Dadasaheb Phalke, whose real name was Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, is known as the Father of Indian Cinema. He was a director, producer, and writer who made India’s first full-length feature film titled Raja Harishchandra. He was born on April 30, 1870, in a Marathi Brahmin family and died on February 16, 1944, in Nasik. In his 19-year long filmmaking career, he is credited with making 95 movies and 26 short films.
On the death anniversary of Dadasaheb, here are some lesser-known facts about the legendary filmmaker:
• After completing his school education in the year 1890, he attended the Kala Bhavan in Baroda. Here, he learned about painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, and engineering.
• He started his career as a photographer but soon after the demise of his wife and child, he served as a draftsman for the Archaeological Survey of India for a short while. He later married Saraswatabai and raised his family with her.
• He also tried his hands at a printing business and even went to Germany to inquire about the latest technology and machinery used in printing.
• When he watched the silent movie ‘The Life of Christ’, it inspired him to make the first motion picture of India in 1912 titled Raja Harishchandra.
Dadasaheb Phalke with his moving camera
• The movie was showcased in 1913 at Mumbai’s Coronation Cinema and the public appreciated the film a lot.
• He never focused on the profit-making aspect of filmmaking and always viewed it as a medium to express creativity. Due to this, he left the company twice because of the difference of opinions.
• His first sound film Gangavataran was also the last film of his career. With the introduction of sound in the field of Cinema, his work lost admiration and he retired from filmmaking.
• With an aim to honor Dadasaheb and his contribution towards Indian Cinema, the Indian government instituted the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1969. Today this is considered to be the highest honor for film personalities which is presented annually by the President of India.
