Alladin and the Wonderful Lamp (1957 film)


Alladin and the Wonderful Lamp, also known by its Telugu-language title Allauddin Adhbhuta Deepam, its Tamil-language title Allavudeenum Arputha Vilakkum, and its Hindi-language title Alladdin Ka Chirag, is a 1957 Indian fantasy film produced by M. L. Pathy on the Jai Sakthi Pictures banner and directed by T. R. Raghunath. The film stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Anjali Devi. It is an adaptation of the story of Aladdin from One Thousand and One Nights and filmed simultaneously in three different languages. Allavudeenum Arputha Vilakkum was released on 29 March 1957, and Allavuddin Adbhuta Deepam followed on 13 April. Alladin Ka Chirag was also released the same year.

Plot

Jaffer, a cruel sorcerer, seeks world domination. Through his friend Yakub, he learns of a magic lamp containing a genie that grants any wish. The lamp is hidden in the Korakaram Caves and can be obtained only by a young man who bears seven moles on his right hand. That is Aladdin. Posing as Aladdin’s paternal uncle, Jaffer sends him to retrieve the lamp. After an adventurous journey, Aladdin finds the lamp, but when he refuses to give it to Jaffer, the enraged sorcerer seals him inside the cave. Using a magical ring Jaffer had given him for emergencies, Aladdin escapes and returns home. When he tells his mother, Fathima, what happened, she throws the lamp away in fear, and it becomes buried in their yard.
Some time later, Aladdin falls in love with Princess Yasmin, the daughter of the Sultan of Baghdad. When he secretly enters the palace, he is caught and punished. Fathima pleads with the Sultan to allow her son to marry Yasmin, but the Sultan challenges Aladdin to present wealth equal to his own. While cleaning, Fathima finds the discarded lamp and releases the genie, who helps Aladdin amass immense riches. Impressed, the Sultan agrees to the marriage.
Meanwhile, Jaffer discovers that Aladdin is alive. Disguised, he steals the lamp, captures Yasmin, and seizes Aladdin’s wealth. With Yakub’s help, Aladdin finds Jaffer’s fortress, rescues Yasmin, and defeats the sorcerer. He returns to Baghdad, where the Sultan names him his successor. In gratitude and wisdom, Aladdin frees the genie so the lamp can never again be misused.

Cast

Adapted from Film News Anandan's database:

Production

The film is an adaptation of the story of Aladdin from One Thousand and One Nights. It was directed by T. R. Raghunath, produced by M. L. Pathy under Jai Sakthi Pictures, and simultaneously filmed in Tamil as Allavudeenum Arputha Vilakkum, Telugu as Allavuddin Adbhuta Deepam, and in Hindi as Alladdin Ka Chirag. ''Alladin and the Wonderful Lamp was used as the English title for the trilingual. The screenplay was written by Raghunath and V. Srinivasan. Akkineni Nageswara Rao starred as the title character. R. Sampath was the cinematographer, and S. A. Murugesan worked as editor. The sequence of the song "Seladum Neerodai Meethe" and its Telugu version was shot in Gevacolor, as the censor certificate of this film states as partly coloured''. The Telugu version marked the first Telugu film to have colour sequence.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack was composed by S. Rajeswara Rao & S. Hanumantha Rao.

Release

Allavudeenum Arputha Vilakkum was released on 29 March 1957, and Allavuddin Adbhuta Deepam followed on 13 April. Alladin Ka Chirag was released in the same year.