100 YEARS OF INDIAN

CINEMA
• Indian films are unquestionably the most –seen movies in the world. Not just talking about the billion-
strong audiences in India itself, where 12 million people are said to go to the cinema every day, but of
large audiences well beyond the Indian subcontinent and the Diaspora, in such unlikely places as
Russia, China, the Middle East, the Far East Egypt, Turkey and Africa. People from very different
cultural and social worlds have a great love for Indian popular cinema, and many have been Hindi Films
fans for over fifty years. Indian cinema is world – famous for the staggering amount of films it
produces: the number is constantly on the increase, and recent sources estimate that a total output of
some 800 films a year are made in different cities including Madrass , Bangalore , Calcutta and
Hyderabad . Of this astonishing number, those films made in Bombay, in a seamless blend of Hindi and
Urdu, have the widest distribution within India and Internationally. The two sister languages are spoken
in six northern states and understood by over 500 million people on the Indian sub – continent alone –
reason enough for Hindi and Urdu to be chosen above the fourteen official Indian languages to become
the languages of Indian Popular cinema when sound came to the Indian Silver screen in 1931 .
• Silent Era – The cinematographe (from where we have the name cinema) invented by the Lumiere brothers functioned better
the Kinetoscope of Edison and Dickson. The Lumiere brothers who invented the cinematographe started projection of short
(very short, one to two minutes long) films for the Parsian public on November 28, 1895. Cinema was shown for the first
time in India by the Lumiere brothers on July 17, 1896 at the Watson Hotel in Mumbai. This was just six months after their
first show in Paris. Indian cinema thus has more than a hundred years of history, like the European or American film industry.
That first show was just a show of a series of visuals, moving scenes and nothing more, but it inaugurated a long line of
movies made by talented Indians. Today India has the distinction of being the country that produces the highest number of
feature films every year. As mentioned above, the earliest show of moving pictures in India was done in 1896. But for the
next fifteen years, there was no indigenous production of movies. N.G.Chitre and R .G. Torney of Bombay were the first to
make a film based on a story. It was PUNDALIK, a film based on the life of a Holy man in Maharashtra, it came out in 1912.
The next movie in India was Dhandiraj Govindraj Phalke’s RAJA HARISCHANDRA released on May 3, 1913. D. G. Phalke
is acclaimed as the father of the Indian cinema because he laid the foundation for the future of the Indian film industry and
because he trained several young film makers in his studio in Nasik. The Phalke award perpetuates the memory of this
pioneering film maker and it goes to the31 person who enriches Indian cinema through remarkable contributions to it. Phalke
wii always be remembered for his contributions to the development of the film industry. Phalke established his studio in 1913
after his return from England with plenty of enthusiasm and dedication, besides a stock of raw film and a perforator for
making holes on the edges of film stripes. He believed that ‘Indians must see Indian movies on the Indian Silver screen.’
After his RAJA HARISCHANDRA, Phalke started other projects, but he could not complete them because of lack of
funds .Other silent movies started coming out from Calcutta studios: for example, ‘SATYAVAADI HARISCHANDRA
‘(1917) and ‘KEECHAKAVADHAM’ (1919). But Phalke’s Nasik studio was the first regular studio where he could also train
many promising young people as film technicians. It was still the era of silent movies all over the world. During the Silent
Era (1896 – 1930) over a thousand films were made in India; however, only ten of them survive, now restored and preserved
in the Pune archives. Meanwhile, American and European films continued to grow in popularity, though a major source of
worry for the imperial Government was that they would ‘corrupt’ Indian minds. In 1917, the European Association warned
the Government against a film called ‘The Surpentine Dance’, which was certainly calculated to bring the white men and
women into low esteem in the Indian mind.
• Age of sound – The films of the Silent Era did not ‘talk’ but they were never watched in ‘silence’. Dialogue was presented through inter – titles, which were
often in English, and two or three Indian languages. Almost every film had a background score, which ran through the length of film. The score was ‘live’, an
helped to dramatise the narrative. Sometimes there was only a piano accompaniment, but there were several films where a violin, a harmonium, tablas and
other musical instruments could be added. The first sound movie or talkie, viz, Al Jolson’s ‘Jazz Singer’ in the U.S. ended the silent era in October, 1927.
Silent movies continued in India for another decade although the first Indian talkie came out on March 14, 1931. It was ‘Alam Ara’ (The Light of the world),
made by Ardeshir Irani, admitted that the idea of making an Indian talkie came from Universal pictures production of ‘Show Boat’,which was a 40% talkie .
But what kind of Indian film could maintain this strong link with audiences when sound came to the Indian screen in 1931? Over 150 million people at that
time understood Hindustani (a mix of Hindi and Urdu, also known as the language of the Bazaar) and as the first talkie was to be made in Bombay, Hindustan
was chosen over the fourteen official Indian languages to be the lingua Franca of popular cinema. Once the language question had been resolved, films looked
to the Urdu Parsee Theatre for subject matter. Based on Joseph David’s Urdu Parsee play, Alam Ara is a costume drama telling the story of the rivalry of two
queens and involving many characters, plots and subplots. This film songs immediately proved a smash, particularly the one sung by actor / singer W.M.Khan
in the role of a fakir, ‘De de Khuda ke naam par pyare’( Give alms in the name of Allah). Thereafter, songs and dances were established as an integral part of
Indian Popular cinema .This genre evolved out of the Urdu Parsee Theatre, a narrative form that had already skillfully dramatized Victorian plays and Persian
Love Legends. The courtly love stories of the Urdu Parsee Theatre are probably the reason behind Indian cinema’s dependence on32 romantic themes and the
way they link love, obstacles and tragedy. Another popular genre of this period was the historical film, based on stories of real characters or legendary
hero’s .The importance of the historical film lay in its patriotic undertones. The grandeur of Pre – Raj India, the splendid costumes, the etiquette of the nobility
and high drama were a direct invitation for national self – esteem and the will to be independent. Of course, India did not need to be independent to produce
films: thousands of miles of celluloid had run through the projector gate before the British finally packed their bags in 1947. Despite having first blossomed
under a political power so alien to its own conventions, Indian cinema’s thematic and aesthetic development seems to have remained largely free of direct
