Indian Cinema in 1930s

1931 is a landmark year of Indian cinema.India's First Talkie movie Alam Ara was released on 14th March at Majestic Cinema at Bombay. The first Indian talkie was so popular that "police aid had to be summoned to control the crowds.The success of this movie influenced other regional language film makers to make movies in their languages.
This year saw the release of 207 silent films from all over India and 28 Talkies. Out of the 28 talkies 23 were in Hindi, 3 in Bengali, one in Tamil, and one in Telugu. The first Bengali film was Jamai Shashthi by Madan Theatres Calcutta. The first Tamil film was Kalidas produced by Imperial Movietone and the first Telugu talkie Bhakta Prahlada, was directedby H. M. Reddy for Bharat Movietone.
J  Madan who wanted to make first sound movie at calcutta was an established name.His production film SHIRIN FARIHAAD released the same year and did the better business than Alam Ara.

1932 saw J Madan's film INDRASABHA which had 71 songs which is still a record. 30 talking pictures are made in India this year. Eight of them are made by Madan Theatres.This year saw the first Marathi talkie movie AYODHYECHA RAJA directed by V SHANTARAM.The first sound Gujrati movie(NARSINH MEHTA) was released.The East India Film Co started in Calcutta ,The Motion Picture Society Of India was founded.

1933 saw Himanshu Rai and Devika Rani's KARMA which has a distinction first English Film made in India.This year also saw the first coiour film SAIRANDHRI starring Leela and Shakuntla Pranjpye directed by V Shantaram.This year Wadia Movietone Co by JBH Wadia was also started Their first movie LAL-e YAMAN was released and it was very successful.PRAKASH PICTURES also founded this year which was founded by Vijay Bhatt. The First Air Conditioned Cinema Hall REGAL opens in Bombay.

1934 The end of Silent Cinema in India,the last Silent Movie was Melody of Love.Bombay Talkies was established,The first Oriya film SEETA BIBAHA directed by Mohan Sunder Deb Goswamy released.Zubeida and Nanu Bhai Vakil start the Mahalaxmi Cinetone.Kannada film BHAKTA DHRUVA directed by Parshavnath Y Altekar was released.Chaar Darvesh,BOMBAI KI MOHINI
and DAKU KI LADKI were prominent films.
  

Still from K L Sehgal Devdas

1935 Devdas was released It was made by P C Barua starring K L Sehgal. Another hit movie of that year was ANARKALI starring Sulochana.This year also saw of the first Punjabi movie Krishna Dev Mehra's SHEILA starring Baby Noor Jahan . First Assameese movie of Jyotiprasad Agarwala's JOYMATI was also released this year.Some of the hit movies of this year are Hunter Wali,Aurat, Ek Hi Raasta,Watan.

1936 was the year of ACHYOOT KANYA starring Ashok Kumar and Devika Rani,Sohrab Modi started Minerva Movietone his first movie Khoon Ka Khoon was not successful.Other successful movies of the year are Miss Frontier Mail,Mr & Mrs Bombay,Mamta and Jeevan Naiya starring Ashok Kumar and Devika Rani.

Still from Kisankasnya

1937 the first Colour film Kisan Kanya was released,Aspi Irani's film Naujawan became the first hindi sound film without songs some of the prominent films of that year were Duniya Na Maane of V Shantaram,Zameen Ka Chand ,Parakh and Hurricane Hansa of Wadia.












1938 first Malyalam sound film S Nottani's BALAN was released,This year a Social family drama BHABHI was released on 17th December at Bombay's Roxi Cinema it was a hit movie renuka Devi's performance was the highlight she was co starred with P Jairaj, another film STREET SINGER of K L Sehgal was musical superhit it is said that this movie was the greatest hit of Sehgal's career the famous song BABUL MORA NAIYAR CHHOOTO JAYE was of this movie.Other movies were Dharti Maata,Adhikar.Gopal Krishna and Jailor


1939 this year 84 hindi films were released. The film industry celebrated its silver jubilee with the convening of a Motion Picture Congress, conferences and an exhibition.PUKAR of Sohrab Modi was the most successful movie of that year another film AADMI of V Shantaram was successful,Prem Sagar and Punjab Mail were other notable novies of that year.Dushman of K L SEHGAL also released the same year.The film is remembered for some of the most beautiful songs sung by K L Saigal music was given by pankaj mallic.