be preserved in our National Archive.

Wishing you all success

Yours sincerely,

Vijay Bhatt

Dear Shri Garga

Ref- Your letters of  22nd and 27th February  and  8th March 1963

I am sending by air parcel 4 cans containing the dupe negatives and and corresponding rush prints of the DRUM DANCE sequence from Chandralekha (approx. 500ft) and 2 sequences from the Tamil film Avvaiyar (approx. 800 ft).

The film Avvaiyar, depicting the life of an ancient poetess who is a household name in this part of the country, is considered a landmark in the Tamil film industry.

I am therefore including two sequences from that film also for your viewing.

The air consignment note covering this dispatch is also enclosed.

With regards

P N,

Private Secretary

Dear Mr. Sircar,

The well-known film journalist Shri B.D.Garga is producing a documentary on the 'History of Indian Cinema' on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of our Industry.

He will approach you for necessary help and guidance for his work, and I shall be deeply grateful if you would kindly extend to him all possible cooperation in the matter.

With kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

Bimal Roy