BOMBAY TALKIES-The SOUL OF HINDI CINEMA

The Producer,Director and Actor HIMANSHU RAI had a dream to start a Film Company in India.That dream fulfilled in the year 1934.It was the first movie company to be established in India.
Himanshu Rai who went to England for Studying Law from Calcutta where he completed his studies
and became a barrister .There he met a playwright and screenwriter Niranjan Pal. That association led to making of a film The Light of Asia, which he co-directed with Franz Osten. Rai was also one of the main actors in this film.Before this film he Directed Prem Sanyas/Leuchte Asiens (German Title) in 1925.In 1928 he produced a film Shiraz in which he acted also.

A Scene from Karma

• While making his third film, A Throw of Dice, he met and fell in love with beautiful Devika Rani, a great-grandniece of the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Before this film was complete, he married her.
• By 1932 he was back to India, the idea of starting a studio was still in his mind.He was meeting lots of people trying to convince people to invest in his project but his efforts were not successful.Hunt for looking the Financer completed when he was intoduced to Shri Raj Narain Dube the son of Seth Badriprasad Dube who was a well known financer of that time.Shri Raj Narain Dube was young and was confident enough to the power of Art and Creativity.To invest in a business which was new to them and also not seen as a respectable business.Shri Raj Narain Dube went against the advise of his father for investing in cinema. He took a risk and annoyance of his father he gave Himanshu Rai a green signal to go ahead with his dream .The famous SHASHDHAR MUKARJEE also joined them along with F E Dinshaw and Sir Feroze Sethna.
• On 22nd June 1934 India's First Studio  Bombay Talkies was formed and a studio was built in Malad, on the outskirts of Mumbai. In its quest to set up the most modern film studio in India, Bombay Talkies purchased state-of-the-art equipment from Germany and recruited German and British talent, such as cinematographer Josef Wirsching, art director Karl von Spretti and director Franz Osten.
• The first film of Bombay Talkies was KARMA starring Himanshu Rai and Devika Rani  By 1935, starting with the murder mystery Jawani ki Hawa, Bombay Talkies regularly began producing Hindi films with Devika Rani as its main star. The self-sufficient studio had a board of directors, issued shares to the public, declared dividends and bonuses, and was listed on the stock exchange. In addition, Rai and Rani even started a trainee programme. Each year, Rai interviewed scores of candidates from leading universities and assigned employees to a variety of tasks in all departments of filmmaking.
• Ashok Kumar was the first Star introduced by Bombay Talkies .Later on Ashok Kumar and Devika Rani became a highly successful pair both appeared in many hit movies JEEWAN NAIYA (1936) and ACHHUT KANYA (1936)
• Durring the 2nd World War Film Industries all over the globe were strugling .Bombay Talkies was no exception despite a highly siccessful films the company.was facing financial crisis .At this point 10-15 fims were on production floor which were stalled pretty badly this led to nervous break down of Himanshu Rai.He passed away on 16th May 1940
• After Rai's death, there was a struggle for studio control. His widow Devika Rani was in conflict with Sashadhar Mukherjee. Eventually there was dual control and alternate production of films by the two camps. During this era Mukherjee produced the studio's biggest hitKismet in 1943. Then Mukherjee broke away to form Filmistan Studio in partnership, and Devika Rani, fully in charge of the studio, did not have as much success.
• In 1945 Devika Rani married Svetoslav Roerich and moved away from Bombay and films. Ashok Kumar and Mukherjee made a bid to revive Bombay talkies and produced one big hit in Mahal. Eventually the studio shut down 
• After Devika Rani left the movies in 1945, Ashok Kumar and many others returned to their alma mater in 1947. But the studio was unable to clear its debts despite the success of such films as Majboor (1948), Ziddi (1948), which gave Dev Anand his first big hit and Kishore Kumar his first playback singing chance, and the suspense thriller Mahal (1949).
  