concern with colonial rule. Individual film director’s were deeply concerned by the independence movement led by the congress party and demonstrated their
allegiance to the concept of a free India in films such as ‘Sikandra’ ( 1941 ) and ‘Shaheed’ ( 1948 ) . In the 1940s and 1950s, a small number of patriotic films
and a handful of songs with a clear message of Indian nationalism were produced – the most famous is ‘Door Hato O Duniya Valo, Hindustan Hamara Hai’
(‘Go away, you invaders! India is ours’) in the 1943 film Kismet – but by and large the patriotic film isn’t a genre that is hugely popular today. Indian films
have never been overtly political, unlike Africa or Algerian cinema, the classics of which are clear indictments of French colonial rule. When talkies came an
unexpected criticism from art lovers was that sound destroyed the aesthetic quality of the movies. Moreover, the universal language of the cinema was
adversely affected, they said. People speaking different languages could watch the silent movie and derive meanings from the acting and expression, and the
visual effectiveness of the whole movie. Cinema is a visual medium, they argued, and it has its own language. An Englishman must be able to appreciate a
Hindi or Tamil movie as much as a Hindi or Tamil – speaking Indian should be able to enjoy an English movie even if the movies are silent ones. But can we
imagine how a silent movie would appeal to us now? We have become so used to sound movies. And in India, we cannot easily appreciate a movie without
songs and dancing! The silent movies are now in the archives and they are taken out for research or for satisfying someone’s historical curiosity. Though
colour movies started to come out of American studios from 1935 onwards, it took more decades for color to come to Indian screens. Themes in Indian cinem
– Early Indian cinema in the 1920s was founded on specifi
• Themes in Indian cinema – Early Indian cinema in the 1920s was founded on specific genres, such as the mythological or the
devotional film. The sum and substance of the mythological theme is the fight between good and evil, and the importance of
sacrifice in the name of truth. The retelling of stories known through an oral tradition was an important element in the
success of the mythological film: The Ram Leela (a celebration and re – enactment of the exploits and adventures of Ram)
and the Ras Leela (episodes from Krishna’s life) are said to be of particular influence in Indian cinema. Such reconfirmation
has always been an element of Indian culture. As Arundhuti roy says in her novel, The God Of Small Things, ‘The Great
stories are the ones you have heard and want to hear again.’ Roy was speaking of the Kathakali dance form, but the argument
holds good for cinema too. This trend was visible not only in the silent era. It33 continued in the talkie era.
NALLATHANGAL in Tamil, BHAKTA PRAHLADA in Malayalam and other languages, KEECHAKAVADHAM in Tamil
etc. are good examples. In almost all the languages of India, during the silent as well as the talkie era, themes and episodes
from the PURANAS, THE RAMAYANA and MAHABHARATA were treated cinematically. Some folk tales and legends
also became cinematic themes. A change in this trend came about in the 1950s, particularly in Malayalam, Tamil and Bengali
movies. JEEVITA NAUKA (The Boat of life) introduced social and domestic theme, family life in Kerala and social
humour , and it was among the earliest Indian movies to run for more than six months at a stretch . A more bold theme of
socio – economic disparities and indication of prospective social revolution was expressed in NAVALOKAM. But among the
socially relevant movies of the early 1950s in Malayalam, NEELAKKUYIL (Blue Koel) of 1954 depicted the story of
powerful love breaking caste barriers but yielding finally to social pressures and the leading characters coming to grief in the
face of social ostracism. This period also saw big spectacles like CHANDRALEKHA in Tamil and the beautiful celluloid
portrayal in the trilogy of Satyajit Ray starting with PATHER PANCHALI. PARAASAKTI, the Tamil movie which took
Sivaji Ganesan to the heights of fame was a strong and defiant portrayal of the collusion between religious and economic
forces in the suppression of the poor. DO BIGHA ZAMIN questioned landlordism. Later on, Social themes were portrayed.
Stories were based on the life of ordinary families. Most films were produced in the Bombay and Madras studios. The largest
number of movies came out in Hindi, Tamil, Telegu, Malayalam, Kannada and Bengali- in that order. Among the social
movies, Andaz and Mela stand out .The production of movies in all languages has dwindled in the closing years of the 20 th
century, but the reduction has been more in Malayalam than in the other five languages in which production was consistently
high in the 1970s and 1980s
• Themes in Indian cinema – Early Indian cinema in the 1920s was founded on specific genres, such as the mythological or the
devotional film. The sum and substance of the mythological theme is the fight between good and evil, and the importance of
sacrifice in the name of truth. The retelling of stories known through an oral tradition was an important element in the success
of the mythological film: The Ram Leela (a celebration and re – enactment of the exploits and adventures of Ram) and the Ras
Leela (episodes from Krishna’s life) are said to be of particular influence in Indian cinema. Such reconfirmation has always
been an element of Indian culture. As Arundhuti roy says in her novel, The God Of Small Things, ‘The Great stories are the
ones you have heard and want to hear again.’ Roy was speaking of the Kathakali dance form, but the argument holds good for
cinema too. This trend was visible not only in the silent era. It33 continued in the talkie era. NALLATHANGAL in Tamil,
BHAKTA PRAHLADA in Malayalam and other languages, KEECHAKAVADHAM in Tamil etc. are good examples. In
almost all the languages of India, during the silent as well as the talkie era, themes and episodes from the PURANAS, THE
RAMAYANA and MAHABHARATA were treated cinematically. Some folk tales and legends also became cinematic themes.
A change in this trend came about in the 1950s, particularly in Malayalam, Tamil and Bengali movies. JEEVITA NAUKA
(The Boat of life) introduced social and domestic theme, family life in Kerala and social humour , and it was among the
earliest Indian movies to run for more than six months at a stretch . A more bold theme of socio – economic disparities and
indication of prospective social revolution was expressed in NAVALOKAM. But among the socially relevant movies of the
early 1950s in Malayalam, NEELAKKUYIL (Blue Koel) of 1954 depicted the story of powerful love breaking caste barriers
but yielding finally to social pressures and the leading characters coming to grief in the face of social ostracism. This period
also saw big spectacles like CHANDRALEKHA in Tamil and the beautiful celluloid portrayal in the trilogy of Satyajit Ray
starting with PATHER PANCHALI. PARAASAKTI, the Tamil movie which took Sivaji Ganesan to the heights of fame was a
strong and defiant portrayal of the collusion between religious and economic forces in the suppression of the poor. DO BIGHA
ZAMIN questioned landlordism. Later on, Social themes were portrayed. Stories were based on the life of ordinary families.
