Char Dervesh (Four Dervishes), 1964
Showcard, c. 1964, 43cm X 46cm
Gelatin silver print and poster paint on textured board.
Cinema booklet from Char Dervesh
Char Dervesh is one of the early performances of Feroz Khan, a Bollywood megastar and winner of a Filmfare Lifetime Achivement Award, among other honours. The film was directed Homi Wadia, the legendary director, producer, and creator of colourful fantasy films.
"This is a classic B-movie, a type that had many fight and stunt scenes and was only shown in theatres in working-class neighborhoods and small towns. In contrast to the more modern, simplified designs of the A-movie showcards, this one tries to fit numerous scenes within the space, as if to convey the action-packed nature of the film. Its grey tones are reminiscent of showcards that advertise earlier Wadia Brothers' mythological films. The showcard depicts scenes of exotic gods and magic genies, reflecting the Arabian Nights genre of this fantasy film.
The film Char Dervesh (1964) was produced by Wadia Brothers and directed by Homi Wadia. Music by G. S. Kohli. Colour, Hindi, starring Feroz Khan, Sayeeda Khan, and Mukri."
-- Text by Dr. Deepali Dewan and Alexandra McCarter, based on Deepali Dewan, ed. Bollywood Cinema Showcards: Indian Film Art from the 1950s to the 1980s. Showcards from The Hartwick Collection. Toronto: Royal Ontario Museum Press, 2011. Copyright of and reproduced here with the generous permission of the Royal Ontario Museum.
Literature
Deepali Dewan, ed. Bollywood Cinema Showcards: Indian Film Art from the 1950s to the 1980s. Showcards from The Hartwick Collection. Toronto: Royal Ontario Museum Press, 2011, p. 69, Cat. no. 14.