Sabu – India’s First International Star

Acclaimed novelist Rumer Goden, who portrayed the Indian atmosphere especially during the last days of the Raj very ably through her work, did not have a high opinion of the Powell-Pressburger film, ‘Black Narcisus’ (1947), based on her novel by the same name. Presenting the mighty Himalayas as an artificial altitude by ‘mounting muslin on poles’(as mentioned in passing by Goden in an interview) did indeed take away a lot of the cinematographic authenticity the film could have offered given that the House of Mapo, situated at the great height, played a very significant role in the film.Leaving her disapproval aside, the film did rather well at the box office and reiterated the fact that even in a relatively brief but pivotal role actor Sabu could still hold his own and leave a lasting impression.

His broad smile, confident demeanor and unaffected performance

These days one keeps hearing perpetually about Indian actors and their ‘big’ Hollywood break. Sometimes the result ends up being just 3 to 4 scenes in a film that already has a stellar cast, which basically means that the Indian actor who wants to conquer Pacific Ocean instead of Arabian Sea winds up not being noticed as much as one would like to. In this whole hoopla of ‘my 2 seconds of fame is better and bigger than yours’ one hardly recalls or includes Sabu, the original Indian star who conquered British and Amercian cine goers imagination in the late 1930s to early 50s with his broad smile, confident demeanor and unaffected performance lending immense credibility to the characters he portrayed.

His was a shudh rags to riches story, full of adventure, spanned across continents and very fairy tale-ish. Improvised childhood, a stint in the army during World War II, unprecedented fame any Indian origin actor has seen in an international arena, a bonafide Hollywood actress as his wife and the legacy of quite a few timeless classics.

Unprecedented fame any Indian origin actor has seen in an international arena

Sabu Dastagir or Selar Shaik Sabu, (depending on your resource) was born of an Assamese mother and a Mahout father on January 27, 1924, in Karapur which was a part of erstwhile state of Mysore, South India. Having lost his mother very young, he was raised by his father, who legend has even taught his elephant to rock infant Sabu’s cradle. When his father passed away in 1931, Sabu became a ward of the Mysore Mahraja working his way up from a stable boy to a mahout in his own right.

Sabu became a ward of the Mysore Mahraja

At the age of thirteen, during this stint of his life, documentary filmmaker Robert Flaherty discovered him during a search for the lead in Elephant Boy based on Kipling’s novel Toomai of the Elephant. Sabu’s ease of handling the behemoths coupled with his charm and cleverness clinched the deal and he was signed on to play the lead role. Thus changed his destiny for good.

Kipling’s novel Toomai of the Elephant.

The adventure film had a troubled two-year gestation, with Flaherty being replaced by Zoltán Korda mid-production. Although the end result garnered mixed reviews, Sabu’s performance was universally praised and catapulted him to an instant star. Sabu initially spoke only Urdu and had to learn his lines phonetically. The producers added Sabu’s film-opening monologue, shot later in London, to show how far the boy had come in his study of English.

On the basis of this connect with the audience; Sabuwas signed up for a long term contract by Alexander Korda. Korda even tried to legally adopt Sabu but the application was rejected by the British Government. Sabu’s second film, The Drum, based on the novel by A.E. Mason is a story of friendship between an English drummer boy and an Indian prince whose father is assassinated.Directed by Zoltan Korda, it holds up very well even today. Sabu’s winning performance as heroic young Prince Azim showed that he had real range as an actor and was cemented by his third, possibly finest role in The Thief of Bagdad (1940) under the same banner.

Sabu and John Justin in Thief of Baghdad

The Thief of Bagdad is one of the most wonderful fantasy films ever produced. It contains all the elements of which dreams are made: a beautiful princess (June Duprez), a malevolent wazir (superbly played by Conrad Veidt with cruelty reflecting in his eyes), a genie in a bottle (Rex Ingram), a fabulous jewel, a hidden temple and a flying carpet. One of the early Technicolor movies, it employs colors gladly and with boldness by design experts William Cameron Menzies (who had worked on the original film) and Vincent Korda. A piecemeal production shot on both sides of Atlantic with three credited directors (Ludwig Berger, Michael Powell and Tim Whelan) and three UN credited ones (Alexandar Korda, Zoltan Korda, William C Menzies) it is consistent in its spirit of the joy in a story well told.