Most films were produced in the Bombay and Madras studios. The largest number of movies came out in Hindi, Tamil, Telegu,
Malayalam, Kannada and Bengali- in that order. Among the social movies, Andaz and Mela stand out .The production of
movies in all languages has dwindled in the closing years of the 20 th century, but the reduction has been more in Malayalam
than in the other five languages in which production was consistently high in the 1970s and 1980s
• Major Studios – The creation of the major studios in Madras, Calcutta, Lahore, Bombay and Pune in the 1930s was
a crucial move in the development of a proficient Indian film industry. Studio owners including Himanshu Rai and
Devika Rani, V. Shantaram, V. Damle and S. Fatehlal set the tune of film production, playing an essential role in
promoting national integration. People of all castes, religious, regions, sects and social classes worked together in
the various studios. Film production has always prided itself in the way it has been inclusive and continues to be a
shinning example of communal (i.e. inter religious) harmony and tolerance. Hindus and Muslims work together and
promoting and National Integration and communal harmony has always been a favourite theme of the Indian film.
The studios, including Bombay talkies, the New Theatres in Calcutta, Prabhat Film Company and Gemini and
Vauhini in Madras, were also responsible for broadening the choice of screen – subjects, with music as a primary
ingredient. Like the great Hollywood studios, they experimented with different stories and themes while each
developing their own brand of film making. The key films of this period show the origins of themes and subjects
that have recurred over subsequent decades of film making. For example, the New Theatres films , particularly the
1935 classic DEVDAS by actor / director P.C.Barua , made in both Hindi and Bengali versions , gave Indian
cinema its most recurrent theme : the love triangle . DEVDAS is an adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chatterjee’s
Bengali novel of the same name. This film also gave its most enduring male character: The tragic romantic hero.
Devdas is a high caste Brahmin who cannot marry the love of his life, Parvati, his neighbour’s daughter, because
she is of a lower caste. He later befriends Chandramukhi, a prostitute who gives up her profession and turns to
spirituality. In a downward spiral of self – destruction, the Hamlet like Devdas becomes an alcoholic and ultimately
dies at the gate of Parvati’s marital home. The story of Devdas touched millions of Indians in the 1930s who felt
that his anguish would become their own if they dared marry against parental authority. This theme returns
regularly every decade , either in a direct remake , e.g. Bimal Roy’s 1955 Devdas ( director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s
new version released in 2002 ) , or as an important theme , as in Guru Dutt’s PYASSA (1957 ) or Prakash Mehra’s
MUQADDAR KA SIKANDAR ( 1978 ). V.Shantaram was a co – founder (along with V. Damle , S. Fatehlal an
• End of Studios – Financers who made money during the war years found film – making an easy way of
gaining quick returns, and this new method of financing movies ultimately brought about the end of the
studio era. The studio owners could not afford to pay high fees for their staff and stars, and so
freelancing made a return – a system whereby all film practitioners were employed on a contract – by –
contract basis. The studio system was over by the late 1940s, and widespread freelancing, established by
the 1950s, set the pattern for film production thereafter. Golden Age Of Indian Cinema – The 1950s was
led film historians to refer to thi
• Golden Age Of Indian Cinema – The 1950s was led film historians to refer to this glorious time as the
golden age of Indian Cinema. Film makers created authored and individual works while sticking strictly
within the set conventions of the films. The example of Mahatma Gandhi and Prime Minister Nehru’s vision
of the newly independent nation was also highly influential throughout the decade, and many excellent
Urdu poets and writers worked with film makers in the hope of creating a cinema that would be socially
meaningful. It is no surprise that the 1950s is regarded today as the finest period in Indian cinema, and the
era has profoundly influenced generations of Indian film makers in a way that no other decade has done
since. The best directors of the time, including Mehboob Khan, Bimal Roy, Raj Kapoor and Guru Dutt,
brought new depth to established themes. They drew on the wide spectrum of cinema stories, but brought to
them a personal vision. The films of the late 1940s , 1950s and early 1960s were lyrical and powerful and
dealt with themes including the exploitation of the poor by rich landlords (DO BIGHA ZAMEEN, 1953),
the importance of sacrifice and honour (MOTHER INDIA), survival in the big city ( BOOT POLISH, 1954)
, untouchability (SUJATA, 1959) , the changing role of the woman (Mr. and Mrs.55, 1955), urban vs rural
morality (SHREE 420, 1955), nature vs nurture36 (AWAARA, 1951), dilemas faced by modern Indians
(ANDAZ,1949), materialism vs spiritualism (PYAASA, 1957) and the importance of destiny
(CHAUDHVIN KA CHAND, 1960). These films show a complex and sophisticated mix of characters,
plots, ideas and morals. The important film makers of this period not only made commercially successful
works but also mastered the language of cinema. They understood how performance, photography, editing
and above all, music could be used to create a new aesthetic. It was around this time that Indian films started
to receive regular worldwide distribution, and films such as AWAARA made by Raj Kapoor and his co- star
Nargis major celebrity in places as far afield as Russia and China. Mehboob’s AAN (1952, AKA
MANGALA, Daughter of India) and MOTHER INDIA (Perhaps the best known Indian films of all) also
won large audiences beyond the Indian sub continent. T
• The Middle Cinema - Indian Cinema , dominated in the 1970’s by the Sippy’s , Hrishikesh Mukherjee ,
B.R. Ishara and Vijay Anand , was jolted out of its wits when Shyam Benegal assisted by Blaze
enterprises , shot into prominence with ‘Ankur’ (1974), and later with ‘Nishant’(1975), ‘Manthan’,
‘Bhumika’(1977) and Junoon (1979). Benegal turned his back on the standard ‘Kalyug’ and ‘Aradhana’
(1981) genre, injecting a dose of caste – politics into his first three films. He was closely associated with
the making of Govind Nihalani’s ‘‘Akrosh’ (1980), a political film about the exploitation of illiterate
Adivasis. ‘Ardh Satya’ (1984), ‘Party’ (an expose of the upper middle class), and his TV serial on the
partition of India, ‘Tamas’, have been significant success. While the films of Mrinal Sen, Mani Kaul and
Kumar Shahani did not fare very well at the box office, those of the ‘middle cinema’ reaped a good
harves. Saeed Mirza’s ‘Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai’ , ‘Mphan Joshi Hajir Ho’ and ‘Salim
Langde Pe Mat Ro’ , Rabindra Dharmaraj’s ‘Chakra’ and Ketan Mehta’s ‘ Bhavni Bhavai’ (in Gujarati
and Hindi), ‘ Mirch Masala’ , and later ‘ Maya Memsahib’ , ‘ Sardar’ , started a trend in the making of
socially conscious and political films which were entertaining as well . Both the New Wave and the
Middle Cinema wilted under the impact of multichannel television , ‘ Commercial cinema’ , the
commercialization of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), and above all the abysmal
lack of exhibition outlets . The gradual decline of the Film Society movement too had a arole in the
fading away of ‘Parallel cinema’. The Second New Wave - As the century drew to a close , there was a
revival of
• The Second New Wave - As the century drew to a close , there was a revival of the New Wave spirit ,
with some assistance from the NFDC , Doordarshan , overseas TV companies such as channel four of
Britain , and private financiers . Some termed this37 revival the ‘Second New Wave’, even though most
of the film makers involved in the revival was also part of the first New Wave. Mani Kaul ( Nazar , The
Idiot, Siddeshwari), hyam Benegal (The Making Of The Mahatma , Mammo…….. Saatvan Ka Ghoda ,
Sardari Begum), Saees Mirza (Naseem -1996), Adoor Gopalakrishnan (Kathapurusham – 1995), Girish
Kasaravalli (Mane – 1996), Thai Saheb (1998) , Govind Nihalani (Hazar Chourasi Ki Maa – 1998),
Kumar Shahani (Chaar Adhayay – 1997) and others in different regional languages of the country
helped keep the spark of ‘alternative’ cinema alive. The establishment of the National Centre for
Children and Young People (NCYP) provided an impetus to the making of films targeted at Indian
Youth.
