Alam-Ara

India’s first feature-length sound film (talkie) was Alam-Ara, released on 14 March 1931 in Bombay (now Mumbai). It marked a turning point in Indian cinema by introducing synchronized sound and spoken dialogue, moving beyond the era of silent films.Alam-Ara’s release drew massive crowds; police had to control audiences outside the theatre. It paved the way for sound films in India, quickly making silent films obsolete.Sadly, no complete copy of Alam-Ara survives today; it is considered a lost film. Only publicity stills, posters, and written records remain.It revolved around a fantasy kingdom, where a prince falls in love with Alam-Ara, the daughter of a gypsy woman.Alam-Ara was the first Indian film to feature songs — there were 7 songs.The most famous was “De de khuda ke naam pe”, sung by Wazir Mohammed Khan, regarded as the first song of Indian cinema.This established the tradition of songs being central to Indian films.