Shiraz (film)
 |
| Shiraz | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Franz Osten |
| Written by | William A. Burton |
| Produced by | Himansu Rai |
| Starring | Himansu Rai Enakshi Rama Rau Charu Roy Seeta Devi |
| Cinematography | Emil Schünemann Henry Harris |
| Distributed by | British Instructional Films UFA Himansu Rai Film |
Release date |
|
Running time | 118 minutes |
| Countries | India United Kingdom Germany |
Shiraz (Shiraz: a Romance of India) (Das Grabmal Einer Großen Liebe in German) is a 1928 silent film, directed by Franz Osten and starring Himansu Rai and Enakshi Rama Rau. It was adapted from a stage play of the same name by Niranjan Pal, and based on the story of the commissioning of the Taj Mahal – the great monument of a Moghul prince for his dead queen.
Production
It was an Indian/British/German co-production, and the second of three silent films made on location in India by star and producer Himansu Rai. The others are Prem Sanyas (The Light of Asia, 1926) and A Throw of Dice (Prapanch Pash, 1929). All three films draw on Indian classical legend.
Plot
Shiraz (Rai) is a potter's son, who is brought up as brother to Selima (Rau), a girl of unknown but royal lineage who was rescued from an ambush in childhood. Shiraz falls in love with Selima as a young adult and when she is kidnapped by slavers and sold to Prince Khurram, Shiraz follows her to Agra, where he will risk a horrible death to protect her and one day design her great memorial.
Cast
- Himansu Rai as Shiraz
- Enakshi Rama Rau as Selima/Empress Mumtaz Mahal
- Charu Roy as Prince Khurram/Emperor Shah Jahan
- Seeta Devi as Dalia
Restoration
Shiraz was restored from original film elements by the BFI in 2017, and had its premiere as a gala screening at the 2017 London Film Festival, accompanied by a new score composed and performed by Anoushka Shankar. The Guardian's film critic Peter Bradshaw praised the film as " a startlingly ambitious epic weepie-romance". [1] The restored version subsequently played in a number of venues in India in late 2017. [2]
References
- ^ "Inside the British Film Institute archives — and an Indian gem sparkles again". The Financial Times. 5 October 2017. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ "Shiraz: A Romance of India review – 90-year-old epic stands test of time". The Financial Times. 1 February 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
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External links
- Shiraz at IMDb
- Silver screen magic: inside the British Film Institute vaults on YouTube by the Financial Times discusses the restoration process for Shiraz
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