SM
Sohrab Modi
Actor, Director, Producer
Born November 2, 1897Died January 28, 1984 (86 years)
Sohrab Modi (1897–1984) was one of the towering figures of early Indian cinema—a director, producer, and actor whose work brought historical grandeur and social reform to the silver screen. Known for his booming voice and Shakespearean gravitas, he began his career in theatre and was deeply influenced by Parsi stage traditions. He founded Minerva Movietone in the 1930s, a studio that became synonymous with epic historical dramas and socially relevant films.
Modi’s hallmark was his dedication to moral seriousness and elaborate period detail. His most celebrated works include Pukar (1939), Sikandar (1941), and Prithvi Vallabh (1943), films that combined visual splendor with stirring oratory and nationalist undercurrents. He was also a pioneer of courtroom and social dramas—Jhansi Ki Rani (1953), one of India’s first Technicolor films, and Ek Din Ka Sultan (1945) reflected his enduring interest in justice, reform, and strong historical women.
Though later overshadowed by more contemporary styles of filmmaking, Sohrab Modi’s legacy remains vital. He helped define the moral and aesthetic vocabulary of early Indian cinema, and his work continues to be remembered for its theatrical eloquence, patriotism, and cultural pride.
Modi’s hallmark was his dedication to moral seriousness and elaborate period detail. His most celebrated works include Pukar (1939), Sikandar (1941), and Prithvi Vallabh (1943), films that combined visual splendor with stirring oratory and nationalist undercurrents. He was also a pioneer of courtroom and social dramas—Jhansi Ki Rani (1953), one of India’s first Technicolor films, and Ek Din Ka Sultan (1945) reflected his enduring interest in justice, reform, and strong historical women.
Though later overshadowed by more contemporary styles of filmmaking, Sohrab Modi’s legacy remains vital. He helped define the moral and aesthetic vocabulary of early Indian cinema, and his work continues to be remembered for its theatrical eloquence, patriotism, and cultural pride.
Filmography
| 1983 | Razia Sultan · as Vazir-E-Azam |
| 1982 | |
| 1971 | Ek Nari Ek Brahmachari · as Raisaheb Surajbhan Chaudhary |
| 1971 | Jwala · as Anoop Sing |
| 1971 | Veer Chhatrasal · as Cast |
| 1965 | Bharat Milap · as Raja Dashrath |
| 1958 | Yahudi · as Ezra |
| 1957 | Nausherwan-E-Adil · as Sultan-E-Iran Nausherwan Bin Kavad |
| 1956 | |
| 1955 | Kundan · as Kundan |
| 1953 | Jhansi Ki Rani · as Raj Guru |
| 1950 | Sheesh Mahal · as Thakur Jaspal Singh |
| 1943 | Prithvi Vallabh · as Prithvi Vallabh |
| 1941 | Alexander the Great · as King Porus |
| 1939 | Pukar · as Sardar Sangram Singh |