9 Interesting Facts About Dadasaheb Phalke on 80th Death Anniversary

1. Family Dynamics

Dhundiraj Phalke was born in Bombay on 30 April 1870 into a Marathi-speaking family. He had two brothers and four sisters.

2. Debut Film

His debut film, Raja Harishchandra, was the first Indian movie released in 1913, and is now known as Indias first full-length feature film. He was inspired to make this film after learning about the life of Christ.

3. Film Career

He made 95 feature films and 27 short films in his career. He was a strong advocate for social reform and used his films to promote positive messages about education, womens rights, and caste equality.

4. Guided others

He was a mentor to many young filmmakers, including V. Shantaram and Bimal Roy.

5. Trailblazer

He was a pioneer in the use of special effects in Indian cinema. His films were instrumental in popularizing Indian cinema around the world.

6. Awarded Personality

He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1932.

7. Last Production

During 1936–1938, he produced his last film, Gangavataran (1937), which was the only talking movie directed by Phalke, before retiring to Nashik, where he died on 16 February 1944.

8. Recognition

His work was so admired that he was honored with a stamp displaying his name and photo. He truly left his mark on earth.

9. Left a Legacy

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award, awarded for lifetime contribution to cinema by the Government of India, is named in his honor.