Prabhat Film Company
Encyclopedia
Prabhat Film Company popularly known as Prabhat Films was an India
n film production company and film studios, formed in Kolhapur, Maharashtra
, India
in 1929, towards the end of silent films' era, by the noted film director V. Shantaram
, along with V.G. Damle, K.R. Dhaiber, S. Fatelal and S.B. Kulkarni .
It went on to become the most prestigious film company from Maharashtra in the 1930s, the first decade of Talkie Films in Indian cinema and later shifted to Pune in 1933 and where it established its own studio and produced a total of 45 films in both Marathi and Hindi, in a span of 27 years, notable amongst them are, Kunku (Duniya Na Mane
in Hindi), Swarajya Toran, based on Shivaji’s life, Dharmatma on life of saint Eknath
, Sant Tukaram, based on the saint-poet and social reformer, Shejari, on communal harmony, Manoos (aka Aadmi) about alcoholism and Amar Jyoti about woman’s emancipation. While several companies such as, Imperial Film Company, Krishna Cinetone, East India Film Company
, Madan Theatre
, Ranjit, Wadia Movietone were very active during the advent of Talkie films in India, Prabhat, along with New Theatres of Kolkata, stood out for their excellence and social awareness. Today, the Film and Television Institute of India
Pune
, at Law College road, is situated in its former premises,and houses the 'Prabhat Museum' which displays artefacts, original contracts and partnership deeds of Prabhat Film Company, along with costumes, properties, equipment, posters and stills .
Today, University of Chicago Library
has a collection of 27 films produced by the Prabhat Film Company between 1932 and 1949
's Maharashtra Film Company
, based in Kolhapur, had made a name for itself with its silent films in early 1920s. Close friends Vishnupant G Damle and Fateh Lal (Damle Mama and Saheb Mama) were very good artists and held posts with senior responsibility at the company.
Baburao Pendharkar became the de facto head of operations because of Baburao Painter's distaste for financial matters. Pendharkar's cousin Shantaram Vanakudre (V. Shantaram
) joined the company and became Baburao Painter's right-hand man.
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, as were V Shantaram and Keshavrao Dhaibar. The four of them got together, and with Sitaram Kulkarni, well-established jeweller in Kolhapur as their fifth partner and financier, started a new company on 1 June 1929, with an initial investment amount of Rs 15,000 . Baburao Pendharkar suggested the name Prabhat (meaning "Dawn"), and the other partners liked it.
Prabhat soon made a name for itself with silent films and produced six 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 starring Durga Khote
, which was the first film of Marathi Cinema
, and later made under the name Ayodhya Ka Raja in Hindi
. The film is based on Raja Harishchandra
's story.. In 1930s when most of silent movies companies had closed down, Prabhat joined the ranks of "big three" of Indian cinema, which included New Theatres of Calcutta and Bombay Talkies
of Bombay
In September 1933, the company moved to Pune
because of its proximity to Mumbai
and all the five founder moved with their families, and the doors of the studio finally opened in Pune in 1934. Then followed a golden era of 8–10 years during which the company made some landmark films: Sairandhri (1933), India's first colour film, processed and printed in Germany; Amrit Manthan (1934), Sant Tukaram (1936), Kunku (or Duniya Na Mane
in Hindi) in 1937, Manoos (1939), Shejari (or Padosi) in 1941. The biopic, title Sant Tukaram, in 1936, made by V. Damle and S. Fattelal of Prabhat Film Company and starring Vishnupant Pagnis as the lead, and released on 12 December 1936 at Central Cinema in Mumbai. The film was not only a big hit but also had won an award at the 5th Venice International Film Festival in 1937, and still remains a part of film appreciation courses .
After Shantaram split away in 1942 to form his own "Rajkamal Kala Mandir" studios, and Damle Mama fell ill, the company encountered hard times. Its last major film was Ram Shastri in 1944. Noted director, Guru Dutt
started his career as a choreographer, under a three-year contract with the Prabhat Film Company in Pune in 1944. The company's was closed early 50s and property auctioned away in 1952 and company formally closed on to 13 October 1953.
Major figures associated with Prabhat are composers Govindrao Tembe
, Dinkar D. Patil
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.
The 75th anniversary of Prabhat Films was celebrated in Pune, in June 2004, it include an exhibition of rare photographs and screening of the documentary film, It’s Prabhat! .
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n film production company and film studios, formed in Kolhapur, Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1929, towards the end of silent films' era, by the noted film director V. Shantaram
V. Shantaram
V. Shantaram is a renowned Indian filmmaker, film producer and actor. He is most known for his films like Dr...
, along with V.G. Damle, K.R. Dhaiber, S. Fatelal and S.B. Kulkarni .
