1943: Key Events

• The Bengal famine (1943-4), a direct consequence of war profiteering and speculation, leaves five million dead.

• The best- known work of art dealing with the issues involved is Bijon Bhattacharya’s play Nabanna, the inaugural production of the Indian Peoples’ Theatre Association.

• Subhash Chandra Bose arrives in Singapore by submarine from Kiel and becomes Supreme Commander of the Indian National Army. He proclaims a ‘Provisional Government of Azad Hind’ (Free India). His government in exile is immediately recognised by Germany and Japan.

• The Muslim League amends the ‘Quit India’ resolution to ‘Divide And Quit’.

• The Calcutta Group of painters, including Gopal Ghosh, Prodosh Dasgupta and Nirode Majumdar, has its first show.

• Kismet, one of the biggest hits in Indian film history, is released.

• Rajkamal Kalamandir’s début feature, Shakuntala, is a major hit.

• Information Films of India is started;

• the Defence of India Act is amended to force all distributors to pay for and to show the Indian News Parade.

• K. Ramnoth starts the Cine Technicians Association of South India.

• Court Dancer, the English version of Raj Nartaki, is released in the USA in a few provincial theatres.

• Kalish Mukhopadhyay starts the seminal Bengali film monthly Rupamancha, with extensive film and performing arts reviews, committed to film education and to the reorganisation of the industry.