Phalke, Dadasaheb (1870-1944), was a pioneer Indian filmmaker. Phalke directed the first wholly Indian feature film, Raja Harishchandra (1913). It was a silent film with title cards in Hindi and English. Title cards were pieces of filmed, printed text that contained dialogue and narration. They were placed between action scenes in silent films. The success of Raja Harishchandra laid the groundwork for the development of the Indian motion-picture industry. It was the first of the many films Phalke produced or directed that drew their subject matter from Indian religion and mythology. These include Shri Krishna Janma (1918), Kaliya Mardan (1919), and Sant Namdev (1922). The technique of storytelling in these films was largely borrowed from Indian folk theater. Phalke also made documentaries and educational films. He was involved in the production of more than 100 films during his career.
Dhundiraj Govind Phalke was born on April 30, 1870, in Trimbakeshwar, near Nasik, in what is now Maharashtra. He was educated in Baroda (now Vadodara ), where he began his artistic career. Before he began making films, he worked as a photographer, scene painter, engraver, and printer. An award for special achievement in Indian films bears his name. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award, instituted by the government of India in 1969, is considered the most prestigious award in the Indian motion-picture industry. Phalke died on Feb. 16, 1944.
