Alif Laila
Alif Laila is an Indian television series based on the One Thousand and One Nights, also known as the Arabian Nights.[1] It was produced by Sagar Films (Pvt. Ltd.).[2] It was made in two seasons. The series from 1993–1997 for 143 episodes on DD National.
Alif Laila | |
---|---|
Also known as | Arabian Nights |
Genre | Fantasy |
Based on | One Thousand and One Nights |
Screenplay by | Ramanand Sagar |
Directed by |
|
Theme music composer | Ravindra Jain |
Opening theme | Krishna M. Gupta |
Ending theme | Krishna M. Gupta |
Composer(s) | Ravindra Jain |
Country of origin | India |
Original language(s) |
|
No. of seasons | 2 |
No. of episodes | 303 |
Production | |
Producer(s) | Subhash Sagar |
Running time | 23 Minutes |
Production company(s) | Sagar Arts |
Release | |
Original network | DD National |
Picture format | 480i |
First shown in | India |
Original release | 1993 – 1997 |
The plotline of the series starts from the very beginning when Shahrzad starts telling stories to Shahryar and contains both the well-known and the lesser-known stories from the One Thousand and One Nights which are mentioned here. The name Alif Laila is a short form of the original Arabic title of the One Thousand and One Nights - Alif Layla wa-Layla (Arabic: ألف ليلة وليلة).
Stories
Season 1
- Ep 1-2 Prologue to the story of King Shahryar and Queen Shahrzad
- Ep 2-6 The Trader and the Genie (Taajir aur Jinn)
- Ep 6-9 Story of the First Old Man (Pahla Musaafir aur Do Kutton ki Kahaani)
- Ep 9-13 Story of the Second Old Man (Doosra Musaafir aur Bakri ki Kahaani)
- Ep 13-15 The Fisherman and the Genie[3] (Maahigir aur Jinn)
- Ep 15-18 Tale of the Vizier and the Sage Duban (Hakeem Dobaan ki Kahaani)
- Ep 19-33 Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp (Aladeen aur Jaadui Chiraagh)
- Ep 34-47 Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves[4] (Ali Baba aur Chaalis Chor)
- Ep 48-49 Sinbad the Sailor and Pirate Qehermann (Sindbad Jahaazi aur Samudri Daaku Keharmann)
- Ep 50-55 Sinbad First Voyage
- Ep 56-69 Sinbad Second Voyage
- Ep 70-89 Sindbad Third Voyage
- Ep 90-106 Sindbad Fourth Voyage
- Ep 107-135 Prince Jalal Talib and Malika Hamira (a.k.a. Prince Jalal Talib and the Three Pearls)[5] (Shahzaada Jalaal Taalib aur Malika Hameera)
- Ep 136-143 Prince Jamal Saqib and Princess Mahapara (Shahzaada Jamaal Saaqib aur Shahzaadi Mahapaara)
Season 2
- The Night-Adventures of Caliph Harun al-Rashid (Khaleefa Haarun Rasheed ke Gashte)
- The Caliph's Judgement
- Story of the Blind Man (Andhe Faqeer Jamaal ki Kahaani)
- Zishan and Sofonisba (Zishaan aur Sofonisba), loosely based on the History of Sidi Nu'uman
- History of Khwajah Hasan al-Habbal (Khwaaja Hasan Khabaal ki Kahaani)
- Two Brothers Jalal and Bilal (Do Bhaai Jalaal aur Bilaal)
- Prince Afat and Firoza vs Firoz
- (Epilogue to the story of Shahryar and Shahrzad)
Cast
Recurring
- Shahnawaz Pradhan as Royal Vizier (Prologue), Sinbad the Sailor, clone Badrous (Sinbad arc), thief Asfandyaar (Ali Baba arc)
- Shweta Rastogi as daughter of Royal Vizier (Prologue)
- Swati Anand as princess Sofonisba of Gudjistaan [Sharara Gul] (Jishan & Sofonisba arc)
- R.K. Datta as Trader (Trader & Genie arc), shape-shifter Cheema (Jalal Talib arc)[6]
- Pramod Kapoor as merchant Sirajuddin Shareef Zardaari (Trader & goat arc), prince Gulfaam/Shah Khurram of Mehrabaad/sorcerer Misri (Sinbad arc), sorcerer Azgar (Jalal Taalib arc), King Baazik (Two Brothers arc)[6]
- Mulraj Razda as Hakim Douban[6]
- Neela Patel as fisherman's wife (Fisherman & Genie arc), Aladdin's mother (Aladdin arc), Shah of Baghdad's consort (Sinbad arc), Queen Zamaani of Shahristaan (Jalal Talib arc)
- Hyder Kazmi as Jaadugar Talimosh and Darvesh
- Navdeep Singh as Aladdin (Aladdin arc)[6]
- Papiya Sengupta as princess Gulafsha of Naglistaan[6]
- Sanjeev Sharma as Haasim (Ali Baba arc), Daniel (Jalal Talib arc)
- Vilas Raj as African magician Zingaalu Zungla (Aladdin arc), pirate Qehermaan/evil shadow Hamzaad (Sinbad arc), shape-shifter Jhingaal (Jalal Talib arc)
- Pinky Parikh as Duraksha (Trader & goat arc), Fairy Zeba Zeemi Shaheen (Aladdin arc), Marjina (Ali Baba arc), princess Badroulbadour and witch-queen Taaguti (Sinbad arc)[7]