It went on to become the most prestigious film company from Maharashtra in the 1930s, the first decade of Talkie Films in Indian cinema and later shifted to Pune in 1933 and where it established its own studio and produced a total of 45 films in both Marathi and Hindi, in a span of 27 years, notable amongst them are, Kunku (Duniya Na Mane
Duniya Na Mane
Duniya Na Mane is a 1937 Hindi social classic directed by V. Shantaram, and based on the Marathi novel, "Na Patnari Goshta” by Narayan Hari Apte, who also wrote film’s screenplay...
in Hindi), Swarajya Toran, based on Shivaji’s life, Dharmatma on life of saint Eknath
Eknath
Eknath was a prominent Marathi scholar and religious poet. He is called a "sant" in the Marathi tradition as are most other religious poets...
, Sant Tukaram, based on the saint-poet and social reformer, Shejari, on communal harmony, Manoos (aka Aadmi) about alcoholism and Amar Jyoti about woman’s emancipation. While several companies such as, Imperial Film Company, Krishna Cinetone, East India Film Company
East India Film Company
The East India Film Company was the first Indian film company to screen a movie at an International Film Festival. Started in 1932 in Calcutta by R. L...
, Madan Theatre
Madan Theatre
Madan Theatre Company, also known as Madan Theatres Limited or in short, Madan Theatres was a film production company founded by Jamshedji Framji Madan, one of the pioneers of Indian Cinema....
, Ranjit, Wadia Movietone were very active during the advent of Talkie films in India, Prabhat, along with New Theatres of Kolkata, stood out for their excellence and social awareness. Today, the Film and Television Institute of India
Film and Television Institute of India
Film and Television Institute of India , is an autonomous Institute under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India. It is fully aided by Central Government of India. It is situated in the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Film Company in Pune, India...
Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
, at Law College road, is situated in its former premises,and houses the 'Prabhat Museum' which displays artefacts, original contracts and partnership deeds of Prabhat Film Company, along with costumes, properties, equipment, posters and stills .
Today, University of Chicago Library
University of Chicago Library
University of Chicago Library is the library of the University of Chicago, located on the university's campus in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is one of the largest university libraries in the United States....
has a collection of 27 films produced by the Prabhat Film Company between 1932 and 1949
History
Baburao PainterBaburao Painter
Baburao Painter ; was an Indian film director.-Life:...
's Maharashtra Film Company
Maharashtra Film Company
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 Kolhapur. It released the...
, based in Kolhapur, had made a name for itself with its silent films in early 1920s. Close friends Vishnupant G Damle and Fateh Lal (Damle Mama and Saheb Mama) were very good artists and held posts with senior responsibility at the company.
Baburao Pendharkar became the de facto head of operations because of Baburao Painter's distaste for financial matters. Pendharkar's cousin Shantaram Vanakudre (V. Shantaram
V. Shantaram
V. Shantaram is a renowned Indian filmmaker, film producer and actor. He is most known for his films like Dr...
) joined the company and became Baburao Painter's right-hand man.
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, as were V Shantaram and Keshavrao Dhaibar. The four of them got together, and with Sitaram Kulkarni, well-established jeweller in Kolhapur as their fifth partner and financier, started a new company on 1 June 1929, with an initial investment amount of Rs 15,000 . Baburao Pendharkar suggested the name Prabhat (meaning "Dawn"), and the other partners liked it.
Prabhat soon made a name for itself with silent films and produced six films, most of them directed by the tireless V. Shantaram. When India entered the era of talkies with Alam Ara
Alam Ara
Alam Ara is a 1931 film directed by Ardeshir Irani. It was the first Indian sound film.Irani recognized the importance that sound would have on the cinema, and raced to complete Alam Ara before several contemporary sound films. Alam Ara debuted at the Majestic Cinema in Mumbai on March 14, 1931...
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
Ayodhyecha Raja
Ayodhyecha Raja was the first Marathi talkie released in 1932, directed by Shantaram Rajaram Vankudre...
(The King of Ayodhya) in Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
(1932), also starring Durga Khote
Durga Khote
Durga Khote was an Indian actress, starting as one of the foremost leading ladies of her times, she remained active in Hindi and Marathi cinema, as well as theatre, for over 50 years, starring in around 200 films and numerous theatre productions....
, which was the first film of Marathi Cinema
Marathi cinema
Marathi cinema refers to films produced in the Marathi language in the state of Maharashtra, India. It is the oldest and pioneer film industry in India...
, and later made under the name Ayodhya Ka Raja in Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
. The film is based on Raja Harishchandra
Raja Harishchandra
Raja Harishchandra , is a 1913 silent Indian film directed and produced by Dadasaheb Phalke, and is the first full-length Indian feature film...
