Today's Google Doodle is celebrating the 148th birth anniversary of the father of Indian cinema Dadasaheb Phalke, who directed India’s first full-length feature film, "Raja Harishchandra", in the year 1913. He introduced people to the world of 75mm and pioneered the beginning of one of the largest entertainment industry. The filmmaker made 120 movies and 26 short films in a career that bridged 19 years.
Phalke studied various subjects such as photography, lithography, architecture, and engineering from Kala Bhavan in Vadodara. He started his career as a photographer in Godhra. He went to London to learn film-making from Cecil Hepworth, who was one of the founders of the British film industry. After “Raja Harishchandra”, he went on to make more memorable movies like "Mohini Bhasmasur", "Satyavan Savitri" and "Kaliya Mardan".
On the occasion of his birth anniversary let’s have a look at some of the unknown facts about the Father of Indian cinema.
1. Born in Trimbak, Dadasaheb Phalke’s real name was Dhundiraj Govind Phalke.
2. He was a student of Sir J.J. School of Art, Bombay. Phalke acquired the degree in many fields and even became expert at magic.
3. After working as a photographer in Godhra for a long time he started working with the Archaeological Survey of India as a draftsman.
4. Later he started working with painter Raja Ravi Varma and then turned to the business of printing.
5. It is said that a dispute with his business partners and a viewing of the silent film "The Life of Christ" by Ferdinand Zecca was what attracted him to turn to movies.
6. Raja Harishchandra was the first commercially successful movie that paved the way for an entire industry. Phalke’s entire family took part in the making of the film. His wife handled the costumes of the actors, the posters, and production of the film while his son essayed a major role of Harishchandra in the film.
7. He went to Germany to get introduced to the new technologies and had also bought the first movie camera.
8. A postage stamp bearing his face was released by India Post to honour him in 1971.
9. In 1932, his last silent movie Setubandhan was released. In between 1936-38 Phalke produced his last film Gangavataran.
10. Dadasaheb Phalke died in Nashik on 16 February 1944.
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