In a major discovery that will enthuse the film lovers, National Film Archive of India (NFAI) has added surviving footage of Indian Silent Film ‘MADHABI KANKAN’ (1930) to its collection. This is the second Indian silent film to be discovered and added to NFAI collection in recent times. In 2017, NFAI had acquired footage of silent era film BILWAMANGAL (1919). The footage has been acquired from Cinematheque Francaise, Paris.
“This has been a rare and wonderful discovery from the early Indian cinema point of view. I am happy that NFAI has now discovered and added two silent films to its collection in last three years, thereby giving a fillip to film studies and research on Indian cinema history”, said Prakash Magdum, Director NFAI.
Madhabi Kankan aka Slave Girl of Agra was produced by Kolkata based Madan Theatres Ltd in 1930. The historical film was directed by Jyotish Bannerjee starring Mumtaz Begum, Lalita Devi, Nawab, Bhanu Bannerjee, Leelavati, Jainarayan Mukherjee and Farida Begum.
The film was initially banned, re-censored and released in 1932. The film was shot by two foreign technicians Charles Creed and Marconi. Jyotish Bannerjee was one of the main film maker of Madan Studios in Kolkata. The Studio was the biggest film company in the silent era in India, but nothing has remained in terms of films, save these two recently found films.
“After the discovery of ‘Bilwamangal’ in 2017, we were searching further for Indian silent films worldwide and that is how we came to know of its existence in Paris. We are thankful to Cinematheque Francaise for providing the film. The footage which has survived now is of 13 minutes and it has been digitized. It is an important footage due to the fact that it has been produced by Madan Theatres Ltd, who were one of the biggest production houses in the silent film era in India”, said Shri Prakash Magdum.
The film was an adaptation of the famous historical novel by R.C. Dutt and is believed to be based on the Bengali version of the novel. The Filmland Magazine of 1933 makes note of the film and writes that, “If not for any other merits, this picture certainly claims a high place for its superb locations”. The main plot of the film revolves around the events in 17th the Century when Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan’ sons fight for the throne. The surviving footage has the character of Shuja and Jahan Ara along with Shah Jahan.
One of the prominent silent film star Nawab plays the role of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Begum plays the role of Jahan Ara. “The film does not have credits or inter-titles and we are taking help of film historians in this regard. We appeal all film lovers to come forward and help us in preserving the country’s cinematic heritage by submitting any such films, footages, posters, photographs and song booklets so that it can be saved for posterity”, said Prakash Magdum.
About 1300 silent films were made in India and very few films have survived. With the addition of Bilwamangal and Madhabi Kankan, NFAI has now footages of 31 Indian silent films.
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