Alif Laila Explained
| Alt Name: | Arabian Nights |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Based On: | One Thousand and One Nights |
| Theme Music Composer: | Ravindra Jain |
| Opentheme: | Krishna M. Gupta |
| Endtheme: | Krishna M. Gupta |
| Composer: | Ravindra Jain |
| Country: | India |
| Num Seasons: | 2 |
| Num Episodes: | 303 |
| Producer: | Subhash Sagar |
| Runtime: | 22 Minutes |
| Screenplay: | Ramanand Sagar |
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 Arts.[2] It was made in two seasons. The series from 1993 to 2002 for 303 episodes on DD National and later on SAB TV.
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 (ar|ألف ليلة وليلة).
Stories
- Prologue to the story of King Shahryar and Queen Shahrzad
- EP (03-06) > The Trader and the Genie (Taajir aur Jinn)
- EP (07-09) > Story of the First Traveller (Pahla Musaafir aur Do Kutton ki Kahaani)
- EP (10-13) > Story of the Second Traveller (Doosra Musaafir aur Bakri ki Kahaani)
- EP (14-15) > The Fisherman and the Genie[3] (Maahigir aur Jinn)
- EP (16-18) > Tale of the Vizier and the Sage Duban (Hakeem Dobaan ki Kahaani)
- EP (19-33) > Aladdin and the Magic 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 (Sindbad Jahaazi)
- EP (50-55) > Sindbad's First Voyage (Prince Gulfam and Jadugarni Azbela & Jadugar Bargwan)
- EP (56-69) > Sindbad's Second Voyage (Maut Ki Vaadi)
- EP (70-89) > Sindbad's Third Voyage (Nigaristan)
- EP (90-106) > Sindbad's Fourth Voyage (Kaala Jazeera)
- EP (107-135) > Prince Jalal Talib and Malika Hamira (Shahzaada Jalaal Taalib aur Malika Hameera)
- EP (136-143) > Prince Jamal Saqib and Princess Mahapara (Shahzaada Jamaal Saaqib aur Shahzaadi Mahapaara)
- Epilogue to the story of Shahryar and Shahrzad
- The Night-Adventures of Caliph Harun al-Rashid (Khaleefa Haarun al-Rasheed ke Gashte)
- EP (02-10) > Story of the Blind Man (Andhe Faqeer Jamaal ki Kahaani)
- EP (11-27) > Zishan and Sofonisba (Zishaan aur Sofonisba), loosely based on the History of Sidi Nu'uman
- EP (28-35) > History of Khwajah Hasan al-Khabbal (Khwaaja Hasan Khabaal ki Kahaani)
- EP (36-83) > Two Brothers Jalal and Bilal (Do Bhaai Jalaal aur Bilaal)
- EP (84-103) > Prince Afat and Firoza vs Firoz (Prince Afat aur Firoza banaam Firoz)
- EP (104-160) > Sindbad's Four Skull Raids (Sindbad ka Chaar Khopdi abhijan)
- End-of-night adventures of Harun al-Rashid
Cast
Main
Recurring
- Navdeep singh as Aladdin
- Papiya Sengupta as princess Gulafsha of Naglistaan
- Mukul Nag as prince Jamal Saakib
- Sunil Pandey as Sabeer Ahmed, Ali Baba
- Shahnawaz Pradhan as Sindbad, Royal Vizier (Prologue), Clone Badrous, Thief Asfandyaar
- Vilas Raj as Qehermaan
- Jharna Dave as Zubeidaa
- Tarakesh Chauhan as Jalal Talib
- Mona Parikh as Princess Tayyabah
- Lata Haya (née Lata Nagar) as witch-queen Hameera
- Pinky Parikh as Duraksha, Fairy Zeba Zeemi Shaheen, Marjina, Princess Badroulbadour and witch-queen Taaguti
- Jyotin Dave as Shah Of Baghdad
- Mulraj Rajda as Hakim Douban
- Neela Patel as Fisherman's wife, Aladdin's mother, Shah of Baghdad's consort, Queen Zamaani of Shahristaan
- Sanjeev Sharma as Haasim, Daniel
- Sulakshana Khatri as witch Asbela & Princess of corpses Asjaar Salatiya
- Radha Yadav as Dilshad, Mother of kidnapped child (Sinbad arc)
- Pramod Kapoor as merchant Sirajuddin Shareef Zardaari, prince Gulfaam/Shah Khurram of Mehrabaad/sorcerer Misri, Sorcerer Azgar, King Baazik
- Kumar Hegde as Shape-Shifter Halkaash
- Sunil Nagar as King Of Nigaristan
- Aslam Khan as Kiled Brother Jinn
- Sanjay Bn Sharma as Tabbak Jinn
- Hyder Kazmi as Jadugar Talimosh
- Neha Grewal as Heena (Fairy)
- Swati Anand as Sofonisba
- Ritambhara Sahni as Ismatjahan
- Yashodhan Rana as Sindbad
Home media
The episodes of Alif Laila were released on both VCD and DVD format from Moserbaer. The DVD release was marketed as 20 volumes consisting of 143 episodes.
Broadcast
Alif Laila first aired on DD1, and later, Season 2 was broadcast on SAB TV.
External links
Notes and References
- Book: Encyclopaedia of Indian cinema. Ashish Rajadhyaksha. Paul Willemen. British Film Institute. 1994. 978-0-85170-455-5. 42, 63, 572. 30 May 2012.
- Book: Ravi Shanker Kapoor. More equal than others: a study of the Indian Left. 2000. Vision Books. 978-81-7094-381-5.
- Book: A selection of stories from Alif laila wa laila: the Arabian nights' entertainment. 1892. Ginn & co..
- Book: Frank Moore Colby . The New international encyclopædia . Talcott Williams . Dodd, Mead and company . 1918.
