1952: Key Events

• Nehru forms a government in May after independent India’s first general elections.

• Gopalakrishna Adiga’s poetry anthology, Nadedu Banda Dari, is published; together with his Bhumigita (1959), these are considered the beginnings of the Navya Movement.

• The first International Film Festival of India, held in Bombay, Madras and Calcutta, by Films Division. The films of De Sica make a tremendous impact.

• Bimal Roy moves to Bombay and sets up his production company.

• Parasakthi, the most famous DMK Film, is released.

• The Indian Cinematograph Act 1952 is passed, replacing the 1918 Act, but makes few changes. The key section, banning films ‘against the interests of the security of the State, friendly relations with other foreign states, public order, decency or morality’, is retained.

• Film producers terminate their agreement with All-India Radio to broadcast film songs, when the radio refuses to credit producers or film titles.

• The radio starts its National Programme on music and its National Orchestra, conducted initially by Ravi Shankar.

• Colour films Aan and Jhansi Ki Rani (released in 1953) are made.

8 Bombay Talkies ceases production.

• Ritwik Ghatak débuts with Nagarik.

• The fortnightly journal Filmfare is launched, claiming to be the ‘first serious effort in film journalism in India’.

• The Indore-based Hindi tabloid Cinema, edited by Manohar Prasad Gupta, starts publication.

• With the failure of protracted negotiations, West Pakistan finally bans the import of Indian films.

• An Indian film delegation visits Hollywood on invitation from the Motion Picture Association of America.