Raja Harischandra

The first full length Indian film was “Raja Harischandra”. It was produced by Dadasaheb Phalke and screened in 1913 at the Coronation Theatre, Mumbai. It was about a king who suffers extreme hardships while upholding his virtuous principles, before being finally rewarded. Phalke himself suffered extreme hardships while making the film. He found no backers, he was ridiculed, and “respectable” women would not volunteer to act. Once his crew was arrested because they were mistaken for criminals! Ultimately the film succeeded commercially, and Phalke was hailed as the pioneer of Indian Cinema.