Filmed in 1938, less than a decade before Indian independence, Delhi has a curious tale to tell. ‘Delhi’, the viewer is informed, ‘is the cockpit of the Indian Empire’, it provides the ‘gateway to the riches of the south’. The opening sections of the film focus upon those who have tried and failed to establish a lasting power in the capital. ‘At Delhi’, the commentator states, ‘successive cities have been built by conquering invaders – each has fallen into disuse and decay’. The camerawork focuses on the ‘impressive ruins’ of these earlier invaders. Although the film also depicts the enduring architecture of Muslim rulers, such as Akbar and Shahjahan, it is stressed that their power has been superseded. Legend has it that it will be the ninth city of Delhi that ‘will endure and will rule forever’. Shahjahan had built the eighth.
Related Movies
Our King Emperor and Queen Empress Hold a Durbar in Delhi (1912)
King George V and Queen Mary hold ceremonial court in Delhi.
State Entry into Delhi of Lord Curzon, the Viceroy (1903)
Film showing the Viceregal party entering Delhi on lavishly decorated elephants, as part of the Coronation durbar of 1903.
An immersion into the Divine Feminine (2017)
By drawing a parallel between the Indian Durga Puja festival and other forms of celebrating the divine feminine, Santa Shakti reveals the Sacred Power beyond languages and religions.
Edward Prince of Wales' Tour of India: Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior and Delhi (1922)
The future Edward VIII enjoys a stately procession and visits the Taj Mahal before meeting senior Indian royalty.
Calcutta Pageant (1912)
Scenes from a lavish pageant held during the royal visit to India, celebrating King George V’s coronation.
Delhi and The North (1947)
Grand buildings and missionary work come together in the 1947 Indian tour of construction magnate John W. Laing.
Delhi to the North West Frontier (1935)
Amateur film featuring government buildings in Delhi, a shooting party in Malakand and winter in Abbottabad.
Jamna - The River Story (2023)
The river Yamuna, known to the locals as 'Jamna', the lifeline of Delhi, is going through a major crisis due to pollution, mismanagement and sheer ignorance. A documentary crew tries to make sense of the situation by talking to different stakeholders and Shyam - a boatman who relies on the river for his livelihood.
Delhi, Great Capital of India (1909)
Rare stencil-coloured images of early 20th century Delhi during a Muslim festival.
Delhi Durbar Dawns (1912)
Dignitaries including the Nizam of Hyderabad gather to celebrate the Durbar in honour of George V, who arrives by boat in Bombay.
Delhi Durbar (1911)
A film produced to celebrate the coronation of George V as King-Emperor at the Imperial Durbar of 1911.
Edward Prince of Wales' Tour of India: Calcutta and Delhi (1921)
The future Edward VIII opens a durbar and enjoys a day at the races before inspecting the fire brigade in Calcutta.
Kabir Singh (2019)
Kabir, a genius yet hostile medical student, falls in love with Preeti from his college. When Preeti's father spots the couple kissing, he opposes their relationship and decides to marry her off.
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001)
Years after his father disowns his adopted brother for marrying a woman of lower social standing, a young man goes on a mission to reunite his family.
Fanaa (2006)
Zooni Ali Beg is a blind Kashmiri girl who travels without her parents for the first time with a dance troupe to Delhi to perform in a ceremony for independence day. On her journey, she meets Rehan Khan, a casanova and tour guide who flirts with her. Although her friends warn Zooni about him, she cannot resist falling in love with him and he takes her on a private tour of New Delhi. But there is more to Rehan than meets the eye and Zooni will have to make a heartbreaking decision.
Hum Tum (2004)
The encounters of two people who run into each other on several occasions under circumstances ranging from friendly to hostile to loving. Along many years and countless run-ins, the two despise each other, befriend each other, and fall in love with each other—in no particular order.
Delhi in a Day (2012)
Jasper has arrived in Delhi to begin a tour of India, where the newness of his surroundings quickly prove overwhelming. As he is drawn into the dynamics of his host family, the Bhatias, he finds that his mere presence has upset the natural order of things. Jasper finds that the first day of his journey is possibly more than he bargained for.
Monsoon Wedding (2001)
As the romantic monsoon rains loom, the extended Verma family reunites from around the globe for a last-minute arranged marriage in New Delhi. This film traces five intersecting stories, each navigating different aspects of love as they cross boundaries of class, continent and morality.