Alif Laila

*Alif Laila*
Alif Laila
Also known as	Arabian Nights
Genre	Fantasy
Based on	One Thousand and One Nights
Screenplay by	Ramanand Sagar
Directed by	Anand Sagar; Prem Sagar; Moti Sagar;
Theme music composer	Ravindra Jain
Opening theme	Krishna M. Gupta
Ending theme	Krishna M. Gupta
Composer	Ravindra Jain
Country of origin	India
Original languages	Hindi; Urdu;
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	303
Production
Producer	Subhash Sagar
Running time	22 Minutes
Production company	Sagar Arts
Original release
Network	DD1 (season 1); SAB TV (season 2);
Release	1993 –; 2002

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 (Arabic: ألف ليلة وليلة).

Stories

Season 1 (1993 - 1997) On DD1

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

Season 2 (2001 - 2002) On SAB TV

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

Girija Shankar as King Shahryar
Damini Kanwal Shetty (Seema Kanwal) as Queen Shahrzad
Firoz Ali as Shehzada Afaque

Recurring

Shahnawaz Pradhan as Royal Vizier (Prologue), Sinbad the Sailor, clone Badrous (Sinbad arc), thief Asfandyaar (Ali Baba arc)
Pramod Kapoor as merchant Sirajuddin Shareef Zardaari (Trader & goat arc), prince Gulfaam/Shah Khurram of Mehrabaad/sorcerer Misri (Sinbad arc), sorcerer Azgar (Jalal Taalib arc), King Baazik (Two Brothers arc)
Mulraj Rajda as Hakim Douban
Neela Patel as fisherman's wife (Fisherman & Genie arc), Aladdin's mother (Aladdin arc), Shah of Baghdad's consort (Sinbad arc), Queen Zamaani of Shahristaan (Jalal Talib arc)
Papiya Sengupta as princess Gulafsha of Naglistaan
Navdeep singh as Alladin
Sanjeev Sharma as Haasim (Ali Baba arc), Daniel (Jalal Talib arc)
Pinky Parikh as Duraksha (Trader & goat arc), Fairy Zeba Zeemi Shaheen (Aladdin arc), Marjina (Ali Baba arc), princess Badroulbadour and witch-queen Taaguti (Sinbad arc)
Sulakshana Khatri as witch Asbela (Sinbad arc), princess of corpses Asjaar Salatiya (Jalal Talib arc)
Radha Yadav as Dilshad (Ali Baba arc), mother of kidnapped child (Sinbad arc)
Lata Haya (née Lata Nagar) as Queen Malika-e-Aliyah (Sinbad arc), witch-queen Hameera (Jalal Talib arc)
Mukul Nag as prince Jamal Saakib of ShahHarounabad (Two Brothers arc)

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.

References

^ Ashish Rajadhyaksha; Paul Willemen (1994). Encyclopaedia of Indian cinema. British Film Institute. pp. 42, 63, 572. ISBN 978-0-85170-455-5. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
^ Ravi Shanker Kapoor (2000). More equal than others: a study of the Indian Left. Vision Books. ISBN 978-81-7094-381-5.
^ A selection of stories from Alif laila wa laila: the Arabian nights' entertainment. Ginn & co. 1892.
^ Frank Moore Colby; Talcott Williams (1918). The New international encyclopædia. Dodd, Mead and company.

External links

Sagar Pictures website
Production website
Dhamaal TV page Archived 28 October 2019 at the Wayback Machine

[RajadhyakshaWillemen1994-1] Ashish Rajadhyaksha; Paul Willemen (1994). Encyclopaedia of Indian cinema. British Film Institute. pp. 42, 63, 572. ISBN 978-0-85170-455-5. Retrieved 30 May 2012.

[Kapoor2000-2] Ravi Shanker Kapoor (2000). More equal than others: a study of the Indian Left. Vision Books. ISBN 978-81-7094-381-5.

[selection-3] A selection of stories from Alif laila wa laila: the Arabian nights' entertainment. Ginn & co. 1892.

[ColbyWilliams19182-4] Frank Moore Colby; Talcott Williams (1918). The New international encyclopædia. Dodd, Mead and company.

