| 4 | | Actor-director born in Kirkee. Usually described as the highest-paid silent star in India. Formed the celebrated lead couple with [[Sulochana]] esp. at [[Imperial]]. Introduced in stunt movie-derived historicals and mythologicals adapting Maratha legends at [[N.D. Sarpotdar]]’s United Pics. First two films at [[Imperial Films|Imperial]], [[Bhavnani]]’s [[Wildcat of Bombay (1927)|Wildcat of Bombay]] and [[Choudhury]]’s Anarkali, were massive hits for him and Sulochana. His John Barrymore- style image was born in elaborate costume fantasies opposite Sulochana’s Orientalised ‘Queen of Romance’, a reference elaborated later by some of the biggest directors of the silent era, e.g. Choudhury, [[Chandulal Shah]], [[Homi Master]], [[ |
| | 4 | Actor-director born in Kirkee. Usually described as the highest-paid silent star in India. Formed the celebrated lead couple with [[Sulochana]] esp. at [[Imperial]]. Introduced in stunt movie-derived historicals and mythologicals adapting Maratha legends at [[N.D. Sarpotdar]]’s United Pics. First two films at [[Imperial Films|Imperial]], [[Bhavnani]]’s [[Wildcat of Bombay (1927)|Wildcat of Bombay]] and [[Choudhury]]’s Anarkali, were massive hits for him and Sulochana. His John Barrymore- style image was born in elaborate costume fantasies opposite Sulochana’s Orientalised ‘Queen of Romance’, a reference elaborated later by some of the biggest directors of the silent era, e.g. Choudhury, [[Chandulal Shah]], [[Homi Master]], [[Nandlal Jaswantlal|Jaswantlal]] and [[Nanubhai Vakil]]. Several of his silent hits were remade as sound films, notably [[Indira MA]] and Anarkali. Acted in some films at [[Ranjit Movietone|Ranjit]]. Azadi-e-Watan (1940), advertised as directed by him, is probably a dubbed version of an American import. |