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DADASAHEB PHALKE
L E S S E R K N O W N F A C T S
Phalke travelled to England in 1912 to study filmmaking techniques and camera operations before making India’s first film.
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In Raja Harishchandra (1913), all female roles were played by men because women were not allowed to act in films then.
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His wife handled costumes and makeup. His children acted in films. His home became India’s first film studio.
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Before cinema, Phalke worked in photography, lithography, and printing — skills that helped him design sets and visual effects.
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Between 1913 and 1937, Phalke made more than 90 films and 25 short documentaries — most are now lost.
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Phalke decided to make films after watching The Life of Christ in 1910 — it convinced him that Indian mythology could be told through cinema.
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Before graphic designers existed, Phalke hand-painted his film posters and intertitles himself.
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Despite shaping Indian cinema, Phalke died in 1944 in financial hardship and near anonymity.
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The Dadasaheb Phalke Award was introduced in 1969 to honour lifetime contribution to Indian cinema.
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