NFAI gets six Master Bhagwan movies, 25 other rare films

Pune: The National Film Archive of India has added 31 feature films to its collection.

The highlight of them is a collection of six films starring veteran comedy actor Master Bhagwan. The acquisition includes titles “Lalach (1948)”, “Bachke Rehana (1949)”, “Sinbad the Sailor (1952)”, “Wazir-E-Azam (1961)”, “Raat Ke Andhere Mein (1969)” and “Gunda (1969)”. All the films are in 16mm format.

Prakash Magdum, the director of the National Film Archive of India, (NFAI), said, “It is indeed a treasure of collection because celluloid films from the 1940s and 1950s have now been found and acquired. The primary inspection of these eight films suggest they are in good condition.

Two of these black and white films, ‘Lalach’ and ‘Bachke Rehana’, were also directed by him and had a similar star cast, comprising Baburao Pehelwan, Master Bhagwan and Leela Gupte. Both these films had music by C Ramchandra.”

Another interesting film in the collection is “Miss Punjab Mail (1958)”, directed by Nanubhai Vakil and starring Nishi and Daljeet. The script of the film was one of the early works of Kaifi Azmi.

Other rare films from the 1940s and 1950s added to the collection are “Dillagi (1949)”, starring Suraiya, “Jadoo (1951)” with Nalini Jaywant, “Rahi (1952)” featuring Dev Anand and Nalini Jaywant.