1939
This year also marks the start of the Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history.
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 1
** Third Reich
*** Jews are forbidden to ...
Sohrab Modi
Sohrab Merwanji Modi (2 November 1897 – 28 January 1984) was an Indian stage and film actor, director and producer. His films include ''Khoon Ka Khoon'' (1935), a version of Shakespeare's ''Hamlet'', '' Sikandar'', ''Pukar'', ''Prithvi Va ...
at the production house,
Minerva Movietone
Minerva (; ett, Menrva) is the Roman mythology, Roman goddess of wisdom, justice, law, victory, and the sponsor of arts, trade, and strategy. Minerva is not a patron of violence such as Mars (mythology), Mars, but of strategic war. From the ...
. The film is about Mughal emperor
Jehangir
Nur-ud-Din Muhammad Salim (30 August 1569 – 28 October 1627), known by his imperial name Jahangir (; ), was the fourth Mughal Emperor, who ruled from 1605 until he died in 1627. He was named after the Indian Sufi saint, Salim Chishti.
Ear ...
's legendary justice and his inner conflict when his wife kills an innocent citizen by mistake.
The movie is a typical Sohrab Modi production (which always seemed to be historical) with heavy and lengthy Urdu dialogues said in a loud and dramatic style. Story and lyrics are by
Kamal Amrohi
Syed Amir Haider Kamal Naqvi (17 January 1918 – 11 February 1993), popularly known as Kamal Amrohi, was an Indian film director and screenwriter. He was also an Urdu and Hindi poet.
His Hindi films include '' Mahal'' (1949), ''Pakeezah'' (19 ...
. ''Pukar'' is considered to be the earliest
Muslim social
The Muslim social is a film genre in Bollywood that portrays Islamic culture in India. It flourished in the 1950s and 1960s and lasted till the early 1980s. Muslim socials are divided into two categories: "classic Muslim socials" that explore na ...
film.
Plot
Set at the court of the harsh, but just Mughal Emperor Jehangir (Chandra Mohan), the film tells two separate love stories: the first of Mangal Singh (Ali) and Kanwar (Sheela) amid the violent feud raging between their families, and the second, the famous story of Jehangir and Nurjehan (Banu). Mangal kills the brother and father of his lover when they accuse him of dishonouring them and attack him. His father, the loyal Rajput chieftain Sangram Singh (Modi), captures his son and Jehangir passes the death sentence. Jehangir's claim that the law knows no class distinction is put on the test when a washerwoman (Akhtar) accuses Queen Nurjehan of having inadvertently killed her husband while shooting a bow and arrow. Since the washerwoman's husband was killed by the Queen, claiming to be acting in justice, Jehangir says that the washerwoman should shoot him in the same fashion, as he is the Queen's husband. All the courtiers protest and Sangram Singh says that the emperor's life belongs to the people and the washerwoman agrees to take compensation in the form of wealth. Nurjehan suggests a general amnesty for all prisoners, which is granted by Jehangir so that Nurjehan is then not a special case, thus Mangal Singh and Kanwar can marry.
Cast
*
Sohrab Modi
Sohrab Merwanji Modi (2 November 1897 – 28 January 1984) was an Indian stage and film actor, director and producer. His films include ''Khoon Ka Khoon'' (1935), a version of Shakespeare's ''Hamlet'', '' Sikandar'', ''Pukar'', ''Prithvi Va ...
Jahangir
Nur-ud-Din Muhammad Salim (30 August 1569 – 28 October 1627), known by his imperial name Jahangir (; ), was the fourth Mughal Emperor, who ruled from 1605 until he died in 1627. He was named after the Indian Sufi saint, Salim Chishti.
Ear ...
*
Naseem Banu
Naseem Banu (4 July 1916 – 18 June 2002) was an Indian actress. She was referred to as Naseem and known as "Beauty Queen" and the "first female superstar" of Indian Cinema. Starting her acting career in the mid-1930s she continued to act t ...
as
Nur Jahan
Nur Jahan, born Mehr-un-Nissa P ersian: نورجهان (; – 18 December 1645) was the wife and chief consort of the Mughal emperor Jahangir from 1620 until his death in 1627.
Nur Jahan was born Mehr-un-Nissa, as the daughter of a Mirza Ghi ...
* Sheela as Kanwar
*
Sardar Akhtar
Sardar Akhtar (1915–1986) was an Indian actress who worked in Hindi and Urdu films. She started her acting career on the Urdu stage. Her early films were with Saroj Movietone, where she did a majority of stunt (action) roles. She came into pr ...
as Rami Dhoban
* Sadiq Ali as Mangal Singh
* Babu Singh as Ramu Dhobhi