The first films that were seen in India did not originate in Bollywood, but it did signify that the cinema had arrived. Around 1896, the Lumiere Brothers introduced the first of six short films to the Indian people. The first showing of these films was in Bombay, which was viewed as the cultural hub of India at that time. The Indian photographer Harischadra Sakharam Bhatavdekar made history when he made a short reality film, the first of its kind, of a local Indian wrestling match. The beginnings of Indian movie making were humble at best, but showed lots of promise. Many began to await bold new Hindi movie releases to quench their insatiable cinematic appetite.
Silent Films and Talkies
After the turn of the century, the Indian cinema world began to produce silent films more frequently. The most famous of these films was Raja Harishchandra, it was the first full length motion picture ever made in India. The making of this epic picture inspired a lot of technological growth in the production of motion picture. The first singing and talking picture, Alam Ara was a triumph in the burgeoning technology in the Indian filmmaking industry.
Golden Age of Indian Film
The fight for freedom that was raging in 1950s India gave rise to socially conscious cinema. While entertaining, the films also acted as a medium for the filmmakers to educate the general public on the war right out their back door. This era also produce some of Indias best and most critically acclaimed motion pictures such as Bimal Boys. This type of movie inspired an endless barrage of romantic films that littered the cinematic landscape. The golden age also gave rise to many films that were coming out of the Indian art cinema world. Filmmakers such as Ritwik Ghatak were gaining critical acclaim from mainstream critics who had been previously unaware of the art film world.
Present Day
The popularity of Bollywood cinema worldwide is undeniable. Many fans around the world anxiously await these new Hindi movie releases. Many famous studios have begun to invest in Bollywood such as Sony Pictures and Fox. The journey of Indian cinema from silent movies to present day is a trip packed with breathtakingly beautiful representations of the Hindi people.