New Delhi:
On March 14, 1931 India's first talkie Alam Ara hit the theatres nationwide, marking the beginning of the tremendous journey that led to what Indian Cinema is today.
Eight years after the fire in Pune's National Film Archives in 2003 which destroyed the last prints of the film, Alam Ara finds a 'voice' once again as the subject of today's Google Doodle. Through its doodle, Google recognises Alam Ara as a landmark movie in Indian cinema, capturing the two prominent characters in its imagery.
Alam Ara was first screened at the Majestic Cinema in Bombay. The uncontrollable response of the people, movie-buffs or not, to the film was befitting a stampede and the police were summoned to control the situation. The movie ran for two hours and four minutes, and used a Tanar Sound System to record the dialogues.
Director Ardeshir Irani had recognized the importance sound would have on future cinema, and raced to complete Alam Ara before several other contemporary sound films.
Starring Vithal, Zubeida, LV Prasad and Prithviraj Kapoor in the lead, Alam Ara was based on a Parsi play written by Joseph David. The period fantasy is about an ageing king of Kamarpur and his two rival queens, Navbahar and Dilbahar, and their rivalry when a fakir predicts that Navbahar will bear the king's heir.
The movie boasts of a widely successful soundtrack, including the hit song De de khuda ke naam par, the first song of the Indian cinema. The hit track was sung by actor Wazir Mohammed Khan who also played the fakir in the film. This set Indian Cinema down the road of a dream musical journey that has entertained us through decades.
The tragedy of the movie sheds light on the urgent need for restoration of Indian classics to preserve the richness of Indian Cinema. Meantime, Alam Ara, finds its voice once again, in the digital world.
Eight years after the fire in Pune's National Film Archives in 2003 which destroyed the last prints of the film, Alam Ara finds a 'voice' once again as the subject of today's Google Doodle. Through its doodle, Google recognises Alam Ara as a landmark movie in Indian cinema, capturing the two prominent characters in its imagery.
Alam Ara was first screened at the Majestic Cinema in Bombay. The uncontrollable response of the people, movie-buffs or not, to the film was befitting a stampede and the police were summoned to control the situation. The movie ran for two hours and four minutes, and used a Tanar Sound System to record the dialogues.
Director Ardeshir Irani had recognized the importance sound would have on future cinema, and raced to complete Alam Ara before several other contemporary sound films.
Starring Vithal, Zubeida, LV Prasad and Prithviraj Kapoor in the lead, Alam Ara was based on a Parsi play written by Joseph David. The period fantasy is about an ageing king of Kamarpur and his two rival queens, Navbahar and Dilbahar, and their rivalry when a fakir predicts that Navbahar will bear the king's heir.
The movie boasts of a widely successful soundtrack, including the hit song De de khuda ke naam par, the first song of the Indian cinema. The hit track was sung by actor Wazir Mohammed Khan who also played the fakir in the film. This set Indian Cinema down the road of a dream musical journey that has entertained us through decades.
The tragedy of the movie sheds light on the urgent need for restoration of Indian classics to preserve the richness of Indian Cinema. Meantime, Alam Ara, finds its voice once again, in the digital world.
