n March 14, 1931,
Alam Ara, India’s first- ever talking film,
was released. It is a historic film, not least because of the pioneering
efforts of those involved in making it. Having no soundproof stages,
the film had to be shot almost entirely at night when the noise from the
nearby rail tracks would be minimal; actors sang their own songs to
live music; and large, bulky mikes were hidden close to the actors to be
able to record the sound. The great tragedy of the film, however, is
that it has been lost forever since no print of the first-ever talking
film made in India has survived.This is not just the problem of
Alam Ara. India has a poor record in preserving most of our heritage films.
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