About this stamp
2.11.1897 – 28.1.1984
Sohrab Modi was a pioneering Indian Parsi stage and film actor, director, and producer, widely regarded as one of the earliest champions of historical and dramatic cinema in India. Known for his booming voice, theatrical style, and grand storytelling, Modi made an unparalleled contribution to early Bollywood.
He established the Stage Film Company in 1935, and later founded the iconic Minerva Movietone Company in 1936, which went on to create some of Indian cinema’s greatest historical masterpieces. Minerva Movietone became famous for its celebrated trilogy —
- Pukar (1939)
- Sikandar (1941)
- Prithvi Vallabh (1943)
His other notable films include Jailor (1938), Bharosa (1940), Parakh (1944) and the pioneering technicolor film Jhansi-ki-Rani (1953).
His acclaimed film Mirza Ghalib (1954) received the President’s Gold Medal for Best Feature Film in 1954. He also served as a jury member at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1960, reflecting his global reputation.
In recognition of his immense contribution to Indian cinema, Sohrab Modi was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1980, the highest award in Indian film.
Commemoration
A commemorative postage stamp was issued on Sohrab Modi, celebrating him as a monumental figure of Indian cinema and one of its earliest master dramatists, as part of the ‘100 Years of Indian Cinema’ series.
