AN ALL-INDIAN FILM
Sum" a "bone-head" of a Buddha as is portrayed in The Light of Asia at the Philharmonic Hall could never have existed. The Prince who renounced the world to teach the eightfold path of enlightenment was made of different stuff from Mr. Himansu Rai, who, however, does his best with an almost impossible subject. His Princess, Miss Seeta Devi, is an attractive creature, antelope-eyed, graceful as a gazelle and acting with a quiet subtlety which leads one to expect great things from these Eastern players.
There is no reason why Indian actors should not bring great pictures to the Western screens. But is it not little short of blasphemy to pose Buddha so baldly before the lens ? What would we, who number less of the earth's inhabitants, say if the story of our Faith was thus portrayed, or rather misrepresented ? It is really too bad to have the messengers of the king galloping after the errant Prince after he has renounced the world, as if he were a wild-west gunman, and to have a scene very sacred to millions of men and women- Gautama saying good-bye to hiswife and child.(there is no child in the picture by the way)—displayed in the crude detail of an anachronistic bedroom scene.
Channa, the charioteer, is good, however, and there is pathos in the glimpse of Gautama leaving his white horse, Kantaka. There is enough originality and good acting in the film to justify the hope that the enterprise of Mr. Niranjam Pal will be rewarded and that the next film, about the Taj Mahal, will be better than this.
F. Y.-B.
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