- Sulakshana Khatri as witch Asbela (Sinbad arc), princess of corpses Asjaar Salatiya (Jalal Talib arc)
- Jyotin Dave as King of Naglistaan (Aladdin arc), Police chief (Ali Baba arc), Shah of Baghdad (Sinbad arc), King of Shahristaan/dervish (Jalal Talib arc)[7]
- Sunil Pandey as Sabeer Ahmed (Three Brothers arc), Ali Baba (Ali Baba arc), thief Gufraan (Sinbad arc), vizier Sarbaakh (Two Brothers arc)
- Tarakesh Chauhan as merchant Qaasim (Ali Baba arc), Balgavaan, Hafiz (Sinbad arc), prince Jalal Talib bin Sheikh Abdul Majeedi of ShahHarounabad (Jalal Talib, Two Brothers arc)
- Radha Yadav as Dilshad (Ali Baba arc), mother of kidnapped child (Sinbad arc)
- Jharna Dave as Naubahar (Ali Baba arc), sorceress Zubeidaa (Sinbad arc)
- Paulomi Mukherjee as lady Shahzamaani (Sinbad arc)
- Ashwini Sidhwani as fairy Maarukh (Sinbad arc)
- Sunil Nagar as Sultan Bakht, lady Gazala's lover, Fairy-king of Nigaristaan (Sinbad arc)
- Payal Mehta as lady Gazala (Sinbad arc), princess Mahapara of Cheestaan (Two Brothers arc)
- Kumar Hegde as shape-shifter Halkaash (Sinbad arc), genie-lord Aatish Fishaani (Jalal Talib arc), court magician Hattat (Two Brothers arc)[7]
- Mona Parikh as lady Kulussun (Sinbad arc), princess Tayyabah of Shahristaan (Jalal Talib arc)
- Lata Haya (née Lata Nagar) as Queen Malika-e-Aliyah (Sinbad arc), witch-queen Hameera (Jalal Talib arc)[7]
- Sanjeev Siddharth as genie Dara (Jalal Talib arc)
- Anupama Pardesi as courtesan Gulroo/serpent-princess Bargamaayi (Sinbad arc)
- Swati as fairy Shaheedi (Sinbad arc)
- Neha Grewal, Hetal Panchal, Heena as fairies (Jalal Talib arc)
- Mukul Nag as prince Jamal Saakib of ShahHarounabad (Two Brothers arc)
- Arvind Raosaraya as magician Gaaradgar (Two Brothers arc)
- Aslam, Gyan, Amar, Shirke, Muniraj, Kaleem, Ajay, A. Sodhi, Ramesh Ambavale, Akhtar, Vinod, Nagesh played minor roles in every story arc.[6][8]
- Vikram Sharma as Jadugar Hawabaaj
Home media
The episodes of Alif Laila were released on both VCD and DVD format from Moserbaer. The DVD[9] release was marketed as 20 volumes consisting of 143 episodes, while the VCD[10] released as 50 sets. There have also been DVD and VCD releases of single story arcs.
The 160 episodes of season 2 have been made available on MX Player on the official channel of Sri Adhikari Brothers.[11]
Broadcast
The show was syndicated in Bengali on BTV, Gazi Television, and ETV (Bangladesh). copyright owned by Sagar Pictures as of 2009 The show has re-aired on channels owned by Shri Adhikari Brothers since its original run. It re-aired from June 2011 on Dabangg TV, from 2012 to 2013 on Dhamaal TV, from 2013 to 2016 on Dabangg TV again[12][13] and in 2017 on Dillagi TV. It is being broadcast again during the quarantine period in India on DD Bharati from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM.[14]
References
- Ashish Rajadhyaksha; Paul Willemen (1994). Encyclopaedia of Indian cinema. British Film Institute. pp. 42, 63, 572. ISBN 978-0-85170-455-5. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
- Ravi Shanker Kapoor (2000). More equal than others: a study of the Indian Left. Vision Books. ISBN 978-81-7094-381-5.
- A selection of stories from Alif laila wa laila: the Arabian nights' entertainment. Ginn & co. 1892.
- Frank Moore Colby; Talcott Williams (1918). The New international encyclopædia. Dodd, Mead and company.
- "Buy Jalal Talib Aur Malika Hamira DVD, Blu-ray Online at Best Prices in India | Movies & TV Shows". Amazon.in. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
- "Alif Laila (TV Series 1997–2002)".
- "Alif Laila". nettv4u.
- "Alif Laila Original TV Cast". 8 December 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
- "Buy Alif Laila: 1001 Nights - Vol. 1 to 20 (Episodes - 1 to 143) DVD, Blu-ray Online at Best Prices in India | Movies & TV Shows". Amazon.in. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
- "Buy Alif Laila (World's Greatest Tales from Arabian Nights) DVD, Blu-ray Online at Best Prices in India | Movies & TV Shows". Amazon.in. 3 October 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
- "Watch Alif Laila Serial All Latest Episodes and Videos Online on MX Player". www.mxplayer.in.
- "Dhamaal TV - Alif Laila".
- "Dabangg TV - Alif Laila".
- https://twitter.com/DD_Bharati/status/1245355189134999552