• Colour And Triumph Of Romance – The 1980s weren’t a particularly strong time for film music either. The movie that
brought back music and young romance was Mansoor Khan’s 1988 film QAYAMAT SE QAYAMAT TAK – a love
story along the lines of a modern Romeo and Juliet, showing two young lovers blighted by their feuding families. Lead
actor Aamir Khan shot to fame as the teen idol of the late eighties. QAYAMAT SE QAYAMAT TAK was followed by
Sooraj Barjatya’s MAINE PYAR KIYA in 1989, another romantic movie with great music and family values, which
brought another cinematic idol to the fore – Salman Khan. A third actor with the same surname – Sharukh Khan –
became the biggest new star of the 1990s. Sharukh Khan began his career in the theatre and television before he got his
big break playing a psychopath in BAAZIGAR (1993). He has acted in all of the big hits of the 1990s, including Aditya
Chopra’s excellent romance, DILWALE DULHANIA LEJAYENGE (1995), and Karan Johar’s delightful KUCH
KUCH HOTA HAI (1998). Sharukh Khan believes Indian cinema shares its dependence on love stories and simple plot
lines with Hollywood. During the struggle for Independence – P.K.Nair, one of the India’s leading film historians,
believes that D.G.Phalke chose mythology for the cinema not only because it was an easy means of communicating to
the largest number of people, but also because Phalke saw mythological stories as a way of evoking patriotic feelings in
the Indian Nation at a time when the country was a British colony. By showing Lord Krishna overcoming the demon
snake Kamsa in in his 1919 film KALIYA MARDAN, Phalke showed that it was possible to fight the powerful and to
challenge the imperialism thyhat had plundered the whole Nation in the same way the demon snake had poisoned the
sacred river. Social Film- Aside from the mythological, the 1920s saw the birth of other film genres, such as the social
film (examples include OUR HINDUSTAN 1928, and ORPHAN DAUGHTER), the historical film celebrating Rajput
history and grandeur, the stunt film based on the Hollywood model, and Muslim subjects inspired by Persian love
legends including Laila Majnu and stories set in the splendour of Mughal Courts. The Persian love stories depended on
family conflicts, court intrigue, poetic dialogue, and songs of love and lament and these were better served by cinema
after the birth of sound. The Films with Muslim subjects were later developed into the ‘ Muslim Social’, of which the
author Shahrukh Hussain commented, ‘Predictably, Muslim socials were about Indian Muslims and were the forum for
the portrayal of many social institution of38 the exotic upper and lower classes of this community, (The Cambridge
Encyclopedia of India , 1989 , Cambridge University Press) .
• Stunt Film or Action Movie – Another popular genre starting in the silent era was the stunt film and the
adventure action film. The film makers who were largely responsible for popularizing the stunt film
were J.B.H Wadia and his brother Homi Wadia, of Wadia Movietone. They became the kings of this
genre, starting with the railroad thriller TOOFAN MAIL (1932), which featured several fight
sequences staged on the roof of a moving train. The Wadia’s loved Hollywood and were directly
inspired by American serials, western and slapstick comedies. Their most famous star was the queen of
the forties action movie, Fearless Nadia. The stunt film and the adventure action film did not appeal to
everyone: the educated classes saw them as populist, vulgar and a corrupting influence. This division
in film styles is why distributors and producers continue to see films as being of two main categories:
‘films for the classes and films for the masses.’ The assumption was that the upper classes, who were
more educated, expected something substantial from cinema, whereas the poor looked to cinema as
pure entertainment. Music in Silent Era Films – Indian silent films weren’t really silent – as in
Hollywoo
• Music in Silent Era Films – Indian silent films weren’t really silent – as in Hollywood; live musician
provided a sound track. The English language films shown in India’s big cities had a violinist and pianist
providing the music. This two – member orchestra was usually musician from Goa – a Portuguese
colony at that time – who had studied music and could sight – read. The harmonium and tabla were the
main instruments played with Indian silent films. In his article ‘ Sound in a silent era,’ celebrated music
scholar Bhaskar Chandavarkar notes that ‘ The harmonium and tabla players were not only the first
music directors but also dialogue writers and dubbers , as they were expected to stamp their feet , shout
and trigger excitement during the action scenes , crying ‘ Maro’ (Hit Him), ‘Chup, Saale’ (‘shut up, you
bastard’) or ‘ khamosh’ ( ‘ silence’) while the villain got what was coming to him . (Cinema Vision,
vol.1, January 1980). Though this genre continued to have a healthy life in south India, in Indian cinema
the mythological had virtually disappeared by the 1950s . Later , at the height of 1970s action and
vendetta films , Vijay Sharma’s low budget movie ‘JAI SANTOSHI MAA’ broke all box – office records
by becoming one of the biggest hits of 1975 ( along with blockbusters such as SHOLAY and DEEWAR )
. This film made Santoshi Maa , a little – known Goddess , into a hugely popular icon and many people
throughout India kept a fast , or vrat , in Her name . The film’s popularity was so extra ordinary that it
later became the subject of academic study by the Indian and International scholars: the anthropologist
Veena Das analysed the film in her essay ‘ The Mythological film and its frame work of meaning’ ( 1980
) , while American scholar Stanley Kurtz examined its influence and impact in ‘ All the Mothers Are
One’ ( published by Columbia universit
• The New Cinema and Parallel Movement – Mrinal Sen , a talented movie maker from West Bengal is
considered a pioneer in the new genre called ‘ New wave’ inema . In the39 early 1970s, he was its main
proponent and he had to do a lot of explaining soon after the release of his BHUVAN SHOME (1969).
