History of 100 Years of Indian Films & Music in a nut-shell
July 7, 1896
Films of Lumiere Brothers were shown in Bombay's Watson Hotel. It was a package of 6 films viz, Entry of cinematograph, Arrival of the train, The sea bath, A demolition, Leaving the factory and Ladies and Soldiers on wheels. Entry fee was Re. 1.
July 14, 1896
Films of Lumiere Brothers were also shown in Novelty theatre. Back seats ticket costed 50 paise and front seats ticket were sold for Re. 1.
January 1897
Lumiere presented his film Feeding the Baby. His films were also shown in Calcutta.
1898
¤ In 1898, two Italian men organised film shows on Aazad park, Bombay, under a tent.
¤ In the same year, Multinational Warwick trading company presented a news reel 'Panorama of Calcutta', in Calcutta.
¤ Same year, Devki Bose and Chandulal Shah were born, who, in days to come, became icons of Indian cinema.
1900
¤ Major Warwick constructed a cinema hall in Madras.
¤ F B Thanawala's 'Grand Kinetoscope' news reel opened up posibilities of commercial film making.
1901
¤ Indian student R P Paranjape, who obtained highest marks in Mathematics in Cambridge University, returned India. His home-return was filmized by Save Dada and it is known to be India's first documentary film.
¤ Heeralal Sen captured the plays like 'Alibaba' and 'Buddha' with his movie camera and presented them in a whole new format.
1902
¤ J F Madaan started a series of tent theatres in Calcutta. He had 125 such theatres in Burma, Sri Lanka and India.
¤ Calcutta's Shashi Mukhi of classic theatres became the first Indian to have a song recorded on Gramophone disc.
1903
Bhatwadekar and American biograph together made 'Delhi Darbar of Lord Curzan'.
1907
J F Madaan made Flintstone Picture Palace. He also started directing the films in the same year.
1910
'The Life of Christ' was shown in P B Mehta's theatre which was seen by Dada Sahab Phalke too.
1911
¤ George V came to India. A grand darbar was organised in Delhi and it was shoot by Heeralal Sen, Warne & Shephard, S N Pathankar and J F Madaan.
¤ Phalke went to London to learn the techniques and art of filmography.
1912
¤ In 1912, R G Torane's film 'Bhakt Pundalik' was released.
¤ Dada Sahab Phalke returned to India with film camera and other film instruments.
