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First Cinema Built in India
Jamshedji Madan created the first cinema in India. It was called the Elphinstone Picture Palace and was located in Kolkata. -
India's First Film Released
The film Raja Harischandra was released. This was India's feature film and it was made by Dadasaheb Phalke. The film was silent and had subtitle in both Hindu and English. -
First Film produced by a female ever to be released
Female filmmaker Fatima Begum directed and produced Bulbul-e-Parastan in 1926. Fatima was considered the first female director to release a film in Indian Cinema. -
India's First Sound Film
The film Alam Ara was the first ever film released with sound. It was a giant success and after this there was a switch made to filming with sound. This film was directed and produced by Ardeshir Irani. -
Film Released that Talks About Female Rights
Amar Jyoti was released in1936. It is the first Bollywood film to talk about women's rights issues. The film is based on a woman who is denied custody of her son because she is a female. She is told that a woman has no rights and that women are made to be slaves to their husbands. -
First Indian Colour Film Made
Ardeshir Irani, producer of the first sound film, now becomes even more famous for creating the first film with colour. It is called Kisan Kanya. -
Kismet: First Blockbuster in Bollywood History
Kismet was released in 1943. This was the first film of its time to touch on daring topics such as an unmarried girl becoming pregnant. -
Father of Indian Cinema Dies
Dadasaheb Phalke was the producer of the first ever release Indian movie. He was known as the Father of Indian Cinema as he created and released the first ever full length Indian movie in 1913 (see prior timeline event) -
Cinematograph Act 1952
Kissing became banned from Indian movies. Any intimacy had to be show through symbolic gestures. Staring into each others eyes was a popular way to show romance. You may see 2 flowers touching or running around trees to represent kissing and sex. -
First Indian Film to Win Prix International at Cannes
In 1954 Do Bigha Zamin was the first ever Indian film to win the Prix International. The film is based on Vittorio De Sica's "Bicycle Thieves". -
Golden Decade
The 1960's was considered the Golden Decade in the history of India Cinemas. Mughal-e-Azam highlighted this decade and is considered one of the biggest Indian films ever made. -
Earliest Example of a Masala Film
Sholay is the earliest example of a Masala film. It is considered on the greatest Hindi films, as well as still remaining one of the highest grossing films in the India Cinema. The film also claimed the title of "Superstar" for Amitabh Bachchan, who already had stared in over 30 films by then. It was also the first Indian film to have a stereophonic soundtrack, and to be presented in the 70 mm widescreen format. -
The Decade for Srideui
In 1986 the film Nagina as well as the 1989 film Chaalbaaz pushed Srideui to the top position. Her emotion as well as her passion for giggles were enough to bring the masses to the movie-halls. -
The Arrival of King Khan
The film Dilwae Dulhania Le Jayenge that came out in 1995 is considered an all-time blockbuster. It also remains the longest-running film in the history of India Cinema -
"Three Idiots" Released
Three Idiots made over 77million dollars and became the highest money making Bollywood film of all time. -
The Elphinstone Picture Palace in Kolkata is Demolished
In 2013 the theatre that was then known as the Chaplin is destroyed after not being used for several years. This theatre was the built in 1907 and was the first theatre.
