Universes of the Marvelous in Bombay Cinema

A scene from Homi Wadia's Alibaba and the 40 Thieves (1966), a popular tale from the Arabian Nights, much filmed in Indian cinema history. This scene features a very young Sanjeev Kumar in one of his earliest roles of his career.

Note the generic Orientalist 'Arabian Nights' fantasy decor and costumes.

And now note the similarity with the setting for film Halaku (1956), ostensibly about a historical personality- the Mongol ruler Hulagu Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan. This scene features the classic thespienne Meena Kumari.

The art direction remains distinctly Islamic Oriental despite the Mongol identity of Hulagu, who was a Buddhist to boot.

Sohrab Modi's Raj Hath (1956) film was a historical fiction, in the sense that the settings are historical but the story fictive. Worth noting is that the last three stills refer to respectively an Arabic, a Buddhist and a Hindu historical universe.

And then see the similarities of the drapery, Islamic Oriental, between the Halaku still and this one.

And finally, a still from Laila (1954). Here we see a distinctly Islamic medieval imperial court scene feature a modern army officer on the right.

Medievalism meets modernity would make more sense if we see the similarity between the army officer's uniform with the attire of the modern military clothing of the Turkish army under Kemal Ataturk. Then the overlap between the modern (Atatruk) and the medieval (the Ottoman court that Kemal superseded) becomes understandable. The fact that the last great political movement for the Ottoman Khilafat was launched in India in 1919 followed by a substantial wave of Ataturkism led by Allama Iqbal makes this film still an admirable exemplar of the complexities of Islamic modernization in India in the twentieth century.

Still from Sohrab Modi's Farz aur Mohobat (1957) featuring (most probably) actors Raaj Kumar and Mala Sinha. Set in a legendary Persia of Zoroastrian rulers (probably the Sasanians) the film has a mind-boggling mix of cultural registers- Jewish, Arabic, Zoroastrian, Roman and Christian.

The hero mixes Roman and Jewish costume while the heroine mixes many cultural registers. The interior decor mixes Sasanian lions with Judaeo-Arabic chandelier with Roman stool amongst other things.

Another still from Madari. Here the sorcerer presents yet another favorite decor setting for fantasy narratives- the den of the Tantric sorcerer.

Tantra (the Indian version of Zen) is in folkloric memory related to demonic necrophiliac villainous black magicians. The skull and the clay-pot with flora at the centre of the frame are all classic components of fantasies that folk have of Tantric human sacrificial rituals. Note the Islamic sherwani-paijama costume of the hero tied to the post.

Another still from the Arora-produced Sitara. Although a film set in relatively modern times, this still shows the Orientalist flavour of the marvellous in its full glory.

The scene is typical where a generally Islamic flavour of clothing and architecture mix with nomadic and Hindu costume. The architecture of the temple-like building is distinctly Islamic with its arches, dome and latticework. The dancer is clothed in a mix of nomadic and Islamic courtesan couture while the woman playing the dholak (an Indian two-headed hand drum) is wearing something akin to a sari.

Face of Tyranny II- Halaku featuring the actor Pran.

Hulagu Khan was responsible for the legendary fall of Baghdad of 1258, considered as one of the greatest cultural disasters of the pre-modern world. The event is considered to have wiped out Islamic Arabic civilization at one fell swoop.

Face of Tyranny III-And now for some Iranian-Zoroastrian Orientalist pomp from Raj Hath director Sohrab Modi Farz aur Mohobat (1957). Here we see Modi himself playing ostensibly a Sasanian emperor named Nausherwan-e-Adil. What would unite a Hindu narrative like Raj Hath's with this Iranian tale would be the Urdu Parsi theatre-style dialogue delivery for which Modi was justly famous.

The face of Urdu-Parsi theatre declamation. The breath held back to denote a commanding presence and eyes looking up slightly heavenwards to denote idealism and sovereign pride were all actorly stances for Parsi Theatre-style acting. Breath held back allowed you to sweep in the air from the ventrum to create a booming voice, while the body held back slightly at an angle allowed you to project your voice to the far corners of the huge play house. The still is therefore full of the sound of old-style monumental theatre.

Face of Tyranny IV-The return of the Tantric magician this time looking more Islamic imperial and modern as well in Roop Basant (1955)

Now Tantra magic mixes with Islamic magic. The huge demon sculpture dominating the scene with its maw open is classic pagan Tantric popular culture accoutrement while the sorcerer in the centre of frame is dressed in Islamic nawabi style. The shirt is emblazoned with the skull and crossbones which could be Tantra or Islamic black magic Tilasm.