
Acting
Sardar Akhtar (1915–1986) was a prominent actress in pre-independence Hindi cinema, known for her powerful screen presence and emotionally grounded performances. Beginning her career in stunt and social films during the silent and early talkie era, she transitioned into more serious roles by the late 1930s. Her breakthrough came with Pukar (1939), directed by Sohrab Modi, where she played Queen Noor Jehan with striking dignity and restraint. She earned acclaim for her role in Mehboob Khan’s Aurat (1940), a performance considered a precursor to Nargis’s iconic turn in Mother India (1957). In Aurat, Sardar Akhtar portrayed a rural mother battling poverty and injustice—a role that cemented her as one of the era’s most respected actresses. Off screen, she married Mehboob Khan and eventually stepped away from acting, but her legacy endured as part of a generation that helped define socially conscious Hindi cinema. Though her filmography isn’t vast, Sardar Akhtar’s work left a deep impact, especially in films that explored themes of gender, sacrifice, and rural life with nuance and emotional depth.

Alibaba and his son live with his rich brother Cassim. Marjina and Zabba are two slave girls who work in Cassim's house. Marjina and Alibaba's son are in love with each other. Zabba is in league with Abu Hassan, who is the leader of a gang of thieves. Alibaba finds the thieves' cave and becomes rich. Cassim's wife insists on knowing the secret of his wealth. Alibaba tells his brother who goes to the cave but can't get out as he's forgotten the magic words. The thieves find him and kill him. Alibaba and his son find Cassim and bring his body back for burial. Abu Hassan finds out about Alibaba, and the story then follows Marjina outsmarting Abu Hassan, who comes visiting as a merchant.

A love affair and two feuding families who play out a Romeo and Juliet type drama in 17th century India, under the Emperor Jehangir.

Peter (O. P. Ralhan) and Kitty (Helen) love each other, but due to Peter's poverty, they are unable to marry each other. One day, during a secret rendezvous, Peter accidentally overhear a conversation between one Mahesh Jetley and his paramour, where Mahesh tells her that he is soon going to bump off his wife on a certain date. Peter and Kitty decide to foil this man's plans. However, there are 2 problems: 1 - They have not seen Mahesh or his paramour's face. 2 - Even if they had, no one would believe their story. Hence, the lovers decide to do a little investigation on their own. They find three Mahesh Jetleys. On some snooping, they find that each man is married and each of them has a miserable married life. To find their suspect, they devise a plan whereby they will stage an attack on each man's wife. Whoever the culprit is, will freak out and his identity will be revealed.

Shyamu is an orphan, living with his mentor, and has lived a life of crime. While his partner is recuperating in hospital from a injury incurred on the job, Shyamu decides to go straight. In a case of mistaken identity, he ends up in showbiz and gets a gig as a playwright for a beautiful starlet when he shows up instead of popular writer Deepak, whom he looks just like, and is met with considerable respect. One day Shyamu goes to Deepak's house for something and discovers just how identical they are. Unfortunately, Deepak is on his death bed and Shyamu, reverting to his evil nature, "helps" Deepak along on the way to his demise and takes on his identity, even down to learning to copy his handwriting. But not everyone believes the goings on are all above board, especially Deepak's girlfriend and a certain police inspector.

Radha is a resolute mother, who strives hard against poverty and a lecherous money lender to feed her two sons who grew up with contrasting temperament.

An aging, decadent landlord’s passion for music becomes the undoing of his legacy as he sacrifices his wealth in order to compete with the opulent music room of his younger, richer neighbour.

Gyan leaves his wife Shobha in the care of his friend Rasik while he travels abroad. In his absence, Shobha and Rasik fall in love and have a child, Indira. Years later, unaware of the truth, Gyan returns and unknowingly arranges Indira’s marriage to Rasik’s son—her half-brother—setting the stage for a dramatic and morally complex revelation.

Yusuf moves to Bombay with his wife to prove himself but gets entangled with a glamorous woman, putting his marriage and values to the test.

A. R. Kardar’s Pooja tells a disturbing story of two estranged sisters whose lives are fractured by a violent act of revenge and years of buried truths.

An elder brother's sacrifice to educate his sibling leads to family strife when the younger brother marries into a rival family, sparking betrayal and tragedy that tests their bonds.
