The tale of Shirin and Farhad has emerged as a prominent subject for adaptation, imitation, and translation across the Persianate world, spanning from South Asia to the Middle East. Its origins can be traced back to numerous allusions within the poetry of Persian poets, although it attained its pinnacle of romanticism through Nizami’s renowned tragic romance “Khosrow and Shirin” during the twelfth century. These oral traditions of storytelling have been adapted by cinema in silent and talkie eras. This tale has served as a catalyst for a multitude of cinematic productions, beginning with Homi Master’s 1926 rendition by Kohinoor Film Company in India, culminating in unconventional adaptation by Abbas Kiarostami’s 2008 film “Shirin,” and Bhansali Sehgal’s romantic-comedy “Shirin and Farhad ki toh nikal padi” (2012). Our analysis centers on “Shirin-o-Farhad”, directed by Abdolhossein Sepanta and produced by Ardeshir Irani’s Imperial Films of Bombay in 1934. This film holds significance for feminist historiography, exploring its impact within the broader context of global South cinematic history. By examining the non-extant film through extra-filmic materials and ephemera, we challenge traditional perceptions of cinema production, history, and reception. “Shirin-o-Farhad” followed J.J. Madan’s musical “Shirin-Farhad”, both adaptations of the renowned narrative, notably surpassed the popularity of India’s first full talkie, “Alam Ara”. Moreover, It introduced innovative techniques, like separate recording for sound and image, developing a star-cult strategy, featuring Fakhrozzaman Vaziri and Roohangiz Saminejad, while simultaneously providing a platform for Iranian Muslim actresses to appear on screen. Miriam Hansen’s perspective on classical Hollywood cinema as a popular form of modernism, serving as a reference point for various cultures to reconcile with modernity, underscores the importance of examining ephemera from “Shirin-o-Farhad” for insights into modernity’s circulation within the Indo-Iranian cinematic landscape. Recently, the Hindi film industry has witnessed a surge in historical films and biopics, reflecting a syncretic tradition and a Persian-Indian cultural worldview shaped by the nation's secular and socialist aspirations. However, the current trend in Hindi cinema’s historical films must be scrutinized in light of the Hindu nationalist agenda, which seeks to revive historical narratives to reinforce a particular vision of the past. In this context, it is crucial to analyze different iterations of Shirin Farhad, along with related film literature, to emphasize the syncretic origins of Indian cinema and counteract narrow nationalist interpretations.