Without imitating the techniques of commercially successful movies which are usually mixtures of rapid
action , maudlin drama , violence , erotic dancing and singing , Mrinal Sen could produce a film that was
not only a financial success at the box – office but cut a new path in filmography . Some critics are of the
view that Shyam Benegal’s ANKUR (1974) was the real path – breaker and that Benegal was the pioneer
of the New Wave genre. His cinematic language shook the audience with its bluntless and originality.
Both Mrinal Sen and Shyam Benegal inspired many young film makers of the 1970s and 1980s,
particularly graduates of the FTII, Pune . There were admirers and detractors for the new cinema. Some
of the film makers created movies that could not easily be followed by ordinary spectators. Only
intellectuals of a certain kind could appreciate them. There is no doubt that these movies opened a new
chapter in the history of movies in India. A totally new generation of film makers emerged. They used
new techniques and evolved a new cinematic language, which was sometimes called idiosyncratic. They
are all known for their originality, subversion of conventions and firm belief in the ‘auteur’ theory of the
film. Cinema, according to these directors, was the art of the director rather than of the artistes or the
script writers . Each film is the personal expression of a view point , a personal filmic expression of the
director . Many of these movies were not ‘ hits’ at the box office but they earned the respect and
admiration of National and International film – makers and critics . Big names include Govind Nihalani ,
Ketan Mehta , Mani Kaul , Kumar Shahni , Sayeed Mirza , Adoor Gopalkrishnan , G. Aravindan , John
Abraham , Nirad Mahapatra and Girish Kasaravalli . All of them pioneered a new path in film making.
All their films differed from the ones generally ‘manufactured’ in the ‘masala’ or ‘ fixed formula’ mould
• Some New Trends : The early years of the 21 st century witnessed several dramatic developments in Indian
cinema . Cinema was at last declared an ‘ industry’ in 2001 by the Indian Government and no sooner did this
happen than the gradual ‘ corporatisation’ of the entertainment and media industry took off . Banks,
insurance companies and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) were
persuaded to support the industry. The decline of the active dependence on funding from the ‘underworld’ of
Bombay also had its beginnings around this time. But perhaps the greatest impetus to the shake up of the
industry was the rapid proliferation of ‘ multiplexes’ ( multt-screen theatres ) and digital cinema theatres ,
first in the metros and later in the big cities such as Bangalore , Hyderabad , Ahmedabad and Pune .
Multiplexes offer a different experience to cinema goers, for in most cases they are part of a shopping malls
and comprise theatres of different sizes. Thus small budget films could be released in multipleses and digital
cinema theatres. Ticket rates are much higher in such multiplexes than in single screen theatres and therefore
attract upper middle class families. This has given rise to what has to be known as ‘multiplex’ films that is
small budget experimental films on subjects which are rarely touched on in mainstream cinema. Young
directors like Nagesh Kukunoor (Hyderabad Blues, Bollywood Calling and Iqbal), Sudhir Mishra ( Hzaron
Khawaishen Aisi ) and Anurag Kashyap (Black Friday) have been able to make a mark thanks to the
multiplex phenomenon . Small low budget films like Being Cyrus, Mixed Doubles, Joggers Park and other
feature films were released in such theatres. At the end of 2005, there were at least 300 screens in around a
hundred multiplexes across urban India. The potential of low budget films at the box office has led to the
introduction of new and bold themes by young directors both in the mainstream and parallel traditions.
Homosexuality, old age (Being Cyrus), HIV-Aids (My Brother Nikhil), live-in-relationships (Salaam-
Namaste), communication with the physically and mentally challenged (Black, Iqbal ) , religious
fundamentalism (Bombay , Roja) , nationalist history (Mangal Pandey : The Rising) , patriotism (Lagaan) ,
and rural development (Swadesh ) have been some of the issues taken up for analysis in feature films and
documen
• Maharashtra : Indian cinema had its beginning in Maharashtra , but right from the start, films in
Marathi stood no chance against those in Hindi which could draw larger crowds. Yet, Marathi films
have continued to be made. Sant Tukaram, for instance, was perhaps the first Indian film to win high
praise at home and abroad. This and other films produced by Prabhat Talkies have inspired Marathi
cinema over the years .The first studios, however, were set up in Kolhapur – the Maharashtra Film Co.
- by Baburao Painter who together with Anandrao , pioneered the silent film era in Western India . The
films of Master Vinayak who worked in collaboration with P.K.Atre, were brilliant social satires of the
forties. During the fifties the foremost director was Raja Paranjpe, who collaborated with the poet and
screenplay writer, G.D.Madgulkar. The role of literary figures in the making of Marathi films climaxed
in the work of P.L.Deshpandey. In these hands cinema lost much of its visual character and was turned
into a literary and wordy product. Perhaps the most significant film of the fifties was Anant Mane’s
Sangtye Aika , based on the life of a popular contemporary actress . Few films were produced during
the 60’s and early 70’s and these were formula films – either of the tamasha genre or the family drama.
The last few years, however, during which over a hundred films have been released, have seen some
healthy trends in the form and substance of Marathi cinema. The renaissance has come about mainly
because of the ‘tax refund scheme’ introduced by the State Government. Under this scheme, a film
maker has only to make a second film to get a refund of upto 80 percent of the entertainment tax
collected by the State Government from his first film. While in the early Marathi cinema, men of letters
were only collaborators, they
• Gujarati : The first Gujarati film was a two-reeler entitled Mumbaini Sethani , released on April 9, 1932 .
The first feature was Narsinh Mehto . In the early seventies Kantilal Rathod’s masterpiece Kanku could
be released only in one theatre for a week at regular shown in Gujarat. Today, even the top-notch theatres
show Gujarati films, and Hindi films have to struggle hard to find a theatre to patronize them. What was
brought about this dramatic turn in Gujarati cinema is the State Governments move to exempt all films
in the state language from any entertainment tax. However, the kind of films made remains unchanged.