's story.. In 1930s when most of silent movies companies had closed down, Prabhat joined the ranks of "big three" of Indian cinema, which included New Theatres of Calcutta and Bombay Talkies
Bombay Talkies
The Bombay Talkies Limited was a movie studio produced 102 movies, founded in 1934 in Malad, Bombay , India, by Himanshu Rai, Rajnarayan Dube and Devika Rani along with businessmen like F. E...
of Bombay
In September 1933, the company moved to Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
because of its proximity to Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and all the five founder moved with their families, and the doors of the studio finally opened in Pune in 1934. Then followed a golden era of 8–10 years during which the company made some landmark films: Sairandhri (1933), India's first colour film, processed and printed in Germany; Amrit Manthan (1934), Sant Tukaram (1936), Kunku (or Duniya Na Mane
Duniya Na Mane
Duniya Na Mane is a 1937 Hindi social classic directed by V. Shantaram, and based on the Marathi novel, "Na Patnari Goshta” by Narayan Hari Apte, who also wrote film’s screenplay...
in Hindi) in 1937, Manoos (1939), Shejari (or Padosi) in 1941. The biopic, title Sant Tukaram, in 1936, made by V. Damle and S. Fattelal of Prabhat Film Company and starring Vishnupant Pagnis as the lead, and released on 12 December 1936 at Central Cinema in Mumbai. The film was not only a big hit but also had won an award at the 5th Venice International Film Festival in 1937, and still remains a part of film appreciation courses .
After Shantaram split away in 1942 to form his own "Rajkamal Kala Mandir" studios, and Damle Mama fell ill, the company encountered hard times. Its last major film was Ram Shastri in 1944. Noted director, Guru Dutt
Guru Dutt
Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone , popularly known as Guru Dutt, was an Indian film director, producer and actor. He is often credited with ushering in the golden era of Hindi cinema...
started his career as a choreographer, under a three-year contract with the Prabhat Film Company in Pune in 1944. The company's was closed early 50s and property auctioned away in 1952 and company formally closed on to 13 October 1953.
Major figures associated with Prabhat are composers Govindrao Tembe
Govindrao Tembe
Govind Sadashiv Tembe, popularly known as Govindrao Tembe was a harmonium player, stage actor, and music composer....
, Dinkar D. Patil
Dinkar D. Patil
Dinkar D. Patil was a prominent Marathi film director, scriptwriter, and dialogue writer during the Golden Era of the Marathi Film Industry. He directed, wrote scripts and dialogue for more than 60 Marathi films. He also directed two Hindi Films-Mandir and Gharbar...
Keshavrao Bhole, Master Krishnarao, Vasant Desai
Vasant Desai
Vasant Desai was a Indian film music composer, most remembered for his score in V. Shantaram film, like Do Aankhen Barah Haath , Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje , Vijay Bhatt's Goonj Uthi Shehnai and Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Guddi .-Early life:He born in 1912 into a wealthy family in Sonwad village,...
; actresses Durga Khote
Durga Khote
Durga Khote was an Indian actress, starting as one of the foremost leading ladies of her times, she remained active in Hindi and Marathi cinema, as well as theatre, for over 50 years, starring in around 200 films and numerous theatre productions....
, Shanta Apte, Shanta Hublikar, Vasanti, Jayashree Kamulkar; actors Bal Gandharva
Bal Gandharva
Narayan Shripad Rajhans , better known as Bal Gandharva was one of the greatest Marathi singers and stage actors. He was famous for his roles of female characters in Marathi plays, since women were not allowed to act on stage during his time....
, Keshavrao Date
Keshavrao Date
Keshavrao Date was an Indian actor, who worked in both silent and sound movies.Shri Date tried to run his own drama company but found it difficult to perform the dual roles of manager and actor....
, Shahu Modak
Shahu Modak
Shahu Modak was an Indian actor who acted in many Hindi as well as Marathi movies. Shahu Modak was mostly famous for the mythological characters that he played. He mostly played the roles of Lord Krishna and Sant Dyaneshwar.-Personal life:...
. 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.
Legacy
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 .However, in January 2003, most of the original nitrates of the films, stored at the FTII cold-storage were destroyed in a fire while waiting to transferred National Film Archives storage .The 75th anniversary of Prabhat Films was celebrated in Pune, in June 2004, it include an exhibition of rare photographs and screening of the documentary film, It’s Prabhat! .
Filmography
- Gopal Krishna (1929)
- Udaykal (1930)
- Maya Machhindra (1932)
- Ayodhyecha Raja (1932)
- Agnikankan: Branded Oath (1932)
- Sinhagad (1933)
- Sairandhri (1933)
- Amrit Manthan (1934)
- Dharmatma (1935)
- Chandrasena (1935)
- Sant Tukaram (1936)
- Rajput Ramani (1936)
- Kunku (1937)
- Duniya Na ManeDuniya Na ManeDuniya Na Mane is a 1937 Hindi social classic directed by V. Shantaram, and based on the Marathi novel, "Na Patnari Goshta” by Narayan Hari Apte, who also wrote film’s screenplay...
(1937) - Mera Ladka (1938)
- Gopal Krishna (1939)
- Manoos (1939)
- Aadmi (1939)
- Sant Dnyaneshwar (1940)
- Padosi (1941)
- 10 O'Clock (1942)
- Ramshastri (1944)
- Chand (1944)
External links
- Official website
- Prabhat Films at Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...