Ardeshir Irani
Pioneer of Indian sound and colour cinema.
Khan Bahadur Ardeshir Irani (5 December 1886 – 14 October 1969) worked across many roles in early Indian cinema—writer, director, producer, actor, distributor, showman, and cinematographer—during both the silent and sound eras. He is regarded as a major figure in Indian film history. Irani directed *Alam Ara*, India’s first sound film, and *Lor Girl*, the first Persian-language sound film. He also produced *Kisan Kanya*, India’s first colour film. His films were made in Hindi, Telugu, English, German, Indonesian, Persian, Urdu, and Tamil. A successful businessman, he owned film theatres, a gramophone agency, and a car agency.
Born into a Parsi Zoroastrian family in Pune on 5 December 1886, Irani became Universal Studios’ Indian representative in 1905. For over forty years, he ran Alexander Cinema in Bombay with Abdulally Esoofally, where he learned filmmaking and grew fascinated with the medium. He entered film production in 1917, releasing his first silent feature, *Nala Damayanti*, in 1920. In 1922, he partnered with Bhogilal Dave—a former manager of Dadasaheb Phalke’s Hindustan Films—to form Star Films. Their first silent feature, *Veer Abhimanyu* (1922), starred Fatma Begum. Dave handled cinematography; Irani directed and produced. Star Films made seventeen films before the partnership dissolved.
In 1924, Irani founded Majestic Film Company with B.P. Mishra and Naval Gandhi. Irani produced, while Mishra or Gandhi directed. After fifteen films, Majestic closed, followed by the short-lived Royal Art Studios, which became known for romantic films. Irani improved on this formula by using new talent. In 1925, he founded Imperial Films, where he made sixty-two films. By age forty, he was an established filmmaker. On 14 March 1931, he released *Alam Ara*, India’s first talkie. Many of his silent films were later remade as talkies with the same cast and crew. He also made India’s first English-language feature, *Noor Jahan* (1934), and completed a hat-trick of firsts with *Kisan Kanya* (1937), India’s first colour feature. Beyond introducing sound and colour, he broadened film storytelling; themes from his 158 films continue to inspire productions today.
In 1933, Irani produced and directed the first Persian talkie, *Dokhtar-e-Lor*, with a script by Abdolhossein Sepanta, who also acted alongside members of the local Parsi community. Through Imperial Films, he
- born
- 5 December 1886, Pune, Bombay Presidency
- died
- 14 October 1969, Mumbai, Maharashtra
- field
- Film director, producer, writer, actor, cinematographer, distributor, showman
- nationality
- Indian
- known_for
- Directing India's first sound film Alam Ara (1931); producing India's first colour film Kisan Kanya (1937); directing first Persian talkie Lor Girl (1933)
Lore & Background
Ardeshir Irani was born into a Parsi Zoroastrian family on 5 December 1886 in Pune, Bombay Presidency. In 1905, Irani became the Indian representative of Universal Studios and ran Alexander Cinema in Bombay with Abdulally Esoofally for over forty years. It was at Alexander Cinema that he learned the rules of the art of filmmaking. In 1917, he entered film production and produced his first silent feature film, Nala Damayanti, released in 1920. In 1922, he joined Bhogilal Dave to establish Star Films, producing seventeen films before dissolving the partnership. He then founded Majestic Film Company in 1924, followed by Royal Art Studios and later Imperial Films in 1925, where he made sixty-two films.
Reader's Guide
Ardeshir Irani's significance lies in his role as a technical and entrepreneurial pioneer of Indian cinema. He directed India's first sound film, Alam Ara (1931), and the first Persian talkie, Lor Girl (1933). He produced India's first colour feature film, Kisan Kanya (1937), and also made the first Indian English feature film, Noor Jahan (1934). His Imperial Films introduced new actors such as Prithviraj Kapoor and Mehboob Khan. He visited London for fifteen days to study sound recording, and he began the trend of shooting under artificial light to avoid outdoor noise. He served as the first president of the Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association from 1937 to 1939. Over a twenty-five-year career between the First and Second World Wars, he made 158 films, working in Hindi, Telugu, English, German, Indonesian, Persian, Urdu and Tamil. He suspended his film business during the war, recognizing it was not a suitable time.
Did You Know?
- Ardeshir Irani directed India's first sound film, Alam Ara, released on 14 March 1931.
- He produced India's first colour feature film, Kisan Kanya (1937).
- He directed the first Persian talkie, Lor Girl (1933), also known as Dokhtar-e-Lor.
- He was the first president of the Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association (IMPPA), from 1937 to 1939.
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