In the late Rathod’s words : The mental age of Gujarati cinema has remained five years though it is
celebrating its golden jubilee in 1982. There is no difference between the present films and the ones
produced in 1932. Earlier films such as Narsinh Mehto , Sati Savitri , Ghar Jamai were no different in
treatment and content than today’s films . Until 1972, only 130 films in Gujarati had been made. Then
came the film ‘boom’ consequent upon the State governments generosity in exempting films produced in
studios within the State, on eight prints for a period of six months. Further, a grant of Rs. 50,000 per film
was given to the studios where the films were shot, though the producers too were shelling out hire
charges to the owners. Despite all this, no film processing laboratory, recording studios or editing rooms
worth the name exists in the State. All the same, around 40 films are churned out year after year at
immense public cost. In the Gujarat Government’s new General Resolution for Gujarati films , all films
will be charged 10 percent entertainment tax in the first year ( 1981 ) , 20 percent in the following two
years ( 1982 and 1983 ) , 30 percent in 1984-85 , and 40 percent in the year ending April 1986 . Further
the General Resolution stipulates that only three (big ) prints would be tax-free for exhibition in areas
with a population of over 50,000 , as against five big prints in the past , but for smaller areas , nine tax-
free prints would be allowed . The resolution has come as a severe blow to Gujarati film producers who
claim that not even 75 percent of their numbers recov
• West Bengal Cinema : The Bengali cinema has been dominated for over three decades now by Satyajit
Ray , Mrinal Sen , Tapan Sinha and Ritwik Ghatak . Ghatak died in 1976, and Satyajit Ray in 1992.
Talented young film makers who have joined the ranks of the ‘parallel’ cinema in recent years include
Purnendu Pattrea , Buddhadeb Dasgupta , Nitish Mukherjee , Gautam Chakraborty , Aparna Sen ,
Sandip Ray and Rituparno Ghosh . But since all of them work at their art like lone wolves there no
‘movement’ worth the name to provide them the support that comes from a cooperative effort. The
result is that their films win laurels abroad, but can find few exhibitors at home. The Nandan Film
Centre in Calcutta has now come to their rescue. The Centre has exhibition and documentation facilities,
conducts seminars and workshops which draw film makers from all over the country. The cinema of
West Bengal refers to the Tollygunge – based Bengali film industry in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The
origins of the nickname Tollywood, a Portmanteau of the words Tollygunge and Hollywood, dates back
to 1932. The industry is known for producing many of Indian cinema’s most critically acclaimed
Parallel cinema art films, with several of its filmmakers gaining international acclaim, most notably
Satyajit Ray. Etymology : The film industry based in Kolkata, West Bengal, is sometimes referre
• Andhra : In the South , Andhra produces the largest number of films every year but the least number
in the genre of ‘ parallel cinema’ . The films are pot-boilers in the Hindi cinema style, loaded with
song and dance sequences. Mythologicals, folk love fantasies, socials and crime thrillers dominate.
Nowhere in sight are films to match the classics of old –G . Ramabrahman’s Mala Pillai Raita , K.V.
Reddi’s BHAKTA POTANA, Yogi VEMANA , Chittor V. NAGAIAH’S THAIAGAIAH and B.N.
Reddi’s MALLESWARI . Shyam Benegal with ANURAGHAM, and Mrinal Sen with OKA CORI
KATHA did try to break into Telegu films but without much success. B.S. Narayan has won national
and international acclaim with his two features, OORUMMADI BRATUKULU, a naturalistic film
about the struggle of the poor, and NAMMAJJANAM which deals with the suicide of a young bride
who is the victim of rape. Two other outstanding films are Ravindran’s HARIJAN and Gautam
Ghose’s MAA BHOOMI, which focus on the plight of the have-nots in an exploitative situation.
Telegu cinema shot into the limelight in 1981 with K.Viswanath’s SANKARABARANAM which
bagged the Golden Lotus for Mass Entertainer with Aesthetic Values. In 1989, his SEVARNA
KAMALAM was the only Telegu film selected for the Indian Panorama
• Tamilnadu : Madras has been a centre for film production in Hindi and the South Indian languages ,
from the early years of Indian cinema . The new wave cinema took over the Tamil cinema scene in the
late seventies. The pioneers were K. Balachander, Bharati Raja, Mahendran, Balu Mahendra, Dorai,
Jayabharati, Bhagyaraj, Rudraiya and H.A. Kaja. Mahendran’s UTHARIPOOKAL and Dorai’s PASI
continued the realistic genre started by the late Bhim Singh’s SILA NARANGALIL SILA
MANITHANGAL which challenged the myth of the ideal heroine. Bharaathi Raja set the trend of
locating films in villages, and Mahendra gave the villagers ‘solidity depth and relevance’ in his 16
VAYADINILE. There was a radical move away from the dialogue-oriented film, as in J. Mahendran’s
MULLUM MALARUM and the cooperative venture of some young people under the leadership of
Robert and Rajasekaran ( ORU THALAI RAGAM ) . At the close of the century, Mani Ratnam,
Illayarajah and A.R. Rehman had succeeded in putting Tamil cinema on the all-India map. Kerala : The
seventies was the ‘golden’ period of Malayalam cinema . The pioneer o
• Kerala : The seventies was the ‘golden’ period of Malayalam cinema . The pioneer of the new cinema in
Kerala was Adoor Gopalakrishnan , who made SWAYAMVARAM in the early seventies , and since then has
been turning out films at regular intervals . His oeuvre includes : KODIYETTAM (The Ascent) (1977),
ELIPATHAYAM (Mousetrap) (1981), MUKHAMUKHAM (Face to Face) (1984 ) , ANANTARAM
(Monologue ) (1987), MATHILUKAI (The Walls) (1991), VIDHEYAN (Servile Man) (1993), and
KATHAPURUSHAM ( Man of History ) (1995 ) . The late G. Aravindan’s films UTHARAYANAM,
KANCHANA SITA, THAMP, KUMMATI, ESTHAPPAN, SAHAJA, ORIDATH, MARATTAM and
VASTUHARA have won international acclaim for their aesthetic and poetic qualities. Malayalam films have
had the largest representation at the Indian Panorama since the 1970s. Film co-operatives have been one
reason for its steady growth. Chitralekha , the film cooperative started by Adoor Gopalakrishnan , has
provided the impetus to the growth of Malayalam cinema . The State Government has set up a film complex in
Trivandrum and provides a subsidy to film-makers. Some of the other film makers who have tried to break
new ground are : Vasudevan Nair (NIRMALAYAM BANDHANAM ), P.A. Backer ( KABANI NADI
CHUVANNAPPOL), Padmarajan (PEUYAZHIAMBALAM and KALLAN PAVITHRAN), V.R. Gopinath
(GREESHAM), John Abraham (AMMA ARIYAN; CHERIYACHANTE KROGRA KRITHYANGAL (The
Wicked Deeds of Chediyachan), Sivan (YAGAM), and K.R. Mohanam ( ASHWA THAMA ) and Shaji N.
