India's Film Poster Heritage Auction

OsW: As a producer, howwere you involved in the poster design of films like, Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977), Rajnigandha (1974) and Katha (1983)? Suresh Jindal: You see the thing is that we kind of had these poster designers in Mumbai, basically two of them were most interesting – One was Diwakar, and one was C. Mohan. They were the two main ones in the film industry that everybody went to. I think you would probably find that 80-90% of the posters of those times were done by these two people. So you simply just went to them and you just gave them some idea of what you want to convey and discuss with them and they would make some sketches for you there and then. You see, most producers never even went to them. They said, humare liye poster bana lo (make a poster for us). So then they would work on their own. In the case of Ray, he shows a couple of designs, sketches to them and tell them what it is and they would go ahead. I was more interested, I was a more hands-down producer. I was also very fascinated by the process. So I would go and sit with them, spend a couple of evenings with them and they were also fascinated by me because I come from America with an engineering degree and I speak Hindi with an American accent. So then you discuss some ideas want to convey, you knowwhat you think that your film should convey. Then they will make a few sketches. You kind of feel your way through. That’s how the whole process works. That’s the way it works all over the world. OsW: Could you share some insights about Artview’s design of the Rajnigandha poster, especially the usage of colors, since they use green and blue tones instead of flesh tones for the face of the actress. How did you feel about the poster at the time? S.J: That’s a very nice poster actually and you know it’s a bit unusual, not the usual poster with the regular skin tone. Also very few of the posters are left, I think only 5-7 of them. OsW: One of the posters for Shatranj Ke Khilari was designed by Zehra Tyabji, the graphic designer. Awhite poster with the King piece from the game toppled over. How did she get involved in the poster design of Shatranj Ke Khilari ? S.J: Zehra Tyabji designed letterheads, handlooms for me, all the stationery and so on. So she was kind of known to Uma da Cunha who used to look after my work in Bombay and other places when I was away, you know casting and all that. So then Zehra did these designs, but of course the final say in a Ray film was always Mr. Ray. Because he himself was a phenomenal designer. Normally in his film he did everything. So he conveyed the ideas to Zehra, she came with the sketches and designs and Ray approved the final poster. Zehra is a very good graphic designer and she put Ray’s A Behind the Scenes Insight ideas into play. We also had full page ads on Screen magazine. Screen was the main magazine at that time. So we had full page advertisements on this magazine, I think 8-10 of them were also made with the help of Zehra. Suresh Jindal’s E-Conversation with Arun Nura, from OsianamaWorld Archive & Library on 28th March 2022 on various matters concerning posters & poster design process for Devki Chitra films. Satyajit Ray Focus Lot 14 Shatranj Ke Khilari (1978) 30