Thief of Bagdad

Directed by Ludwig Berger, Michael Powell, Tim Whelan & Alexander Korda

One of the most spectacular fantasies ever made, this color film pioneer was at the forefront of cinematic technique when released. Inspired by The Arabian Nights and cited as a major influence on Disney’s Aladdin, Sabu Dastagir co-stars as Abu the thief in this epic adventure.

When Prince Ahmad (John Justin) is blinded and cast out of Bagdad by the nefarious Jaffar (Conrad Veidt), he joins forces with the scrappy thief Abu (Sabu, in his definitive role) to win back his royal place and the heart of a beautiful princess (June Duprez). With its luscious Technicolor, vivid sets, and unprecedented visual effects, Thief of Bagdad has been charming viewers of all ages
for decades.

Perhaps the only Indian national to achieve A-list celebrity status in mid 20th century Hollywood, Sabu is best known for his role in the original, live-action adaptation of The Jungle Book. While it is somewhat problematic that he race-bends as Arab in the role of Abu, this is arguably his strongest performance in a Hollywood film, as he spends nearly an hour of the film as the lead protagonist.