1942 film
Ekta is a 1942 Sindhi film directed by Homi Wadia and produced by Karim Bux Nizamani in Bombay (now Mumbai) at Wadia Studios.[1][2] This black and white film holds the distinction of being the first Sindhi film and was entirely financed by Karim Bux Nizamani. The movie starred Nizamani and Kaushalya in the lead roles, with a central theme revolving around Hindu-Muslim unity.[1]
Its premier at the Taj Mahal Cinema in Karachi was inaugurated by the then Premier of Sindh, Allah Bux Soomro, but the film ran in theatres for only two weeks due to trade restrictions incurring significant losses for Wadia.[1]
Production
This film was directed by Homi Wadia and produced by Ram Panjwani. It was financed by Karim Bux Nizamani, who also played the lead role in the film.[3][4][5] Nizamani was not only a film actor but also a writer, social worker, and a landlord in Matli, Sindh. His autobiography "Kayee" is considered one of the best autobiographies in Sindhi literature.[6] The film's heroine,Kaushalya[7][8][9] hailed from Uttar Pradesh, India, and was a talented dancer, playback singer, and actress. Her father, Lachhu Maharaj, was a famous dancer himself and trained Kaushalya in Kathak dance.[7][10] Her mother's name was Rama Devi.
In addition to Nizamani and Kaushalya, the film featured Hari Shivdasani, Chandu Shivdasani, Sikander, Gulshan Sufi, Chander Vaswani, Maya Devi, and others in their respective roles.[3] The story and dialogues were penned by the noted writer Agha Abdul Nabi Sufi,[11] while the famous poet Khialdas Fani composed the film's lyrics. The central theme of the movie was Hindu-Muslim harmony, as the title "Ekta" signifies unity. The film was released at Taj Mahal Cinema in Karachi.[1] Kaushalya and Gulshan Sufi lent their melodious voices as playback singers for this film.
