LADY SOBERS
THE comparison between Madhuri Dixit and Don Bradman which K Raghunath makes in his letter "Lesson From Down Under" in SCREEN (September 9) is very apt. But I must confess I always thought of Madhuri as Indian cinema’s Gary Sobers - the greatest allrounder ever. This is not just my opinion. In a TV interview, MF Husain has quoted the great thespian Ashok Kumar as saying that Madhuri is the best allround actress ever seen in Indian cinema.
V Srinivas
Ashok Nagar, Chennai

HE DESERVES THE PHALKE
IT’S high time the government of India bestowed the Dadasaheb Phalke Award on Dev Anand. His contributions to Hindi cinema is not less than that of any other winner. Most Navketan ilms have had a message for the society. And Dev Anand has charmed millions with his performances. He has come to symbolise eternal youth, optimism and cheerfulness.
Rudra Nandan Shrivastava
Jamshedpur

GREAT GOING GUYS
I have been a regular reader of SCREEN for the past many years in the small town of Virajpet. I am a big fan of Hrithik, Shah Rukh and Aishwarya Rai. And an even bigger fan of SCREEN’s. My hearty congratulations to the entire staff of SCREEN on the golden jubilee. Great going guys, keep it up.
Barur Rahman Haji Amin
Virajpet, Kodagu

CALLING THE BHAI LOG
I am much amused by the news that the makers of Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega celebrated the one week run of the film with a gala party. Producers of duds like Deewane, Dhadkan and Tera Jadoo Chal Gayaa are claiming on TV that these films are hits. Josh is being proclaimed a hit. All this silliness makes one nostalgic for the days when extortion threats from the underworld prevented filmmakers from claiming hits or celebrating jubilees. A wee bit of extortion may not be a bad thing after all, if it will stop producers from making such idiotic claims. Will the underworld kindly look into the matter?
RK Sarma
RA Puram, Chennai

COME TELL US WHY
I have been a fan of SCREEN’s for the last 11 years. I always look forward to each issue with religious zeal. 95 per cent of today’s films don’t complete 100 days. Big budget and big starcast films also continue to flop. SCREEN, as a respected magazine of the industry must look into the reasons for the poor showing.
Sana Ullah
Klang, Malaysia

50 AND COUNTING
CONGRATULATIONS to SCREEN on its golden jubilee milestone. SCREEN is the only film magazine of quality. I wish its team and readers the very best.
Kanuru Gopala Krishna
Chinna Bazar, Berhampur

BIG B’S BIG DAY
WARM wishes to living legend Amitabh Bachchan on his birthday (October 11). The star of the millennium has been my all-time favourite. I still watch his films and even the TV series Kaun Banega Crorepati only to see him. Here’s hoping he has a great year ahead.
Prema
Mannagudda, Mangalore

CONFUSING OMISSIONS
I’m really shocked and confused by the article "Simply Unforgettable", your list of landmark Hindi films in SCREEN (September 22). Surprisingly some memorable films like Baazigar, Darr and Lamhe have not been included. Baazigar and Darr were not only big hits but also based on bold themes and were trendsetters.
Mitali Swain
Bhubaneswar, Orissa

THIRD GENERATION FAN
The SCREEN Birthday Special was a real treat to read. All members of my family are ardent fans of SCREEN, the Weekly No 1, and we wish it a prosperous future. Your weekly (our weekly!) has been doing a commendable job for the last five decades, giving complete coverage of the film world. SCREEN has been a regular visitor to our house since 1960 and I am the third generation playing host to it. I request SCREEN to include competitions like quizzes, cartoons and essay writing for readers.
M Pradyu
Thalikkavu, Kannoor