April 30 marked the 153rd birthday of Dadasaheb Phalke.
Dadasaheb Phalke is widely recognized as the father of Indian cinema.
Dadasaheb Phalke, widely recognized as the founder of Indian cinema, is considered the pioneer of the country’s film industry. In 1969, an awards ceremony was established in his honor, dedicated to recognizing excellence in the entertainment industry. The first recipient of the award was actress Devika Rani. April 30 marked Dadasaheb Phalke’s 153rd birthday and celebrations were held in his memory.
His commitment to film production was such that he went to the red light district to look for a suitable actress for his first film, driven by his passion for cinema.
Dadasaheb was born in Trimbakeshwar, a place in Nashik. His father was a professor at Elphinstone College and a Sanskrit scholar. He graduated from the JJ School of Art in Mumbai, where he learned various skills such as drawing, photography, technology and craftsmanship.
He is credited with producing the first Indian film Raja Harishchandra. The story of how he made his first film is quite fascinating. According to reports, finding an actress for the film was a major challenge for him. Despite many attempts, he was unable to convince any actress to work in his film, the main reason being the social stigma attached to acting.
Dadasaheb Phalke had a budget of only Rs 15,000 for his first film. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t find an actress who would work within his budget. He even went so far as to search for a heroine in the red light zone.
As no one was willing to work as an actress for the meager budget of Rs 15,000, Dadasaheb faced disappointment in her search for a suitable heroine. He then went to a hotel for tea and coincidentally saw a woman who became the protagonist of his film, Raja Harishchandra. Dadasaheb made history with his first film considered a landmark in Indian cinema. His passion for cinematography was evident from the fact that he used to watch movies for 4-5 hours a day.
Dadasaheb Phalke was a perfectionist who oversaw all aspects of film production, from costume design to final product. During his 19-year film career, he produced 95 feature films and 26 short films. Today, outstanding artists are awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Prize.
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