Sabu played Abu, a young orphan who lives by his wits and nimble fingers. Abu becomes one of the aids helping the deposed king (John Justin) regain his throne and win the hand of the princess. Even now after decades when you watch it, you realise no actor possibly ever enjoyed a role more than Sabu did in The Thief of Bagdad. He was young, was living a fantasy life of his own and was aware of it; he reacted rather than acted in this once in a lifetime fantasy.

Sabu, Jane Duprex and Rex Ingram during lunch break while shooting Thief of Baghdad

Filming of The Thief of Bagdad took over two years, due to Britain’s entry into World War II. When finally released on Christmas Day, 1940, The Thief of Bagdad was deservedly a smash hit, and went on to win the Oscars for colour cinematography, colour art direction, visual and sound special effects and a nomination for best original score.

Sabu’s final film for Korda was yet another Kipling excursion –The Jungle Book, released in 1942.

The perfect casting of Sabu as Mowgli made Jungle Book the classic action/adventure movie that it is. He is the absolute physical embodiment of the part and he looks completely at ease riding through the village on the back of a bull, or wading down a jungle stream perched on an elephant, or fiercely growling at Sher Khan.

The Walt Disney cartoon may be more well-known today but in this original live-action version that brings to life Kipling’s famous stories accurately.

That same year Sabu was signed by Universal and went to Hollywood where he teamed up with John Hall, Maria Montez (also known as the queen of technicolor) and Turhan Bey. He appeared back to back in Arabian Nights, White Savage, Cobra Woman and Tangier all filmed in Technicolor and quite popular to audiences during World War II; after all there is that much wartime news that one wanted to handle.

In Arabian Nights, released in 1942, Sabu received third billing for the first time. However, he did get to lead a cavalry charge arriving in time to save the hero and heroine. In the next three pictures, his role was that of a friend of the hero and mild comic relief contributor.

In 1944, on becoming an American citizen; he interrupted his Hollywood career to serve in the United States Army Air Force as a Tail Gunner flying missions across the Pacific. He was even awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery.

Sabu returned to Britain in 1946 where he teamed up with Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger

Sabu returned to Britain in 1946 where he teamed up with Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger for his last two British films Black Narcissus and The End of the River  where he fitted himself very well in the complex part of Manoel, a young lad sucked into a world of moral and political corruption.

He returned back to the United States for his last Universal effort, Man-Eater of Kumaon (1948), a studio made synthetic jungle film which bore little resemblance to the book on which it was based and is best forgotten. He went over to Columbia for his next picture and as another stroke of destiny met a young actress named Marilyn Cooper whom he later married, on the sets of Songs of India, who had been called upon without notice to replace an ailing Gail Russell in the female lead.

Sabu’s film career started losing drive in the post-war era, when he was not getting offers of the caliber as he got in British films. He continued making films in America and Europe during the 1950s, unsuccessfully attempting several times to launch a TV series of his own.

In 1952 Sabu was even part of an elaborate elephant routine in the Harringay Sports Arena which hosted very well attended circuses. Despite the last few films which did not rate high among the audience, Sabu was cast in a 1957 vehicle entitled Sabu and the Magic Ring making him one of a select few to have their real names appear in a film title and not posthumously at that!

Sabu passed away on December 2nd, 1963 in Chats worth, California of a sudden fatal heart attack at the young age of thirty nine shortly after completing his last film, Disney’s A Tiger Walks.

The best thing about films are that even when the actors, the director, the technicians are gone, their work stays. That disarming smile of Sabu’s, it stays with you even when the adventure he was taking you along with him gets over and credits start rolling. The unlettered boy from erstwhile princely state in India has left behind an enviable film legacy and one hopes to see a retrospective featuring him someday soon.

List of his films

1937 : The Elephant Boy
1938 : The Drum
1940: The Thief of Bagdad
1942: The Jungle Book, Arabian Nights
1943: The White Savage
1944: Cobra Woman
1946: Tangier
1947: Black Narcissus, The end of the river
1948: Man eater of Kumaon
1949: Song of India
1951: Savage Drums
1952: Hello Elephant, Baghdad
1954: II Teserodel Bengala
1956: The Black Panther, Jungle Hell, Jaguar
1957: Sabu and the Magic Ring
1960: Mistress of the World
1963: Rampage
1964: A Tiger walks

 References

[1] BFI Screenonline

[2] Powell Pressburger

(Pictures used in this article are taken from the Internet)