A cinematic and soul-stirring biography written by acclaimed author Debleena Majumdar is based on the incredible true story of Sabu Dastagir, the Indian boy & a son of a Mahout from Mysore who rose from the elephant stables to become India’s first international movie star and conquered Hollywood. From colonial India to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Sabu’s life is a forgotten epic of fame, war, identity, and legacy.
India’s first global actor Sabu Dastagir’s journey from Mysore to Hollywood to be retold on screen; deets inside!
Sabu debuted in ‘Elephant Boy’ based on the story “Toomai of the Elephants” from Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book (1894), directed by documentary filmmaker Robert J. Flaherty, who produced some of the Indian footage, and supervising director Zoltan Korda, who completed the film and also won the Best Director Award at the Venice Film Festival. The film was made at the London Films studios at Denham and in Mysore.
He then went on to star in Hollywood classics like The Thief of Bagdad, Jungle Book (1942), and Black Narcissus. A box office sensation, a war hero, and a cultural bridge between East and West, Sabu’s story is as awe-inspiring as it is heartbreaking. He was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.
A legend who also served as a decorated air gunner in World War II, his story traverses continents, cultures, and eras. This story will be developed into a high-budget cinematic feature film and/or premium web series, celebrating Sabu’s iconic journey through colonial India, wartime Europe, and golden-era Hollywood.
“Sabu’s story deserves to be told with grandeur and truth. He wasn’t just India’s first global star—he was a bridge between worlds, cultures, and eras. To bring his story to the screen is more than filmmaking—it’s preserving a legacy the world must never forget and is a responsibility we hold close to our hearts.” Prabhleen Sandhu, Producer – Almighty Motion Picture.
“Thanks a lot to my literary agent, Mr. Suhail Mathur, for believing in me and for not only getting me a book deal & an AV one but also for sharing the amazing idea & Almighty Motion Picture for finding value in the story and for shaping it with this brilliant vision. It was an honour to research this book and, more importantly, to learn about how cinema and movies evolved through world-changing global events”, says Author Debleena Majumdar.
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