Luminaries of Indian Cinema

Dadasaheb Phalke 1870-1944 Born in Trymbakeshwar, Nasik, he started the film industry in India with Raja Harishchandra in 1913. He was his own scenarist, cameraman, art director, costume designer, editor, processor, printer, developer and even projectionist and distributor. This one-man institution gave India its most fundamental traditions in filmmaking and established the motion picture as a form of entertainment, a medium , an art and an aspect and extension of the Indian culture. A daring experimenter with animation techniques, inventor of promotional films and documentaries, creator of special effects, he made 44 silent features, several shorts and one talkie. He introduced the mythological genre to Indian Cinema, thus merging his notion of Swadeshi. 1969 was the birth centenary year of this Father of Indian Cinema. In a befitting commemoration of his contribution to Indian cinema, a new National Award, named after him was introduced from 1969. This is awarded annually for distinguished contribution to the medium, its growth and promotion.

Dhirendranath Ganguly 1893-1978 One of the greatest pioneers of the Indian film industry, Shri. Dhirendranath Ganguly, popularly known as D.G., made the first feature film in Bengali. Under him grew such luminaries as Debaki Kumar Bose, Pramathesh Barua, cameraman Krishna Gopal, Sabita Devi and Prem Kumari Nehru. A painter and actor, he was born in 1893 in an aristocratic Bengali family from Barisal, now in Bangla Desh. He studied in Shantiniketan, graduated from the Government School of Art, Calcutta in 1915. He worked as an Art Teacher at the Nizam’s Art College, Hyderabad. He set up the Indo-British Film in Calcutta to make his first film Bilet Pherat in 1918. He introduced a type of satire into film analogous to the 19th century tradition of Naksha satirical literature, drawing inspiration from the Pat Painting and the musical satires of Calcutta Theatres. His outstanding comedies are Bilet Pherat, The Lady Teacher, The Marriage Tonic, Hara Gauri, The Stepmother, Chintamani, Flame of the Flesh, Charitrahin, What Not, Night Bird and Country Girl. D.G. smoothly made the transition to the talkie era. Apart from his own productions, he made several short comedies for New Theatres, shouldering multiple responsibilities of producer, director, writer and actor. His more notable comedies for New Theatres were Mastuto Bhai and Excuse Me, Sir. He was honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 1974.

Devika Rani 1907-1994 Smt. Devika Rani Roerich, the first recipient of this coveted honour, hailed from a distinguished family – a grand-daughter of Rabindranath Tagore – Devika Rani was schooling in London when cinema lured her away from the stage. In 1929, she married Himansu Rai, whose film The Light of Asia earned him international acclaim. The couple went to Germany where Devika Rani undertook training in different branches of filmmaking at UFA’s world famous studio. It was here that she perfected her acting skills under Germany’s great director Pabst. The Rais returned to India with the rich experience gained from their continental stay. They together made Karma in English and Hindustani, was a major triumph for Indian Cinema. It was shown in Britain and all over the continent and was received well for its brilliance. In 1934 Himansu Rai founded the Bombay Talkies as a major center for filmmaking in the country. She herself played lead roles in Achut Kanya, Jeevan Naiyya, Savitri, Jeevan Prabhat, Durga, Vachan and Izzat. She is aptly described as the First Lady of the Indian Screen. After the death of Himansu Rai in 1940, Devika Rani kept the banner of Bombay Talkies flying. Its productions – Kismet, Basant, Hamari Baat and Punar Milan created box-office popularity. Ashok Kumar, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala and Mumtaz Shanti amongst others have been groomed in Bombay Talkies. Devika Rani was honoured in 1958 with the title of Padmashri in recognition of her contribution to the nation’s film culture.

Ashok Kumar 1911- 2001 The doyen of the acting profession, Ashok Kumar entered film in 1935. This veteran thespian was born on October 13, 1911, in Bhagalpur, Bihar. A science graduate from Roberston College in Jabalpur, he joined the New Theatres as a studio assistant. He took an apprenticeship in the Bombay Talkies laboratory, and only on the advice of the famous film producer, the late Himansu Rai, did he switch over to acting. His first appearance was in Jeevan Naiyya/1936 opposite Devika Rani where he sang his own songs. The son of an eminent and prosperous lawyer from Madhya Pradesh, Kumudlal Kunjilal Ganguly, was transformed in the process into the ever-young, much loved actor of the Hindi screen – Ashok Kumar. From then on there was no looking back in his career. His memorable films in that era were Janmabhoomi, Izzat, the record-breaking Achhut Kanya, Savitri, Prem Kahani, Kangan, Nirmala, Vachan, Bandhan, Jhoola, Kismet and Anjaan. In 1942, Ashok Kumar left Bombay Talkies to join Filmistan, run by S. Mukherjee. Shikari and Sajan soon established him as an actor of outstanding ability. Mahal, directed by Kamal Amrohi, was a huge success, and Ashok Kumar became the most coveted actor on the Hindi screen. His performances in Kismet and Mahal, brought laurels to him. Even as late as early sixties, Ashok Kumar was very much in demand for romantic leads. He excelled in Robin Hood-type roles with sparse dialogues and his way of holding a cigarette in Kismet became a trademark. His acting was very natural, unlike the theatrical styles adopted by others earlier. He was given an award by Sangeet Natak Academy in 1958. In the screen career spanning five decades and a half, he maintained his histrionic life by switching over to character roles and today he is acknowledged as the greatest thespian Indian screen has ever known. Known as Dadamoni in the Bombay film industry, he won a number of awards as an actor including the Best Actor award for his role in Aashirwad in the National Film Festival. He retained his personal interest in astronomy, homeopathy and music, a rather off-beat collection of hobbies.

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