  Though the studio continued making films, Bombay Talkies died a lingering death in the fifties. Its final productions were Bimal Roy’s Maa(1952), with the studio’s one-time heroine Leela Chitnis playing the title role, the Ashok Kumar-Dev Anand-Meena Kumari starrer Tamasha (1952) and the Ashok Kumar-P Bhanumathi vehicle Shamsheer (1953). Even a last-ditch effort, the multi-starrer Baadbaan (1954), made by the Bombay Talkies Workers Industrial Co-operative Society, could not save the studio from shutting down.
• This is the story of India's biggest Film company which produced 102 films and launched 280 legends of all the fields of cinema constucted 400 cinema halls throughout the country and Financed nearly 700 Films.
• Some of the Legends given by Bombay Talkies are-

• 

  LEGENDS GIVEN BY BOMBAY TALKIES-

  Himanshu Rai

  1892 - 16 May 1940

  
  
  Launched as a lead actor in Bombay Talkies produced film - Achut kanya (1936)

  Padma Bhushan - 1998

  The Dadasaheb Phalke Award - 1988

  National Award - 1

  Filmfare Awards - 3
• Devika Rani  30 March 1908 – 9 March 1994

  Launched In Karma (1934)
  The President Of India honored Devika Rani with a Padma Shri - (1958)
  She Became The First Recipient Of The Prestigious Film Prize, The Dadasaheb Phalke Award - (1969)
• Ashok Kumar 13 October 1911 - 10 December 2001

  Launched as a lead actor in Bombay Talkies produced film - Achut kanya (1936)
  Padma Bhushan – 1998
  The Dadasaheb Phalke Award – 1988
  National Award – 1
  Filmfare Awards - 3
• Dilip Kumar
  

  14 February 1933 - present 23rd June 2016 

  Bombay Talkies  launched his career with - Jhwar Bhatta (1944) 

  Padma Bhushan - 1991

  Dadasaheb Phalke Award - 1994

  Filmfare Best Actor award - 8

  Filmfare  Nominations - 19

  Shriff  Of Mumbai City 1991

  Nominated Member of parliament
• Dev Anand
  

  26 September 1923 – 3 December 2011

  His first hit film came under Bombay Talkies  production - Ziddi (1948)

  Padma Bhushan - 2001

  Dadasaheb Phalke Award - 2002

  National Awards - 2

  Filmfare Awards - 4
• Raj Kapoor

  14 December 1924 – 2 June 1988
  Started working as assistant at Bombay Talkies in - 1935

  Introduced as a lead in Bombay Talkies produced film -  Neel Kamal 1947

  Padma Bhushan award - 1971

  Dadasaheb Phalke Award - 1987

  National Film Awards - 2

  Filmfare Awards - 9

  Filmfare  Nominations - 19.

  2 Films Nominated At The Palme D'or At The Cannes Film Festival

  
  
• Satyajit ray 

  2 May 1921 – 23 April 1992

  Began his career as a assistant to Nitin bose in Bombay Talkies  production -  Mashal (1951)

  The Dadasaheb Phalke Award -  1985

  Bharat ratna - 1992 

  Padma Shri  award - 1958

  Padma bhushan award - 1965

  National film awards - 32
• Madhubala
  

  14 February 1933 – 23 February 1969

  Started her career as a child artist (baby mumtaz) with Bombay Talkies in - Basant (1942)

  Later, Bombay Talkies introduced her as a lead in - Neel kamal (1947)
• Mehmood

  29 september 1932 – 23 july 2004

  Started as a Child artist in Bombay Talkies produced - Kismet (1943)

  Filmfare awards - 5

  Filmfare nominations - 15
• Kishore Kumar

  august 1929 – 13 october 1987

  First opportunity as play back singer in Bombay Talkies production - Ziddi (1948) Introduced as a lead by Bombay Talkies in - Andolan (1951) Filmfare awards - 8 Filmfare nominations - 19
• Lata Mangeshkar

  28 september 1929 - present 

  Started her career as a chorus singer with Bombay Talkies Her first hit came in Bombay Talkies produced film - Mahal (1949) Bharat ratna 1969 Padma bhusan- 1999
  

  Dadasaheb phalke award - 1989

  National awards - 3
  

  Filmfare awards - 4
• Pran

  12 February 1920 – 12 July 2013

  His first hit as a villain came in Bombay Talkies production - Ziddi (1948)
  

  Padma bhushan - 2001

  Dadasaheb Phalke Award - 2013
• Leela Chitins

  9 september 1909 – 14 july 2003

  Launched by Bombay Talkies in Kangan (1939)
• Nalini Jaiwant
  

   18 february 1926 – 20 december 2010

  Her first hit came in a Bombay Talkies film - Sangram (1950)
• Kamini Kaushal

  born 16 january 1927 -  present

  Introduced by Bombay Talkies  in Sangram (1950)

  Filmfare award - 1
• Jairaj

  September 28, 1909 – August 11, 2000

  Got in the lead hero category with Bombay Talkies production - Bhabhi (1938)
  

