H. S. Bhatavdekar

Harishchandra Sakharam Bhatavdekar (born March 15 1868), also known as Save dada IPAEng|sɑːveɪ ðɑːðɑː,dubious was the first Indian to make a film (motion picture) in India.cite web
url=http://www.punjabilok.com/misc/movies/first_indian_cinema.htm
title=The firsts in Indian cinema
author=Subir Ghosh
accessdate=2007-07-14] cite web
url=http://www.upperstall.com/hist1896.html
title=A choronology of indian cinema (1896 -1905)
accessdate=2007-07-14]

Biography

H. S. Bhatavdekar was a resident of Mumbai (Bombay). A portrait photographer by occupation, Bhatavdekar was one of the first witnesses to the Lumiere Brothers film show in 1896 in Mumbai. [cite web
url=http://www.smashawards.com/index.cfm?Page=CinemaHistory&SubPage=H-1
title=History of Indian Cinema
accessdate=2007-07-14] [cite web
url=http://india.mapsofindia.com/culture/indian-cinema/indian-cinema.html
title=Hundred Years of Indian Cinema
accessdate=2007-07-14] He soon acquired a movie camera from London and a projector and went on to make some films on day-to-day life of the city as also some important events.

First film to be shot by an Indian

"The Wrestlers" was shot during a real wrestling match in Mumbai and thereby became not only the first film to be shot by an Indian, but also the first "Reality (Documentary) Film" of India.

H. S. Bhatavdekar's later films also were all reality films, with (See Filmography below for full titles-) "Local Scenes...", "Sir Wrangler..." and "Delhi Darbar..." being of historical significance; since important personalities like R. P. Paranjpe [R.P. Paranjpe was the first Indian Senior Wrangler from Cambridge University who sacrificed high salary and worked as the Principal of Fergusson College, Pune for over twenty years. cite web
url=http://www.terramedia.co.uk/Chronomedia/years/1901.htm
title=Chronomedia: 1901 - December 7
accessdate=2007-07-14] can be seen landing in India from a ship; and the actual proceedings of the Delhi Durbar (Delhi Royal Court). Bhatavdekar also filmed Lord Curzon at the coronation of King Edward VII in Kolkata (Calcutta) in 1903. Therefore, he can be called as the First Documentary Filmmaker of India,, it is also considered India's first Newsreel [ [http://www.miffindia.in/archives/4th%20festival.htm Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF)] Foreword, 4th Mumbai International Film Festival, 1996.] .

Filmography

(as a director)
* "The Wrestlers" (1899),
* "A man and his monkeys" (1899),
* "Local Scenes: Landing of M. M. Bhownuggree" (1901),
* "Atash Behram" (1901), [cite web
url=http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/indiancinema/?browse=language&start=SilentFilms
title=Indian Cinema Database: Silent films
accessdate=2007-07-14]
* "Sir Wrangler Mr. R. P. Paranjpe" (1902),
* "Delhi Durbar of Lord Curzon" (1903), and
* "Delhi Durbar" (1903/I).

H. S. Bhatavdekar is not known to have made any long duration "feature films".

References

External links

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