The Mill
Artists
Director
Music Director
Film Censor and Release Info in Bombay
Cens No=Punjab/133 Len (ft)=13994 Reels= Time (mts)=155 Date=00.00.1934
Remarks
Writer Munshi Premchand came to Bombay (31 May 1934 to 4 April 1935) to try his fortune as a writer in the film industry, and after contracting with the film production company 'Ajanta Cinetone' for one year for writing, he wrote a story 'Mazoor', in which Munshi Premchand also played a small role. Director M. Bhavnani made the film 'The Mill' based on this story, but the then-British government, apprehending conflict between mill owners and workers, prohibited the film from being shown for 2 years after it was passed by the Lahore (Punjab) censor board in 1934. The Bombay censor board also refused to certify this film (12750 Ft/13R) on 05.02.1935 after viewing it on 31.01.1935. Thereafter, with some modifications, this film (13000 Ft/13R) was resubmitted on 19 March 1935 to the Bombay censor board under the altered title 'Seth Ki Ladki', but the censor board refused to certify it on the same day. Later, on 9 May 1936, this film was released under the name 'Garib Parwar' or 'Daya Ki Devi' (Bombay Censor details: 12237 Ft/136M/14R/16101 (B)/15.04.1936). Later, this film was also passed by the censor board several times - (1) 'Mazoor' - 13398 Ft/.....M/14R/20567 (B)/31.03.1939 but cancelled on 08.05.1939, (2) 'The Mill' or 'Mazoor' - 13256 Ft/.....M/14R/20843 (B)/26.05.1939, (3) 'The Mill' or 'Mazoor' or 'Girni' - 11920 Ft/.....M/13R/20874 (B)/01.06.1939. At that time, one lakh rupees were spent on the film's production. According to Master Fida Husain, songs no. 5, 7, 8, 9 are folk songs, the first song is a devotional song composed by Mirabai, and song no. 6 is written by Bindu Ji. The story for the film was written by Munshi Premchand himself.