Google remembers 1st Indian talkie Alam Ara with Doodle

Mumbai, Mar 14: Two years back Information and Broadcasting ministry official revealed that no prints of Alam Ara is available in India. After the fire at National Film Archive of India, Pune, in 2003, the film is no longer available in its original form. With time the zeal of the first Indian talkie lost behind the layers of time. But the search engine giant Google has not failed to celebrate the 80 years of it release. Google on Monday, Mar 14 marked the Alam Ara repo with its Doodle.

The home page of Google in India remembers the first arrival of sounds in Indian cinema as Alam Ara brought sounds for the first time in India cinema. The famous song De de khuda ke naam par by actor Wazir Mohammed Khan was first performed in the theater.

The search engine giant never fails to celebrate any important date, occasions, birthdays of famous celebrities. Similarly, Google once again showed it tribute to Indian cinema by remembering its history. In this Doodle, a pillar and the image of the girl replaces the fifth letter of the name Google - L. The Doodle gives a touch of black and white era of Indian cinema with the background of a theater.

Alam Ara:

Alam Ara was directed by Ardeshir Irani and was the first Indian sound film. The famous song of the movie - De de khuda ke naam per by actor Wazir Mohammed Khan was recorded live with musical accompaniment of a harmonium and a tabla. One should remember that movie was featured much ahead of the time of playback singing in Indian cinema.

The film is a love story between a prince and a gypsy girl, based on a Parsi play written by Joseph David. The story centers 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.

OneIndia News