NEW DELHI: Today's Google doodle commemorates Dadasaheb Phalke , who's called the 'father of Indian cinema ', on the occasion of his 148th birth anniversary.Phalke gave Indian cinema its first silent film, ' Raja Harishchandra ', in 1913. He made 95 movies and 27 short films in his career spanning 19 years.Today's doodle by artist Aleesha Nandhra portrays a young Phalke directing actors, wielding the camera and editing film.Phalke was born in Trimbak, in present-day Maharashtra, and his father was a noted scholar. The young Phalke developed a keen interest in the arts and went on to study, at various points, an array of disciplines, including photography, lithography, architecture, engineering, and even magic, says Google's write-up on the filmmaker.While Phalke was working as a painter and theatre set designer he chanced upon Alice Guy's silent film, 'The Life of Christ' (1910). That's when he resolved to bring Indian culture to the silver screen. He traveled to London to learn filmmaking from Cecil Hepworth, a British director, producer and screenwriter who is considered one of the founders of the British film industryIn 1969, the government paid homage to Phalke by establishing the Dadasaheb Phalke awards recognizing lifetime contributions to Indian cinema.
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Manisha Koirala, Konkona Sensharma, Armaan Malik, Neeti Mohan, Farida Jalal, Amit Sadh and Manish Paul among others were honoured at the Dadasaheb Phalke Film Foundation Awards 2018 held on April 29 in Mumbai. Other guests seen at the event were Arshi Khan and Rakhi Sawant. Scroll to see photos. (Source: Photo by Varinder Chawla)
Dadasaheb Phalke is known as the father of Indian Cinema. (Express archive photo) Dadasaheb Phalke is known as the father of Indian Cinema. (Express archive photo)
Today is Dadasaheb Phalke’s 148th birth anniversary. A Marathi, Dadasaheb Phalke, whose real name was Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, is credited with making Raja Harishchandra, the first feature film in India, and is thus called the father of Indian cinema. He did everything for the project – production, writing and direction. He even built the set himself and shot it for 7 months and 21 days.
In those days, cinema around the world was still in its infancy. Making a single film even without sound (sound did not come to Indian films until 1931’s Alam Ara by Ardeshir Irani) was an expensive proposition that required inventiveness and improvisation even if you had money. If you did not, well, even the cost of film stock was enough to make you bankrupt.
Dadasaheb Phalke as a young man. (Express Archive photo) Dadasaheb Phalke as a young man. (Express Archive photo)
Dadasaheb Phalke possessed the mind of an artist much before he began to make films. He had been a photographer. He studied engineering and sculpture. He worked with the famous painter Raja Ravi Varma. He owned a printing press for a while, and so on. It was only after watching a silent film The Life of Christ that he got interested in motion pictures.
Dadasaheb Phalke with his wife Saraswatibai. (Express archive photo) Dadasaheb Phalke with his wife Saraswatibai. (Express archive photo)
Also Read | Dadasaheb Phalke’s 148th birth anniversary: Google dedicates doodle to father of Indian Cinema
Dadasaheb Phalke made Raja Harishchandra in 1912 and it was shown in 1913. The story was based on a legendary noble and just king of the same name from Hindu mythology who was famous for always telling the truth come what may. He gave away his kingdom, became a slave along with his family because of a vow he made to a sage. After this film, Phalke went on to make about 130 films most of which were inspired by Hindu myths. He passed away in 1944 in Nasik after having retired after his last film, 1932’s Setubandhan.
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भारतीय सिनेमा के जनक की उपाधि पाने वाले दादासाहेब फाल्के का जन्म 30 अप्रैल, 1870 को महाराष्ट्र के नासिक शहर में हुआ था. दादासाहेब फाल्के (Dadasaheb Phalke) के 148वें जन्मदिवस के मौके पर गूगल ने डूडल बनाकर उन्हें याद किया है. लंदन में फिल्म से जुड़ी बारिकियां सीखने के बाद दादासाहेब मुंबई लौटे. उन्होंने फाल्के फिल्म कंपनी की स्थापना की और अपने बैनर तले 'राजा हरिश्चंद्र' नामक फिल्म बनाने का निर्णय लिया. हालांकि, भारतीय सिनेमा की पहली फिल्म बनने के लिए उन्हें भारी मुश्किलों का सामना करना पड़ा था.दादासाहेब की फिल्म पर पहले कोई पैसा लगाने को तैयार नहीं था. थोड़ी मशक्कत के बाद उन्हें फाइनेंसर मिले, लेकिन असली मुसीबत तब आई जब कोई महिला उनके साथ काम करने को तैयार नहीं थी. मराठी स्टेज एक्टर दत्तात्रेय दामोदर दाबके ने फिल्म में 'राजा हरिश्चंद्र' का किरदार निभाने के लिए हामी भरी. दादासाहेब के बेटे बालाचंद्रा ने हरिश्चंद्र के बेटे रोहितश्व का कैरेक्टर प्ले किया था. लेकिन रानी तारामति का रोल निभाने के लिए उस दौर की कोई भी महिला तैयार नहीं थी. दसअसल उस समय महिलाओं का काम करना अच्छा नहीं माना जाता था.महिला एक्ट्रेस की तलाश में दादासाहेब ने कोठे तक के चक्कर लगाए, लेकिन बात न बनीं. आखिरकार एक भोजनालय में बावर्ची के तौर पर काम करने वाले व्यक्ति अन्ना सालुंके से दादासाहेब की मुलाकात हुई. अन्ना बावर्ची के तौर पर काम करके 10 रुपये कमाते थे, दादासाहेब ने उन्हें 15 रुपये देना का वादा किया और वह मान गए.
Tribute to DADASAHEB PHALKE on birth anniversary.
Father of Indian cinema, born as Dhundiraj Govind Phalke at Trimbakeshwar. He produced 95 feature films & 26 short films in 19 years.
