Dadasaheb Phalke birth anniversary: 20 little known facts about the 'father of Indian cinema'

TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Apr 30, 2023, 13:37 IST

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Dadasaheb Phalke birth anniversary: 20 little known facts about the 'father of Indian cinema'
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Dadasaheb Phalke birth anniversary: 20 little known facts about the 'father of Indian cinema'

Dadasaheb Phalke, also known as the "Father of Indian Cinema," was a prominent film director, producer, and screenwriter who is credited with making India's first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra, in 1913. Here are 20 lesser-known facts about Dadasaheb Phalke:

Dadasaheb Phalke was born as Dhundiraj Govind Phalke on April 30, 1870, in Nashik, Maharashtra.
He was the eldest of six siblings and was raised in a conservative Brahmin family.
Phalke was a multi-talented artist who was skilled in painting, sculpture, and music.
He started his career as a photographer and even worked as a draftsman at the Archeological Survey of India.
Phalke was inspired to make films after watching the silent film, The Life of Christ, in 1910.
He sold all his assets and traveled to England to learn filmmaking and cinematography.
In 1913, Phalke established Hindustan Film Company and produced Raja Harishchandra, which was India's first full-length feature film.
Phalke was a pioneer in Indian cinema and made over 100 silent films during his career.
He is credited with introducing several technical innovations in Indian cinema, including the use of close-ups, fade-ins, and fade-outs.
Phalke was a perfectionist and often directed, produced, wrote, and edited his films.
He was also a social reformer and used his films to highlight social issues like child marriage and the caste system.
Phalke's wife, Saraswati Phalke, played a key role in his filmmaking career and acted in several of his films.
He was also a spiritual person and was deeply influenced by the teachings of Swami Vivekananda.
Phalke was a vegetarian and a teetotaler and believed in the power of naturopathy.
He faced several financial difficulties during his career and even had to sell his house to fund his films.
In 1937, Phalke was honored with the title of "Raja" by the British government for his contributions to Indian cinema.
He passed away on February 16, 1944, at the age of 73.
In his honor, the Indian government established the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1969, which is the highest award for lifetime achievement in Indian cinema.
In 2001, a biopic titled Raja Harishchandra was made on Phalke's life and career.
In 2013, Google honored Dadasaheb Phalke with a doodle on his 143rd birth anniversary.