Kuran ( PIRAVI , VANAPRASTHAM ) . K.G. George (JOURNEY’S END), Lenin Rajendran (A TALE OF
THE PAST), K.Ravindran’s (ORE TAHVOOL PAKSHIGAL and VARIKUZHA), are other distinguished
directors. Those who have made a mark in recent years are : T.Rajeevnath , (THANAL , THEERANGAL,
SURYANTE MARANAM, PURAPPAD , KAVERI KADAL THEERATHU,47 AHAM AND JANANI),
Jayaraj (KUDUMASAMETHAN, SOPANAM, DESADANAM, KALIYATTAM AND KARUNAM) and
M .P.Sukumaran Nair (APRAHANAM AND KAZHAKAM ) . Karnataka: The State Government of
Karnataka was the first to encourage the regiona
• Karnataka: The State Government of Karnataka was the first to encourage the regional cinema by
offering generous subsidies, and granting tax exemptions to films made in Kannada cinema began to
wrest national awards. SAMSKARA (1970), and VAMSHA VRIKSHA (1971) , KAADU (1973),
CHOMANA DUDI (1975) and HAMSE GEETHE won national and international acclaim , and
inspired the Kannadiga to pay more attention to the films of his own language rather than to those in
Hindi and Tamil . Even the commercial ventures of Puttanna Siddhalingayya and Raaj Kumar which
attempted to blend art with popular entertainment, met with success. M.S.Sathyu of GARAM HAWA
and BARA (Femine) fame, made two big budget Kannada films – KANNESHWARA RAMA and
CHITEGU CHINTE – and Girish Karnad ONDANONDU KALADALLI and TABALIYU NEENADE
MAGANE (jointly with karanth). Girish Kasaravalli is the foremost director now with four visually
arresting films – GHATTASHRADHA, AAKRAMANA, MOORU DARIGALLU, and MAANE – to
his credit. P. Lankesh’s PALLAVI too is a cut above the rest. Girish Karnad’s KONOORU
HEGGADITHI (The Mistress of the house of konooru) (1999) retells the classic Kannada story of the
near destruction of the Chandrayya Gowda family. It is based on a novel 650 pages long, and ‘was part
of one’s growing up’. ‘Directing it’, says Karnad, ‘was a way of confronting a seminal influence from a
later perspective’. Assam : Cinema in Assam and the North-East has received much attention at nat
• Assam : Cinema in Assam and the North-East has received much attention at national film festivals in
recent years . Active support from the State – run Assam Film Finance and Development Corporation
has plans of establishing a chain of ‘Janata halls’ for regular exhibition of films. Mobile Cinemas are
also being encouraged by exemption of entertainment taxes. The first Assamese film was Jyotiprasad
Agarwala’s JOYMATI, released in 1935. Agarwala later made INDRA MALATI, but received little
recognition. He is believed to have been the first director to introduce playback singing in Indian
Cinema. Assamese cinema is cinema in the Assamese language, watched primarily in Assam, India. The
industry was born in 1935 when Jyoti Prasad Agarwala released his movie ‘Joymoti’. Since then
Assamese cinema has developed a slow – paced, sensitive style, especially with the movies of
Bhabendra Nath Saikia and Jhanu Barua . However, despite its long history, and its artistic successes,
for a state that has always taken its cinema seriously, Assamese cinema has never really managed to
make the breakthrough on the national scene despite its film industry making a mark in the National
Awards over the years. Although the beginning of the 21 st century has been Bollywood – style
Assamese movies hitting the screen, the industry has not been able to compete in the market,
significantly overshadowed by the larger industries such
• Manipuri Films – Around ten films have been produced so far in the Manipuri tongue, with the first film
made in 1972 . Perhaps the most acclaimed Manipuri film has been ‘Imagi Ningthem (My Son , My
Precious) – 1981], directed by Aribam Shyam Sharma . It won the Grand Prix at Nantes , France , in
1981 . The film weaves a sensitive tale of a boy who , following his unmarried mother’s death in
childbirth , is brought up by his grandfather . The boy’s father is traced by the local school teacher , and
is found to be married ; but his wife is only too happy to adopt the boy as her own . Among the other
Manipuri films of note are : ‘ Matangi Manipur (1972), Ngak – ke-ko Ngangse (1974, ‘Lamja Parasuram’
(1975), ‘Khuttang Lamjet’ (1979), ‘ Olangthagee Wangmadasoo’ (1980), ‘ Khonjel’ (1981) , and ‘
Wangma Wangma’ (1982). The Manipuri film is basically Meitei in content , theme and behaviour ,
though not mainly in form and style . The Meitei film is Imphal based and middle class in Outlook and
temper . And the middle class mind is what constitutes the ‘ Manipuri mind’ . Oriya Cinema - Perhaps the
first film to be made in Oriya was ‘ Sitavivah’ in 1934 . A
• Oriya Cinema - Perhaps the first film to be made in Oriya was ‘ Sitavivah’ in 1934 . As in the cinema of
the other Indian languages , the early Oriya films were for the most part mythologicals . Time was when
Oriya films matched the popularity of Bengali films. Notable films up to the fifties were: ‘Lalita’,
‘Mahalakshmi puja’, ‘Dasyu Ratnakar’ and ‘Parinam’. Mrinal Sen made Matira Manisha in Oriya , a
film based upon Kalandi Charan Panigraha’s Oriya novel of the pre- Independence period . One of the
most popular films of the 1960’s was Prabhat Mukherjee’s ‘ Nua Bou’ , replet with songs ; the lead role
played by the Veteran Dhira Biswal . Around 16 feature films are made each year in Orissa, which has
only one film laboratory, namely, the Prasad Kalinga Film Laboratories . A clutch of Oriya film makers
of the last two decades , most of them alumni of the film and Television Institute of India , have made a
valuable contribution to Oriya cinema . One of the most distinguished is A.K.Bir , whose work includes
‘Aadi Mamansa’ , ‘Lavanya Preeti’ , ‘Aranyaka’ and ‘Shasha Drusht’ (The Last Vision) . Nirad
Mahapatra, an FTII alumni, has been relentless in his scrutiny of the Oriya family system in films like ‘
Maya Miriga’ (The Illusion) (1983) . Other film makers like Sagir Ahmed have focused on children who
grow up without love and care in Dhaare Aalua (1983), and Prafulla Mohanty on child marriage in ‘
Bhanga’ ( Broken Slate ) (1987). Punjabi Cinema - Prior to partition , Punjabi films were made in
Bombay and Lah
