Alam Ara
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Alam Ara
Plot
The first sound film in Indian cinema, it made heavy use of song, dance, and music, establishing conventions that continue into modern Indian films. Written by Joseph David and directed by Ardeshir Irani, the film centers on the heated rivalry between the two wives -- Navbahar and the evil Dilbahar -- of an aging king. When a fortuneteller informs the two that Navbahar will bear her husband's heir, Dilbahar seduces army commander Adil (Vithal). She sets out to poison his family, resulting in Adil getting thrown in jail and his only daughter, Alam Ara (Zubeida), being given to a band of nomads who raise her. Years later, these same nomads invade the kingdom, release Adil from jail, and reveal Dilbahar's evil deeds. Alam Ara ends up marrying the prince of the kingdom. ~ Jonathan Crow, RoviCredit
Ardeshir Irani - Director| Alalum (1982 Film), Alakazam the Great! (1961 Film) | |
| Alamar (2009 Film), Alambrado (1991 Film) |
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Alam Ara
| Alam Ara | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Ardeshir Irani |
| Produced by | Imperial Movietone |
| Written by | Joseph David Munshi Zaheer (Urdu) |
| Starring | Master Vithal Zubeida Jilloo Sushila Prithviraj Kapoor |
| Music by | Ferozshah M. Mistri B. Irani |
| Cinematography | Wilford Deming Adi M. Irani |
| Editing by | Ezra Mir |
| Release date(s) | 14 March 1931 |
| Running time | 124 mins |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
Alam Ara (Hindi: आलम आरा, Urdu: عالم آراء , translation: The Ornament of the World) is a 1931 film directed by Ardeshir Irani. It was the first Indian sound film.[1][2]
Irani recognised the importance that sound would have on the cinema, and raced to complete Alam Ara before several contemporary sound films. Alam Ara debuted at the Majestic Cinema in Mumbai (then Bombay) on 14 March 1931. The first Indian talkie was so popular that "police aid had to be summoned to control the crowds."[3]
After the fire at National Film Archive of India, Pune, in 2003, which destroyed the last surviving prints of several classics such as Raja Harishchandra and Achhut Kanya, this film is no longer available in its original format.[4]
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Contents
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Synopsis
The film is a love story between a prince and a gypsy girl, based on a Parsi play written by Joseph David. David later served as a writer at Irani's film company. The story centres on an imaginary, historical royal family in the kingdom of Kumarpur. The main characters are the king and his two warring wives Dilbahar and Navbahar. Their rivalry escalates when a fakir predicts that Navbahar will bear the king's heir. Dilbahar, in revenge, attempts to have an affair with the kingdom's chief minister Adil. The affair goes sour and a vengeful Dilbahar imprisons him and exiles his daughter, Alam Ara (Zubeida). In exile, Alam Ara is brought up by Gypsies. Upon returning to the palace at Kumarpur, Alam Ara meets and falls in love with the charming young prince (Master Vithal). In the end, Adil is released, Dilbahar is punished and the lovers marry.
Cast
- Master Vithal
- Zubeida as Alam Ara
- Jillo
- J. Sushila as Sushila
- Prithviraj Kapoor (After his death in 1972, he was posthumously awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 1971 for his contributions to Indian cinema.)
- Elizer
- Wazir Mohammed Khan
- Jagdish Sethi
- L. V. Prasad (In 1982 he was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for lifetime contribution to cinema.)
Significance
Both the movie and its music were widely successful,[5] including the hit song "De de khuda ke naam per", which was also the first song of the Indian cinema. It was sung by actor Wazir Mohammed Khan who played a fakir in the film.[5][6] As playback singing had yet to start in Indian cinema, it was recorded live with musical accompaniment of a harmonium and a tabla.[7]
The film marked the beginning of filmi music in the Cinema of India, as noted film director Shyam Benegal said, "It was not just a talkie. It was a talking and singing film with more singing and less talking. It had a number of songs and that actually set the template for the kind of films that were made later".[4]
Production
Ardeshir Irani handled the sound recording department, using the Tanar Sound System. It was shot with the Tanar single-system camera, which recorded sound directly onto the film. Since there were no soundproof studios available at the time, the shooting was done mostly at night, to avoid daytime noises, with microphones hidden near the actors.[5]
Influences
The film was inspired by the first movie version of Jerome Kern's Show Boat (1929), released by Universal Pictures.[1]
Soundtrack
The film had music by Ferozshah M. Mistri and B. Irani, and had seven songs:
- "De de khuda ke naam pe", Wazir Mohammed Khan
- "Badla Dilwayega Ya Rabb", Zubeida[8]
- "Rutha Hai Asman gum ho gaya mahatab", Jillu
- "Teri Kaatil nigahon ne mara"
- "De dil ko aaram aye saki gulfam"
- "Bhar bhar ke jam pila ja sagar ke chalane bala"
- "Daras bina mare hai tarse naina pyare"
Legacy
Google celebrated 80th anniversary of the film's release by means of Google Doodle[9] on 14 March 2011.
See also
References
- ^ a b Goddard, John. "Missouri Masala Fear not, St. Louisans: You don't need to go to Bombay to get your Bollywood fix" Riverfront Times, St. Louis, Missouri, 30 July 2003, Music section.
- ^ Gokulsing, K.; Wimal Dissanayake (2004). Indian popular cinema: a narrative of cultural change. Trentham Books. p. 24. ISBN 1-85856-329-1. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=_plssuFIar8C&pg=PA24&dq=Ayodhyecha+Raja+1932&cd=10#v=onepage&q=Ayodhyecha%20Raja%201932&f=false.
- ^ Quoted in Chatterji (1999), "The History of Sound."
- ^ a b "India's first talkie lost in silence". IBN Live. 15 June, 2007. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/indias-first-talkie-lost-in-silence/36005-8.html. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
- ^ a b c Talking images, 75 years of cinema The Tribune, 26 March 2006, Retrieved:2008-08-04
- ^ "Preview: Indian cinema’s first talkie completes 80 years". Ticket Please News Desk. http://ticketplease.com/news/bollywood_movie/story/Indian_cinema_s_first_talkie_completes_80_years.aspx. Retrieved 14 March 2011.
- ^ Alam Ara, first song Archives, www.saregama.com
- ^ Alam Ara Film History.
- ^ "Google Doodle : Alam Ara". http://www.google.com/doodles/alam-aras-80th-anniversary. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Alam Ara (1931 film) |
- Alam Ara at the Internet Movie Database
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