Radio Club marks 100+ years of radio broadcasting with documentary bringing back nostalgic, golden era of radio
A still from the film showing a radio collection. PIC/SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
A little more than 100 years of radio broadcasting was celebrated on a wet and windswept Thursday, September 4, evening at the place where broadcasting began. “We are at the place where it started: the Bombay Presidency Radio Club. We are marking the milestone of 100 years of radio broadcasting with the screening of a documentary film, My Radio My Life,” said the Club’s Joint Honorary Secretary Prakash Mirchandani. According to Wikipedia, Radio broadcasting began in June 1923 during the British Raj, with programmes by the Bombay Presidency Radio Club and other radio clubs.
Melodious moments
As expected, the Presidency Lounge at the Colaba club, referred to as Radio Club, filled with a salt ‘n’ pepper-haired audience, many with more salt than pepper in their hair, as the film producer and director Makarand Waikar and creative producer Simantinee Bhagwat prepared to screen their documentary, which took one back to the golden era of radio. It was a film that showcased how deeply radio influenced society and even changed the lives of a few passionate individuals.
The audience at the Radio Club Presidency Lounge
Several audience members swayed and clicked their fingers as the familiar tune of Binaca Geetmala rang out pre-screening. Several attendees concurred as Remma K and her friends said, “We are here to revive memories. Old song lyrics made so much sense. At least they had some meaning, and that is why they resonated with people, living on in minds and hearts too.” A gent snorted, “Today, do you remember any lyrics of modern songs? It is a lot of noise and pyrotechnics, where are the memorable lyrics?”
A friend
As soon as the audience read ‘Murphy’ referring to Murphy radio on the pre-movie slides, there were miles of smiles. “Remember the Murphy baby?” said many as a lady mimicked the Murphy baby pose with a finger on her cheek. “Wonder where the Murphy baby is now?” asked another aloud. The consistent sentiment gleaned through pre-screening chat was that the radio had been a loyal friend and companion.
Makarand Waikar, producer and director; Simantinee Bhagwat, creative producer; and Prakash Chetan Mirchandani, joint honorary secretary, Radio Club, address the audience pre-screening. PICS/SHADAB KHAN
Vaishnavi S, who was waiting for the movie to start, said, “One of my favourite radio programmes was ‘Cricket with Vijay Merchant’. The radio used to be my companion while studying at night. The house used to go quiet as everybody was asleep. Studying late into the night for exams, there was me and my radio.” Almost everybody said they recalled radio announcer the late Ameen Sayani’s voice.
The glue
Mirchandani introduced Waikar and Bhagwat before the screening. He said, “The documentary makers who have come here all the way from Pune have made us proud. I stand here today, in this very building where a radio broadcast was made in June 1923; it is a historical moment, one that has played a huge role in the trajectory of this nation.” Waikar said pre-screening of My Radio My Life, which has been screened in 36 countries, celebrates the universal memories and emotional connection people shared with radio. “I am so excited to be here. This film’s protagonists are real persons, not actors, and they have not been given a ‘script’; you will see that radio was like a glue that brought friends and family together,” he said.
Simple times
The 67-minute documentary started rolling, and one was struck by how genuine it was. The years rolled back to simpler times, where nobody cribbed because an entire household had ‘one’ radio and everybody came together to listen. Applause rang out as credits came on and the movie ended. Waikar said at the interactive session post film, how he used to, “listen to cricket commentary in a classroom with an earphone in the ear and small transistor in the pocket. A hand would be clasped to the ear so that the teacher would not guess what was on. I would gesture to those at the back two runs, three runs, out!” he said, demonstrating the signals as everybody laughed, and an evening filled with nostalgia ended. As Waikar concluded, “With radio, you don’t just listen; you see with your mind and feel with your heart.” To watch the film, one can go to https://www.watchmyfilm.com/movie/my-radio-my-life
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