Director: Eugenio De Liguoro; Writer: Tulsidutt Shaida; Cast: Patience Cooper, Master Mohan, Signora Dorros, James Magarth, Master Manilal, Dadabhai Sarkari, Aga Hashr Kashmiri, Mrs Manelli, P. Manelli, Master Surajram, Khorshedji Bilimoria, Jashodha Singh, Cawasji Golla, Isaac Simon, Ardeshir Sanjana, Mr Palwan, Master Revla, Pestonji Madan
Summary: Mythological based on the Pauranic legend of the
boy Dhruva whose quest for eternal salvation was
rewarded when he became the brightest star in the
heavens (the pole star is known as the Dhruvatara).
As part of Madan’s bid for an international breakthrough (cf
Nala Damayanti, 1920,
also by De Liguoro), the cast featured many
Europeans with Cooper in the lead as Suniti. The
Times of India (11 June 1921) noted that it offered
‘directions in which a greater appeal may be made
to the Westernised mind in trying to picture
modern India.’ The playwright Aga Hashr Kashmiri,
then a Madan employee, played a small role
(Dharmadev) and may have written some of the
script, uncredited. The Indian version was
successful but the film became better known in a
shorter version adapted for Europe.
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