Archive for Producers & Directors
Roop Kishore Shorey – Profile
[ Back to R.K. Shorey's Menu ] Hindi and Punjabi director and producer born in Quetta (now in Pakistan). Son of Roshan Lal Shorey, Roop was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and raised by an English governess. He acquired an early interest in Western music and English …
Prem Adib – Profile
[ Back to Prem Adib's Profile ] Even though many actors like Shahu Modak, Mahipal, Trilok Kapoor, Abhi Bhattacharya, Manhar Desai, Anant Kumar, Baalakraam and Chandrakant enacted the role of Raam, the first image that comes to mind is that of Prem Adib whenever Raam is mentioned. Real name Premnaaraayan, …
Guru Dutt
Suffused with the dark poetry of the death wish, Dutt’s classics were nihilistic, self-portraits of the artiste as a depressed, disturbed and deluded young man. Surprisingly, Guru Dutt Padukone’s childhood could have hardly been more normal. Born near Bangalore, of middle-class but intellectual parents, he was fascinated by dance. He …
R.G. Torney (1890 – 1960)
Ramchandra Gopal Torney – Hindi and Marathi director; born in Sukulwadi and educated in Malwan, coastal Maharashtra. Employed by Greaves Cotton Electrical in Bombay (1896); then transferred as a branch manager to Karachi. Resigned and returned to Bombay (1920). He is often cited as Dada Saheb Phalke’s rival for having …
Hiralal Sen (1866 – 1917)
Bengali film pioneer born in Bakjuri village, Manikganj (now Bangladesh). India’s first film-maker with Bhatavdekar. The son of a lawyer, he started as photographer and achieved considerable renown. Almost definitely saw first-ever film show, at Star Theatres, featuring Prof. Stevenson’s shorts on double-bill with Star’s stage hit, The Flower of …
H.S. Bhatavdekar
Harishchandra Sakharam Bhatavdekar Aka Save Dada. Almost certainly the first Indian film-maker. Professional still photographer often portrayed as an amateur, but, in fact, a businessman trading in cameras and film equipment on a nationwide basis. Made several shorts, including one on a wrestling match and one on the antics of …
Dada Saheb Phalke (1870 – 1944)
May 13th, 1913. The first Indian made silent film,`Raja Harishchandra’ is about to be released at the Coronation Theatre in Girgaum,Bombay. The stage show has finished its act. The live band has struck up a tune and now the screen flickers alive. For the next half hour; cinemagic envelops the …
Kishore Sahu (1915 – 1980)
Hindi actor, writer, director and producer born in Durg, MP. Son of the Raja of Raigarh’s chief minister. Degree in literature from the University of Nagpur (1937). Wrote many short stories. Started as actor in Bombay Talkies playing ineffectual lover opposite Devika Rani in Jeevan Prabhat (1937) . Prominent early …
Ardeshir Irani (1886 – 1969)
At the height of the silent era, one man dared to think of bringing sound into Hindi films. Talkies had already been introduced in Hollywood and Ardeshir Irani realized that films were perched on the lip of change. It was not an easy task to incorporate sound equipment into cinema …
Chandulal Shah (1898 – 1975)
Along with New Theatres, Prabhat and Bombay Talkies, Chandulal Shah’s Ranjit Studios was one of the four great institutions of the studio era. With stars like Gohar, E Billimoria, Madhuri, Motilal, Khurshid and Saigal on its payroll, the studio’s boast was: ‘There are more stars in Ranjit than in the …
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