>Nizil Shah: reinstated name from ref again, unexplained removal

2021-04-21T17:41:56Z

reinstated name from ref again, unexplained removal

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{{EngvarB|date=September 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox film
| name = India's Struggle for National Shipping
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| director = [[Paul Zils]]
| producer = [[Shanti Kumar Morarjee]]
| writer =
| screenplay =
| story =
| based_on = 
| narrator =
| starring =
| music =
| cinematography = [[Pithamandalam Venkatachalapathy|P. V. Pathy]]
| editing =
| studio = [[The Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd.]]
| distributor =
| released = {{film date|1947|08}}
| runtime = 30 minutes (197 metres)
| country = India
| language = Hindi
| budget =
| gross =
}}

'''''India's Struggle for National Shipping''''' is an Indian documentary and [[Corporate video|corporate film]] released in August 1947. It was directed by German film maker [[Paul Zils]] and produced by [[The Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd.]]

==Production==
Paul Zils was German film maker and was on his way to Indonesia during [[World War II]]. His steamer hit by a torpedo by an Indian naval ship and he was brought to India as [[prisoner of war]]. As his conduct was good, he was released in 1946. He joined the Indian Films Information (later Indian Films Division) and also founded the Indian Documentary Producers' Association.<ref name="Mohan2016">{{cite book|author=Jag Mohan|title=Documentary films and Indian Awakening|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DfgADgAAQBAJ&pg=PT42|date=22 December 2016|publisher=Publications Division|isbn=978-81-230-2363-2|page=42}}</ref><ref name="The Telegraph 2006">{{cite web |first=Chandrima S.|last=Bhattacharya| title=Hitler hand in advance of Hindi cinema | website=The Telegraph | date=16 January 2006 | url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1060116/asp/nation/story_5726330.asp | accessdate=30 January 2017}}</ref><ref name="SK2014">{{cite web | author=Shikha Kumar | title=A Struggle in Restoration | website=The Indian Express | date=12 June 2014 | url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/a-struggle-in-restoration/ | accessdate=30 January 2017}}</ref>

The film was produced by The Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd. owned by industrialist [[Shanti Kumar Morarjee]], a [[Bhatia caste|Bhatia]]. The film was sponsored by his wife [[Sumati Morarjee]]. The film was created by Zils Documentary Unit India. It was produced on the instigation of [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] to celebrate [[independence of India]]. It is considered as the first shipping as well as corporate film of India.<ref name="Mohan2016"/><ref name="SK2014"/><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Mistry|first=Ketan|title=ભારતીય સમુદ્રી જહાજના ઇતિહાસનો કોહિનૂર...|trans-title=Kohinoor of Indian Shipping History|journal=Chitralekha|language=Gujarati|date=14 December 2015|pages=36–38}}</ref>

==Content==
[[File:SS Jalabala (1927).png|thumb|Still of ''Jalabala'' from film]]
The films features archival coverage and some new footage shot by [[Pithamandalam Venkatachalapathy|P. V. Pathy]]. It opens with a scene of [[Arabian sea]] from [[Ferry Wharf|Bhaucha Dhakka]], a [[wharf]] along the [[Thane Creek]] and Bhatiya family getting down from the steamer. The film narrates the struggles of Indian shipping industry which was suppressed by the [[British Raj|British authorities]] for long time. It also includes the archival footage of opening of Scindia House in 1938 by [[Vallabhbhai Patel]] and Shanti Kumar Morarjee welcoming him. The chairman [[Walchand Hirachand]] says at the event that the company will stay [[Swadeshi]] (native) in any situation. [[Bhulabhai Desai]] inaugurates the bust of [[Narottam Morarjee]], the founder and the first chairman of Schindia. [[Vithalbhai Patel]] is seen performing [[ceremonial ship launching]] of {{SS|Jalabala|1927|2}}, the first ship of Schindia constructed in [[Glasgow]] in 1927. The occasion was attended by Nehru along with his whole family including then seven-year old [[Indira Gandhi]]. It also includes a scene of launching of ''El-Madina'', a steamer for [[Hajj]] pilgrims. In one scene, [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]] is seen coming out of Scindia House. The film also features [[Mahatma Gandhi]] and his [[Swadeshi Movement]]. In one scene, [[Rajendra Prasad]] is getting of the train and goes to open the [[Scindia Shipyard Limited|Scindia Shipyard]] at [[Visakhapatnam]]. The occasion was attended by Sumati Morarjee, [[Sarojini Naidu]], [[Acharya Kriplani]] and more than 3000 guests. The last scene depicts the board meeting of Scindia which included members like Mararjee himself, Walchand Hirachand, Tulsidas Kilachand, Maneklal Premchand, general manager M. A. Master.<ref name="SK2014"/><ref name=":0" /><ref name="issuu 2012">{{cite web | title=Documentary Today No. 8 | website=issuu | date=22 February 2012 | url=https://issuu.com/documentarytoday/docs/documentary_today_08/30?reader3=1 | accessdate=6 February 2017}}</ref>

