The day in 1931 when Regal Theatre, Mombasa screened the first Indian movie with sound ALAM ARA and the story behind it...!!
(from the book: Jambo, Samji Kala!, The Life and Times of Mohanlal Kala Savani)
The Regal Theatre opened in Mombasa in 1931. It was built and operated by 2 brothers Valli Hasham and Janmohamed Hasham. Regal showed English movies and at other times rented the space for live plays and performances. The clientele was mainly British expatriates.
In the same year, India produced the first 'talkie' Alam Ara. It starred Master Vithal and Zubeida. Mohanlal Samji Kala acquired the distribution rights and imported this movie. This was before he constructed the Majestic and Kenya cinemas in Mombasa. He therefore rented showtimes at the newly opened Regal Cinema to exhibit the movie. The rest is history......
Interestingly no print of Alam Ara exists today. Unfortunately, the last print of this movie was reportedly destroyed in a fire at the National Archives of India in Pune.
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