  Dadasaheb Phalke Award - 1980

  Padma bhusan - 1980
• Hansa Wadkar
  

  24 january 1924 - 23 august 1971

  Introduced by Bombay Talkies  in Navjeean (1939)
• Kamal Amrohi

  17 January 1918 - 11 February 1993

  Began his journey as a director in Bombay Talkies film - Mahaal (1949)

  Filmfare Award - 1
• Bimal roy

  12 jul 1909 - 8 jan 1965

  Bombay Talkies produced his first hindi film -  Maa (1952)

  National awards - 2

  Filmfare awards - 11

  Also the International prize of the cannes film festival.
• Nitin Bose
  

   26 April 1897 - 14 April 1986

  Made his first hindi film under Bombay Talkies  production - Milan (1947)

  Dadasaheb Phalke Award - 1977
• Ameya Chakrabarti

  1901–1986

  Started his career by working as a writer in Bombay Talkies produced - Bandhaan (1940) Introduced as a director in Bombay Talkies production - Anjaan (1943)
• Shakti Samnta

  3rd January 1926 – 9th  April 2009

  Started his career with assisting Gyna mukherjee in Bombay Talkies  produced film - Sangram (1950)

  Filmfare awards - 3
• Shashadhar Mukheerji

  29 September 1909 - 3 November 1990

  Started as manager of Bombay Talkies  - 1934
• Khwaja Ahmed Abbas

  7 June 1914 – 1 June 1987

  Introduced by Bombay Talkies as a writer in -  Naya Sansar (1941)
• Lv  Prasad
  

   17 January 1908 – 22 June 1994

  Started as lab incharge for Bombay Talkies - 1935

  Dadasaheb Phalke Award award - 1982
• Kishore Sahu

  22 November 1915 - 22 August 1980

  Introduced by Bombay Talkies in - Jeevan Prabhat (1937)
  

  Filmfare Award - 1
• Niranjan Pal

  17 August 1889 – 9 November 1959

  Top technician and first writer of Bombay Talkies - The Light Of Asia (Prem Sanyas) (1935)
• Saraswati Devi

  1912 – 1980

  First female music director of Asia and first music director of Bombay Talkies - Jawani Ki Hawa (1935)
• Tarachand Barjatya

  10 May 1914 - 21 September 1992

  Started as managing distribution and exhibition department of Bombay Talkies - 1940
• P. L. Santoshi

  August 7, 1916 - September 7, 1978

  Began his journey as a writer in Bombay Talkies produced film - Jhoola (1941)
• Abhi Bhattacharya

  1921–1993

  Launched as a lead in Bombay Talkies Bengali venture - Naukadubi (1947)

  Filmfare award - 1956
• Mukri

  5th January 1922 – 4th September 2000

  Bombay Talkies  launched his career with - Pratima (1945)
• Sachin Dev Burman (S.D Burman)
  

  1 October 1906 – 31 October 1975

  His First hit Hindi film as a music director came under Bombay Talkies production - Mashal (1951)

  National film awards - 2

  Filmfare awards - 7
• Hrishikesh Mukherjee

  30 September 1922–27 August 2006

  Started his journey by  assisting Bimal roy  in Bombay Talkies  produced film -  Maa (1952)

  Padma bhushan - 2001

  Dadasaheb Phalke Award award - 1999
• Guru Dutt

  9 July 1925 – 10 October 1964

  Started his career with assisting Gyan Mukherjee in Bombay Talkies  produced film - Sangram (1950)
• Salil Chowdhary

  19 November 1922 – 5 September 1995

  Began his career by assisting music director  S.K. Pal in Bombay Talkies  produced film - Maa (1952)
• Manna Dey

  1 May 1919 − 24 October 2013

  Started with assisting  S. D. Burman Mashaal (1951)

  Dadasaheb Phalke Award - 2007
• Joseph Whirshing

  22 March 1903 –11 June 1967

  Started as the first cameraman of Bombay Talkies  in Light Of Asia (Prem Sanyas) (1935)
• Sita Devi
  

  1912–1983

  Leading Lady for the first film produced by Bombay Talkies  - Light Of Asia (Prem Sanyas) (1935)
• Gemini Ganeshan

  17 November 1920 – 22 March 2005

  Bombay Talkies gave him his first hindi film - Maharani (1946)

  Padma shri award - 1971
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