• Punjabi Cinema - Prior to partition , Punjabi films were made in Bombay and Lahore where modern
studios hummed with activity . There were three studios in Lahore (Punjab Film Company , United
Players and Kamla Movietone ) established during the silent era . Himansu Rai’s ‘ Love Of a Mughal
Prince’ was made in the Lahore studios, but the most successful was A.R. Kardar ( who owned united
players ) who made around nine silent films, with English titles such as ‘ Golden dagger’, ‘ Brave Heart’,
‘Serpent’ , ‘ Shepherd’, ‘Mysterious Eagle’ and ‘ Wanderimg Dancer’. The English titles invariably had
alternative titles in Punjabi . ‘ The Victim’ for example , was called Bhukh un Bhog , ‘ Wooing
Nightingale’ bore the Punjabi title ‘ Bol Tu Bulbul’ , ‘ Jewelled Arrow’ was ‘ Poonam Nu Chand’, in
Punjabi , and ‘ The Dancing Girl’ had the creative title ‘Gutter Nu Gulab’ . However, the ‘talkies’ in the
early 1930’s and latter the partition brought an end to the Lahore ventures . The first Punjab film ,
K.D.Mehta’s ‘ Sheila’51 (1935), inspired by Tolstoy’s ‘ Resurrection’ , was premiered at the Corinthian
Theatre in Calcutta ; Mehta’s ‘ Heer Sayal’ , base don Warris Shah’s ‘ Heer Ranjha’ , the inmortal tale of
Young love , revived the studios of Lahore , though only unil the partition . Dalsukh Pancholi (Soni
Mehiwal , Gul Bakawli and Yamla Jat) , Roshan Lal Shorey (Chaman – 1948) and Roop Shorey
( Mangti , Dulla Bhatti , Koel and Tarzan Ki Beti ) contributed much to Punjabi cinema during the post-
partition years . Bombay bécame the hub of Punjabi cinema after the partition , but Pakistan’s ban on
Indian films, the further división of the state of Punjab , and above all the competition from Hindi films
dealt a deathly blow to Punjabi films . Devotional films ( Nanak Nam Jahaz Hai , Nanak Dhukia Sab
Sansar , Dhanna Jat , Dukh Banjan Tera Nam , Man Jeeta Jag Jeeta , and Sherni ) proved to be a big draw
during the years of fear and terrorism . Other films worthy of note are : Virendra’s ‘Sarpanch and’
‘Lambardarni’, Dharmakumar’s ‘Daaj’, Peepat’s ‘Chann Pardesi’ (1980) and Vijay Tandon’s ‘Kachehari’
(1993) . Animation Films in India:-Today , when U.S. companies are doing wonders with 3
• Animation Films in India:-Today , when U.S. companies are doing wonders with 3D Computer
Generated Imagery (3D CGI ) , India still clings to 2D techniques . Musical instruments are modeled
using comercial 3D animation software and then animated via proprietary aigorithmic animation
software in the U.S. , while Indian animation companies are still struggling with existing 2D software .
Arduously , 2D software takes the frames drawn by an artista and scans them , and for each carácter ,
the animator creates a model . But what is attracting Indian animation firms is the estimated $50- billion
market. Top Indian companies like Pentamedia Graphics Ltd, UTV Toons , Crest Communications ,
Unilazer , Toonz Animation India Ltd , Tata Elxsi and Digital Canvas are busy clinching deals with
companies in the U.S. These companies nurse smaller animation companies by sub-contracting a part of
their international projects , including those from Disney and Warner Brothers (WB) . Indian animation
has interested history . In 1912 , Dadasaheb Phalke produced the first Indian animation movie , which
was followed by a hiatus that lasted over 40 years . In 1956 , the Films Division set up a cartoon film
unit , where Clair Weeks , the veteran Disney animator , was invited to train students . And one of his
first students , Ram Mohan , went on to found UTV Toons . In 1997 , Mohan , who had already spent
two decades at the Films Division , teamed with United Studios , a división of the UTV group , to spin
off an animation company . The venture , initially called RM-USL Animation , was rechristened UTV
Toons in 2000 . Today , it is one of the largest 2D animation companies in India , and Mohan is
considered the ‘ father of Indian animation’ .
• Film Awards – National Film Festivals are being organized since 1953 onwards to encourage producers,
directors, artistes and technical experts. All essential personnel connected with films are honoured
annually. One prestigious award is Dada Saheb Phalke Award given for outstanding contribution
towards the development of Indian Cinema. The Award is given on the basis of the judgement made by
two national juries who scrutinize the films submitted for judgement . The biggest National award is the
Golden Lotus ( Swarna Kamal ) and the next one is the Silver Lotus ( Rajat Kamal ) . Cash awards and
certificates are given along with the medals. Besides National awards, there are state level awards also.
The Children’s Film Society (CFS) – Almost all children’s films in India are produced by the CFS, an
independent institution incorporated in May 1955. During the past 45 years, the society has produced
feature films , and short films including puppet and cartoon films . Its films are exhibited through
schools and social welfare organizations and through rural mobile film units. Other activities of CFS
include organizing children’s film festivals. The National Film Archives Of India (NFAI) – The NFAI
was established in Pune in 1964 for the collection, classification, documentation and preservation of
films for special viewing and research. It encourages film studios and the spreading of a healthy film
culture among people.54 By now, the NFAI has collected almost 10,000 movies, including free deposits
of originals and copies of films. It also has about 15,000 film – related books, 300 periodicals, 2000 disc
records, about 20,000 still photographs, 5000 film posters, 3,000 song booklets, 15,000 film strips,
5.000 pamphlets and thousands of press clippings in its collection. From time to time, the NFAI
organizes film appreciation courses to spread a proper film evaluation culture among moviegoers. The
FTII Pune, and different universities Co-operate with the NFAI in conducting these courses. Cultural
societies can borrow films from the 155 Indian and Foreign films in the archives library and exhibit
them free of cost. To sum up, the Indian cinema has grown quite big during the past century
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