page_title: Marathi cinema
section_title: Silent movies period
hierarchical_section_title: Marathi cinema / History / Silent movies period
caption_attribution_description: English: Advertisement announcing the screening of the first feature film of India, Pundalik, by Dadasaheb Torne
context_page_description: Marathi cinema refers to Indian films produced in Marathi, the language of the state of Maharashtra, India. Based in old Mumbai, it is the oldest and one of the pioneer film industries of India. The first Marathi film to be released in India was Shree Pundalik by Dadasaheb Torne on 18 May 1912 at Coronation Cinematograph, Mumbai. and a Marathi crew who were performing Marathi and Sanskrit Sangeet natikas and plays in Marathi at that period. The first Marathi talkie film, Ayodhyecha Raja, was released in 1932, just one year after Alam Ara the first Hindi talkie. Although the industry is much smaller than the large market driven Hindi cinema based in Mumbai, Marathi cinema is tax free, and is experiencing growth in recent years. Raja Harishchandra, directed by Dadasaheb Phalke, was a Marathi film, now known as India's first full-length feature, released in 1913. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in cinema given annually by the Government of Maharashtra for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema.
context_section_description: Marathi cinema is the oldest form of Indian cinema. The first Marathi movie released in India was Shree Pundalik by Dadasaheb Torne on 18 May 1912 at Coronation Cinematograph, Mumbai.
  Dadasaheb Phalke is known as the first pioneer and founder of cinema in pre-Independence India. He brought the revolution of moving images to India with his first indigenously made film Raja Harishchandra in 1913, which is considered by IFFI and NIFD as part of Marathi cinema as it used Marathi dialogues while shooting and had a fully Marathi crew. Kolhapur in Western Maharashtra was another centre of active film production in the twenties. In 1919 Baburao Mistry — popularly known as Baburao Painter — formed the Maharashtra Film Company with the blessings of the Maharaja of Kolhapur and released the first significant historical Sairandhari (1920) with Balasheb Pawar, Kamala Devi and Zunzarrao Pawar in stellar roles. Because of his special interest in sets, costumes, design and painting, he chose episodes from Maratha history for interpreting in the new medium and specialized in the historical genre. Baburao Painter made many silent movies till 1930. However, after a few more silent films, the Maharashtra Film Company pulled down its shutters with the advent of sound. Baburao was not particularly keen on the talkies for he believed that they would destroy the visual culture so painfully evolved over the years.
caption: Advertisement in the Times of India of 25 May 1912 announcing the screening of the first feature film of India, Pundalik, by Dadasaheb Torne
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