Alibaba (1940)

This review is written by Mr Arunkumar Deshmukh

ALIBABA -1940 was a Sagar Film Co. presentation.It was directed by none other than Mehboob Khan and MD was Anil Biswas.
Although the story is same as we all have read in our childhood,taking cinematic liberty the producers made some changes.
Addition of Zabba-the slave Girl who works at Alibaba’s brother Cassim’s house and is a spy of Abu Hassan-the chief of 40 thieves and making Marjina a slave girl of Cassim(instead of Alibaba in the original story) who is in love with Alibaba’s son are some changes.
I am not repeating the story-too well known-here,but this film depicted a slightly different version than the original Arabian Nights story.
Surendra and Waheedan Bai had played the roles of Alibaba’s son and Marjina respectively in this film.Alibaba’s role was done by Gulam mohd. and Abu Hasan was Jagdish Koopal.
This film was produced in Punjabi language also as ‘Alibaba’ only.

Nartaki (1940)

This review is written by Mr Arunkumar Deshmukh

 

NARTAKI(1940), was a movie etched on my mind from the day I had seen it, long long ago.
I still distinctly remember the magnificent opening scene in which six bearers carried the decorated tanjan of Palanquine(Palakhi), which is escorted by four horsemen. On the outskirts of the city kingdom of Champa is an ancient Temple monastery. The procession stops at the gates. Gates do not open. The head dwarpal comes near and humbly tells that women are not allowed inside.
“Do you dare to refuse entry to me? Do you know who I am ? I am Roopkumari ”  the face of beautiful dancer is seen on full screen and you are mesmerised with the beauty.
The famous dancer,sought by Kings and Noblemen, is a guest at Seth Hiralal(Jagdish Sethi) , who is a millionaire and a close friend of the King of Champa.
To take revenge, Roopkumari gets hold of Kishore(Dhruv Kumar), a rebel Bramhachari who is thrown out of the monastery and plans to seduce the son of Dnyananand ji and future head of the Monastery, Satyasunder(Najmul Hussain) etc etc…
NARTAKI was a costume drama set in the 16th century. Its story is :
In the kingdom of Champa, famous and beautiful dancer Roop kumari (Leela Desai) is denied entry in a Monastery of Gyananandji,  where only bachelors(bramhacharies)live and meditate. Angered by the insult, Roop kumari seduces the son and heir apparent of the head, Gyananandji-who is Satya sunder. While acting of love, she rally falls in his love. When this affair is known to the head, Satya sunder is thrown out, meets with accident and is nursed by the dancer Roop kumari. Finally,true love triumphs.
This film became a major hit of 1940 all over India and a Tamil movie was made on this story in 1942.