100 Years of Indian Cinema(1913-2013)

First Film
Produced, directed and written by Dada Sahab Phalke, ‘Raja Harishchandra(1913) is the first full-length feature film

First Talkie Film-Alam Ara (1931)
Alam Ara (meaning The Light of the World) was directed by Ardeshir Irani,was the first sound film produced in India. Alam Ara (1931) unfolded the love story between a Prince and a gypsy girl .

First Colour Film-Kisan Kanya
Kisan Kanya released in 1937 happens to be India’s first indigenously produced colour film. Directed by Moti B. Gidvani and produced by Ardeshir Irani, the film unfolded the poor plight of a farmer and the consequences he faces for being a peasant.


1st Indian film to be nominated for an Oscar in the foreign language category: Mother India (1957)
Nargis played the epitome of motherhood while Rajendra Kumar and Sunil Dutt played her devoted sons. Directed, produced and written by Mehboob Khan.It’s a story of a mother who fights all odds to raise her children and setup a prosperous and a progressive village.

1st Indian to win an Oscar award: 
Bhanu Athaiya,costume designer was the first Indian to win the prestigious Academy Award for the film ‘Gandhi’ released in 1982

1st Indian to win Oscar for Lifetime Achievement:
 Satyajit Ray won the Oscar for Lifetime Achievement in the year 1992 just a few weeks before his death

First 3D film of India
‘My Dear Kuttichathan’, a Malayalam film released in 1984 was India’s first 3D film. It was later dubbed in Hindi and re-released as ‘Chota Chetan’ in 1997.  Directed by Jijo Punnoose and produced by Navodaya Appachan and Jose Punnoose


Superstars of Indian Cinema

Guru Dutt
Born Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone, the Tragic Hero of Indian cinema justified that word both in life and in death.Films like ‘Pyaasa’, ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’, ‘Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam’, ‘Chaudhvin Ka Chand’ all are living reminders of Guru Dutt’s consummate acting skills.His versatility was evident in the fact that apart from stunning with his acting, the star directed and produced films and choreographed songs.He died at the young age of 39 because of self-inflicted overdose of alcohol and sleeping pills.

Dilip Kumar
His maiden film was  ‘Jwar Bhata’(1944).Satyajit Ray had bestowed the title of ‘the ultimate method actor’ to Dilip Kumar.The role of the eponymous Devdas Mukherjee in Bimal Roy’s adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s epic tragedy, earned Dilip Kumar the title of ‘Tragedy King’ in the Indian film industry.
 He has been awarded with eight Filmfare Awards for the Best Actor in a Leading Role, a feat achieved by only him and Shah Rukh Khan.

Nargis
Fatima Rashid – better known to the world as Nargis Dutt played he character of Radha in ‘Mother India’and was considered one of the greatest actresses of Indian cinema of all times.Her films like ‘Birha Ki Raat’, ‘Raat Aur Din’, ‘Tamanna’, ‘Mother India’ are all considered classics movies. Nargis was often paired with Raj Kapoor, and the duo had remarkable chemistry.Nargis died an untimely death in 1981 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Madhubala
If in India somebody has the unique distinction of appearing in the most number of successful films in the shortest period of time, it undoubtedly is Madhubala.In  a career spanning about 18 years saw her delivering splendid performances in about 70 movies.Madhubala shot to fame with her success in ‘Mahal’.Her performance in ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ won her much praise from her fans and critics.She died following severe illness at the young age of 36 in 1969

Dev Anand
Dev Anand in a career spanning 6 decades and with about109 films in which he was cast as a lead actor was an actor known as the romantic hero and his trademark look has become iconic now.

Rajesh Khanna
Jatin Khanna, better known as Rajesh Khanna, is often referred to as the ‘First Superstar’ of Hindi Cinema. The film ‘Aakhri Khat’ marked Rajesh Khanna’s debut in Hindi cinema, and he never looked back after that.He holds a still-unbroken record of fifteen consecutive solo superhits, during the years 1969 to 1972.

 Amitabh Bachchan
The man who had once been rejected a job with the All India Radio for his voice rose to fame due to roles in Hindi films which came to be identified with the sobriquet ‘Angry Young Man’ in  1970's.Amitabh Bachchan – the superstar – is now the most recognisable face of the Hindi film industry, and the most influential actor in the history of Indian cinema.

Rajinikanth
Rajinikanth is one person about whom probably no adjective would be able to deliver adequate justice. In 2007 with his movie ‘Sivaji’, he became the highest paid actor in Asia after Jackie Chan(reportedly paid Rs 26 Crore)

Shah Rukh Khan
He made entry into the Hindi film industry with ‘Deewana’ in 1992 .With movies like ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge’, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, ‘Devdas’, ‘Chak De! India’, ‘Swades’, etc., Shah Rukh holds the distinction of being one of the most successful and leading actors of India today.