Sikandar (1941)

Modi's military epic is set in 326BC when Alexander the Great aka Sikandar (Kapoor), having conquered Persia and the Kabul valley, descends to the Indian border at Jhelum with his Macedonian army and encounters King Porus (Modi) of the Punjab who stops the advance with his troops. The plot has Sikandar ignoring his teacher Aristotle's (Shakir) advice and he falls for a Persian woman, Rukhsana (Vanamala). Fearing for Sikandar's life, she goes to Porus's court and extracts a promise that he shall not harm Sikandar. In the battle with the Macedonian army, Porus loses his son Amar (Raja) and meets Sikandar face to face. An elaborate verbal duel follows, then the two kings become friends and Sikandar withdraws. The stilted, declamatory dialogue was pure Parsee Theatre as Modi and Kapoor, wellknown Shakespearean actors, give free reign to their histrionic proclivities. Highlights including the scenes of battle on horses and elephants. The film was later dubbed in Persian.