==Release and rediscovery==
The film was released during the week of independence of India on 15 August 1947.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite thesis|hdl=10603/1872|title=Narratives of development: a critical analysis of alternative documentaries in India|last=Mulugundam|first=Srivani|date=2 August 2002|page=73|chapter=3|publisher=Department of Communication, [[University of Hyderabad]]}}</ref> The 197-metre-long film was later certified ''U'' (Unrestricted Public Exhibition) by the [[Central Board of Film Certification]] on 4 December 1979.<ref name="CBFC2017">{{cite web | title=India's Struggle For National Shipping (Celluloid) | website=CBFC | date=27 January 2017 | url=http://cbfcindia.gov.in/html/uniquepage.aspx?va=India%27%27s%20Struggle%20for%20National%20Shipping&Type=search | accessdate=30 January 2017}}</ref> The film was lost and forgotten over the years.<ref name="SK2014"/><ref name=":0" />

Mumbai-based Films Division had assigned the creation of a database of more than 8000 documentary films to Shubhash Chheda and [[Amrit Gangar]] in the 1990s. Gangar noted the documentary films produced on various subjects like agriculture, dairy industry and steel industry but he could not find a film on shipping. After research, he found some information on a shipping film produced by The Scindia Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. and directed by Paul Zils. In 2002, he was sponsored by Max Mueller Bhavan in Mumbai to write a book on Zils. He found that the Scindia House in [[Ballard Estate|Ballard Pier]], then the company headquarter is now owned by the [[Government of India]] and the company has shifted to smaller office in Scindia Colony, [[Andheri]]. He found an ex-employee named Choksi in Scindia Colony who remembered watching the film but believed that the film may have not survived as the large number of artefacts were thrown away while shifting to new office. Gangar tried to search in [[Chor Bazar]] but he could find only stationary, paperweights and prototype of steamers produced by Scindia. After some months, he was contacted by Choksi who informed him that he had found three containers with may contain the said film. The containers had negatives with sound tracks. Gangar contacted a German technician working in Prasad Labs in Mumbai. He made the positives and restored the film. In 2003, the restored film was screened at the Max Mueller Bhavan along with the launch of his book ''Paul Zils and the Indian Documentary''. The copy of film is also submitted to [[National Film Archive of India]]. Gangar was recognised for his efforts in preserving the film.<ref name="SK2014"/><ref name=":0" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title}}

[[Category:Indian documentary films]]
[[Category:1947 documentary films]]
[[Category:1947 films]]
[[Category:Documentary films about historical events]]
[[Category:Documentary films about economics]]
[[Category:Black-and-white documentary films]]
[[Category:Shipping in India]]
[[Category:Indian black-and-white films]]

India's Struggle for National Shipping - Revision history

>Nizil Shah: reinstated name from ref again, unexplained removal