On the 16th of February, Nitin Gadkari pays tributes to the father of Indian cinema Chitrapati Dadasaheb Phalke on his commemoration day.
Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, popularly known as Dadasaheb Phalke, was born in 1870 in the small town of Trimbak in Maharashtra. He pursued his education in Bombay and went on to become a printing apprentice. Later, he worked as a photographer in Godhra, Gujarat. His interest in the art of photography and printing was instrumental in shaping his future as a filmmaker.
Phalke’s tryst with cinema began when he watched a silent film, The Life of Christ, in 1910. The film left a lasting impression on him, and he decided to make a film of his own. He went to London to learn the craft of filmmaking and returned to India to start his film production company.
Phalke’s first film, Raja Harishchandra, was released in 1913. It was the first-ever full-length Indian feature film and was shot in a makeshift studio in Bombay. The film was a commercial success and established Phalke as a pioneer in Indian cinema.
Phalke went on to make several more films, including Mohini Bhasmasur, Satyavan Savitri, and Lanka Dahan. His films were known for their attention to detail, elaborate sets, and innovative storytelling.
Dadasaheb Phalke’s impact on Indian cinema cannot be overstated. He not only paved the way for the Indian film industry but also created a platform for Indian stories to be told on the big screen. He introduced Indian audiences to a new form of entertainment that was both visually and emotionally engaging.
