Lal-e-Yaman

1933 FantasyDrama 158 minutes Directed by J.B.H. Wadia

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About Lal-e-Yaman

At his second wedding, the King of Yemen has the fakir Pirmard thrown out for warning him about the new queen. Ten years later she wants her son Nadir on the throne. Her man Fawriz frames Prince Parwiz for rape and is then told to poison him. Parwiz's sister fetches Pirmard. Fawriz confesses. The queen kills Fawriz and turns on Parwiz. The fakir gets him out and gives him a dagger. In a genie's palace Parwiz kills an ape-man with it. Princess Parizad of Egypt is a prisoner there. While Parwiz fights the genie, she picks the flower that holds the genie's power. Parwiz is already married, to Lalarukh. She comes disguised as a man, hears him tell Parizad he cannot have her, and does not reveal herself. They go back, the vizier Jargam is ruling by terror, and Lalarukh dies in the fight that removes him. Pirmard has the king name Nadir the next king. Parwiz marries Parizad, and they leave to free Egypt.

Cast & crew

More about Lal-e-Yaman

J. B. H. Wadia directed and wrote the screenplay. Joseph David wrote the story. Homi Wadia edited. S. A. Patnakar designed it. Wadia Movietone of Bombay produced the Hindi fantasy, also called Parviz-Parizad. It runs 158 minutes, 4,334.86 meters, on 35mm. The censor certificate is 12643. Munshi Ashiq wrote the lyrics. The records went out on HMV and Odeon.

Themes

  • A warning thrown out of court
  • A prince framed so a younger son can rule
  • A wife who hears the confession and still fights
  • Parwiz
  • Parizad
  • Pirmard
  • Yemen
  • genie
  • Wadia

Making

Wadia and his brother Homi put a Parsi-theatre fantasy on film at their Bombay company: a Yemeni court, a dagger, and a genie whose strength sits in a flower.

Music

Munshi Ashiq wrote the lyrics. The songs were issued by HMV and Odeon.

Preservation

A print survives, including a copy on Wikimedia Commons.

Notes

  • Jal Khambatta plays the king. Karimja plays Parwiz. Mohini plays the queen. Master Mohammad plays Pirmard. Nazir plays Fawriz. Padma plays Parizad. Kamal plays Lalarukh. Sayani plays the vizier Jargam. Boman Shroff plays the ape-man. B. Khan plays the genie.
  • Firoz Dastur is also billed.
  • The title means rubies of Yemen. The court is Yemen. Parizad's home is Egypt.
  • It is the first feature J. B. H. Wadia produced and directed.

Scenes

  • Pirmard warns the king at the second wedding and is thrown out.
  • Parizad pulls the flower that holds the genie's power while Parwiz is fighting him.
  • Lalarukh, dressed as a man, hears Parwiz say he cannot marry Parizad.
  • She dies when they take the kingdom back from the vizier.

Also available

  • Wikimedia Commons (Lal-e-Yaman (1933).webm)