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[4]

v t e Current broadcasts on DD National
Drama	Swaraj: Bharat Ke Swatantrata Sangram ki Samagra Gatha Yeh Dil Mannge More
Music	Chitrahaar Rangoli

v t e Sagar Arts
Television series	Vikram Aur Betaal Ramayan Luv Kush Shri Krishna Alif Laila Aankhen Hatim Hello Dollie Hotel Kingston Dharti Ka Veer Yodha Prithviraj Chauhan Dharam Veer Arslaan Ramayan Mahima Shani Dev Ki Jo Ishq Ki Marzi Woh Rab Ki Marzi Chandragupta Maurya Jai Jai Jai Bajrang Bali
Films	Arzoo (1965) Aankhen (1968) Geet (1970) Lalkaar (1972) Jalte Badan (1973) Hamrahi (1974) Charas (1976) Ram Bharose (1977) Prem Bandhan (1979) Hum Tere Ashiq Hain (1979) Pyaara Dushman (1980) Arman (1981) Baghavat (1982) Romance (1983) Baadal (1983) Salma (1985) 1971 (2007)

v t e Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
Key people	Hanna Diyab Antoine Galland
Films	Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba's Forty Thieves (1937) Ali Baba (1940) Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum (1941) Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (1944) Alibaba Aur 40 Chor (1954) Ali Baba et les 40 voleurs (1954) Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum (1956) Ali Baba Bunny (1957) Ali Baba Bujang Lapok (1960) Sindbad Alibaba and Aladdin (1965) Alibaba Aur 40 Chor (1966) Ali Baba 40 Dongalu (1970) Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (1971) Ali Baba (1973) Marjina Abdulla (1973) Alibabayum 41 Kallanmaarum (1975) Alibaba Marjinaa (1977) Adventures of Ali-Baba and the Forty Thieves (1980) Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996)
Television series	Alif Laila (1993–1997) Princess Dollie Aur Uska Magic Bag (2004–2006) Ali Baba: Dastaan-E-Kabul (2022-present)
Operas	Ali-Baba (1887)
Video games	Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (Quality Software) Ali Baba and 40 Thieves (Sega)
Amusement rides	Ali Baba

v t e Aladdin
Key people	Hanna Diyab Antoine Galland
Films	Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp (1917) The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926) Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp (1939) A Thousand and One Nights (1945) Aladdin Aur Jadui Chirag (1952) Alif Laila (1953) Alladin Ka Beta (1955) Alladin and the Wonderful Lamp (1957) Aladdin (1958) 1001 Arabian Nights (1959) The Wonders of Aladdin (1961) Sindbad Alibaba and Aladdin (1965) Aladdin and His Magic Lamp (1967) A Thousand and One Nights (1969) Aladdin and His Magic Lamp (1970) Adventures of Aladdin (1978) Allauddinum Albhutha Vilakkum (1979) Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp (1982) Superfantagenio (1986) Aladdin (1992) Aladdin (Golden Films) (1992) The Return of Jafar (1994) Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996) Son of Alladin (2002) Aladin (2009) Ashchorjyo Prodeep (2013) The New Adventures of Aladdin (2015) Alad'2 (2018) Aladdin (2019) Adventures of Aladdin (2019) Wish Dragon (2021)
Television series	Alif Laila (1993–1997) Aladdin (1994–1995) Arabian Nights (2000) Aladdin – Naam Toh Suna Hoga (2018–2021) Once Upon a Time season 6 (2016)
Theatre	The New Aladdin (1906) Aladdin (1979 musical) (1979) Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular (2003) Aladdin (2011 musical) (2011)
Video games	Disney's Aladdin (Sega Genesis; 1993) Disney's Aladdin (SNES; 1993) Disney's Aladdin (SIMS; 1994) Disney's Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge (2001) Kingdom Hearts (2002)
Other	Disney franchise Disney character The Magic Carpets of Aladdin Arabian Coast Le Passage Enchanté d'Aladdin Aladdin (Nielsen) Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic

v t e Sinbad the Sailor
One Thousand and One Nights
Films	Sinbad the Sailor (1935) Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor (1936) Arabian Nights (1942) Sinbad the Sailor (1947) Son of Sinbad (1955) The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958) Sindbad ki Beti (1958) Captain Sindbad (1963) Sindbad Alibaba and Aladdin (1965) The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973) Adventures of Sinbad the Sailor (1974) Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977) Sinbad of the Seven Seas (1989) Sinbad (1992) Sinbad: Beyond the Veil of Mists (2000) Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003) The 7 Adventures of Sinbad (2010) Sinbad and the Minotaur (2011) The Adventures of Sinbad (2013) Sinbad (film series) (2015–2016)
Plays	The Eighth Voyage of Sindbad (1964)
Television series	Sinbad Jr. and his Magic Belt (1965) Arabian Nights: Sinbad's Adventures (1975) Alif Laila (1993–1997) The Fantastic Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor (1996) The Adventures of Sinbad (1996) Princess Dollie Aur Uska Magic Bag (2004–2006) Sinbad (2012) Janbaaz Sindbad (2015–2016)