Raja Harishchandra tells the legendary tale of King Harishchandra, a just and righteous ruler who sacrifices everything, including his kingdom and family, to uphold truth and integrity. Released on May 3, 1913, Raja Harishchandra is a landmark in world cinema as the first indigenous full-length feature film made in India. Directed and produced by Dadasaheb Phalke, it set the template for the Indian film industry.
Key Facts About “Raja Harishchandra” (1913)
The film was first shown to a select audience at the Olympic Theatre in Mumbai on April 21, 1913, but its public release took place at Coronation Cinema on May 3, 1913. It was a mythological film based on the legend of King Harishchandra from the Mahabharata and Ramayana, known for his unwavering commitment to truth.
Like all films of that period, it was a silent film with intertitles in Marathi and Hindi to help the audience follow the story. It took approximately 7 months and 21 days to complete the film.
It was the time when acting was considered as a taboo for women. In this film the role of Queen Taramati was played by a male actor named Anna Salunke. Role of the King Haraishchandra was played by dattatraya Damodar Dabke.
Phalke played a key role in giving a shape to this movie. He acted as the director, screenwriter, cameraman, editor, and even the film processor. He imported the camera and raw film from London. The film was a massive hit, running for an unprecedented 23 days (a “super-hit” by the standards of 1913), which encouraged Phalke to continue making films.
Only the first and last reels of the original film are preserved at the National Film Archive of India (NFAI) in Pune; the rest of the original prints were lost over time.
Imp Facts
Release Date: May 3, 1913
Director: Dadasaheb Phalke
Genre: Silent mythological film with titles in Marathi/Hindi
Duration: Approx. 40 minutes (4 reels)
Lead Actor: Dattatraya Damodar Dabke (as King Harishchandra)
Female Lead: Anna Salunke, a male actor performed as Queen Taramati (a female character)
Bhalchandra Phalke (Rohitashva, their son)
G.V. Sane (Viswamitra)
Importance: First indigenous Indian feature Film.
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