Payel Halder, Mumbai Uncensored, 1st March 2023:
Dadasaheb Phalke, widely regarded as the father of Indian cinema, made history on May 3, 1913, with the release of his film Raja Harishchandra. The movie, based on the legend of Harishchandra, starred Dattatraya Damodar Dabke in the lead role and featured male actors in female roles.
Phalke, who had been inspired to make a feature film after watching The Life of Christ in 1906, travelled to London in 1912 to learn filmmaking techniques. Upon his return, he founded Phalke Films Company and put out advertisements for cast and crew.
The film, which took six months and 27 days to shoot, was a commercial success upon its release and was shown not only in Mumbai but also in Pune, Colombo, London, and Rangoon. It laid the foundation for the Indian film industry, and despite some controversy surrounding the actual release date, the Government of India recognises Raja Harishchandra as the first Indian feature film.
Today, Raja Harishchandra remains an important landmark in Indian cinema history and a testament to Phalke’s vision and determination.
