Prabhat Film Company

Prabhat Film Company

Prabhat Film Company was formed in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India in late 1920s towards the end of silent films' era, by noted film director, V. Shantaram along with V.G. Damle, K.R. Dhaiber, S. Fatelal and S.B. Kulkarni [ [http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2002/05/02/stories/2002050200380100.htm A navrang of Shantaram's films - Retrospective] "The Hindu", May 02, 2002.] It went on to become the most prestigious film company from Maharashtra in 1930sFact|date=May 2008, the first decade of Talkie Films in India.

While several companies (Imperial Film Company, Krishna Cinetone, East India Film Company, Madan Theatre, Ranjit, Wadia) were very active during the advent of takie films in India, Prabhat, along with New Theatres of Kolkata, stood out for excellence and social awareness.

History

Baburao Painter's Maharashtra Film Company, based in Kolhapur, had made a name for itself with its silent films in early 1920s. Firm friends Vishnupant G Damle and Fateh Lal (Damle Mama and Saheb Mama) were very good artists and held senior responsibility at the company.

Baburao Pendharkar became de facto head of operations because of Baburao Painter's distaste for monetary aspects. Pendharkar's cousin Shantaram Vanakudre (V. Shantaram) joined the company and became Baburao Painter's right-hand man.

But in 1927-28, the senior personnel became dissatisfied by Baburao Painter's increasingly lukewarm and erratic behaviour. Damle and Fateh Lal were thinking of starting their own company. V Shantaram and Keshavrao Dhaibar were also thinking of breaking away. Four of them joined hands, and with financier Sitaram Kulkarni as their fifth partner, started a new company on 1 June 1929. Baburao Pendharkar suggested the name "Prabhat" (meaning "Dawn") and all partners liked it.

Prabhat soon made a name for itself with silent films, most of them directed by the tireless V Shantaram. When India entered the era of talkies with "Alam Ara" in March 1931, Shantaram predicted that it was a transient phase, and the silent films were the real artistic area. But soon the company realized its mistake, and joined the talkie era with "Ayodhyecha Raja (The King of Ayodhya)" in Marathi (1932), also made under the name "Ayodhya Ka Raja" in Hindi. The film is based on Raja Harishchandra's story.

In September 1933, the company moved to Pune because of its proximity to Mumbai. Then followed a golden era of 8-10 years during which the company made some landmark films: Amrit Manthan (1934), "Sant Tukaram" (1936), "Kunku" (or "Duniya Na Mane" in Hindi) in 1937, Manoos (1939), "Shejari" (or "Padosi") in 1941. After Shantaram split away in 1942, and Damle Mama fell ill, the company fell on hard times. Its last major film was "Ram Shastri" in 1944. The company's property had to be auctioned away in 1952.

Major figures associated with Prabhat are composers Govindrao Tembe, Keshavrao Bhole, Master Krishnarao, Vasant Desai; actresses Durga Khote, Shanta Apte, Shanta Hublikar, Vasanti, Jayashree Kamulkar; actors Bal Gandharva, Keshavrao Date, Shahu Modak.

Other Marathi film companies of note in 1930s include Saraswati Movietone, Shalini Movietone, Hans Pictures. Major film directors : Bhalji (Bhal G) Pendharkar, Master Vinayak. Major music directors : Annasaheb Mainkar, Dhamman Khan, Dada Chandekar.

Later, Anantrao Damle, V G Damle's son, bought back the company's film prints from Mudaliyar of Chennai, who said he was happy to return to Maharashtra its treasures. Damle's sons have followed up his good work and brought out some of Prabhat's vintage films on VCDs and songs from several Prabhat Films on audio CDs.

References

* http://www.upperstall.com/people/shantaram.html

External links

* [http://www.prabhatfilm.com Official website]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Maharashtra Film Company — was an Indian film production company, established by Baburao Painter in Kolhapur. Established in 1919, it was a silent film studio, which was a pioneer in Maharashtra and Marathi cinema, under the patronage of the Sahu Maharaj, the Maharaja of… …   Wikipedia

  • Maharashtra Film Company — ist eine ehemalige indische Filmproduktionsgesellschaft. Gemeinsam mit Dhundiraj Govind Phalkes Hindustan Cinema Films Company in Nasik gehörte sie zu den wichtigen Studios des marathischen Films in der Frühzeit des indischen Kinos. Maharashtra… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Film and Television Institute of India — (FTII), is an autonomous Institute under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India [ [http://mib.nic.in/informationb/autonomus/ftii.htm FTII] Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India Official website.] . It is… …   Wikipedia

  • Film and Television Institute of India — Das Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) ist Indiens führende Film und Fernsehhochschule. Geschichte Sie wurde 1960 in Pune auf dem ehemaligen Studiogelände der 1953 geschlossenen Prabhat Film Company als Film Institute of India… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Film Institute of India — Das Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) ist Indiens führende Film und Fernsehhochschule. Geschichte Sie wurde 1960 in Pune auf dem ehemaligen Studiogelände der 1953 geschlossenen Prabhat Film Company als Film Institute of India… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Maharashtra Film — Company ist eine ehemalige indische Filmproduktionsgesellschaft. Gemeinsam mit Dhundiraj Govind Phalkes Hindustan Cinema Films Company in Nasik gehörte sie zu den wichtigen Studios des marathischen Films in der Frühzeit des indischen Kinos.… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Indischer Film — Dieser Artikel wurde wegen inhaltlicher Mängel auf der Qualitätssicherungsseite der Redaktion Film und Fernsehen unter Angabe von Verbesserungsvorschlägen eingetragen. Beteilige Dich an der Verbesserung dieses Artikels und entferne diesen… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Guru Dutt — Infobox actor name = Guru Dutt imagesize = 300px caption = Guru Dutt in Pyaasa (1957) birthname = Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone birthdate = July 9, 1925 location = Bangalore, India deathdate = October 10, 1964 deathplace = Mumbai,… …   Wikipedia

  • Marathi cinema — Ayodhyecha Raja (1932), the first Marathi film, was made by Prabhat Films South Asian cinema …   Wikipedia

  • Vishnupant Govind Damle — (* 14. Oktober 1892 in Pen[1], Bombay, Britisch Indien; † 5. Juli 1945 in Pune) war ein indischer Szenenbildner, Kameramann, Filmregisseur und Toningenieur des marathischen Films. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Leben …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”