Bilwamangal

Bilwamangal (Bengali: বিল্লমঙ্গল Billamaŋgal, pronounced [bilamaŋal]), also known as Bhagat Soordas, is a 1919 silent black-and-white film directed by Rustomji Dhotiwala, a Parsi Gujarati based on the story by Gujarati writer Champshi Udeshi. This full length (12000 feet) film was produced by the Elphinstone Bioscope Company, Calcutta with Bengali intertitles and is credited as the first Bengali feature film. It was released on 1 November 1919 at Cornwallis Theatre in Calcutta.[2][1] The National Film Archive of India acquired the footage of film from Cinémathèque Française, France in 2016. The acquired footage is 594 metres long or run 28 minutes at 18 fps.[3][4]

Bilwamangal
বিল্বমঙ্গল
Film advertisement
Directed byRustomji Dhotiwala
Produced byElphinstone & Pt. Kanhaiya lal Bioscope Company, Calcutta; Madan Theatres Ltd
Written byChampsi Udeshi
StarringMiss Gohur, miss Gulab devi, Dorabji Mewawala
Release date
  • 1 November 1919 (1919-11-01)[1]
Running time
132 minutes (12000 feet)
CountryIndia
LanguageSilent film
Bengali intertitles

Plot

It featured story of Bilwamangal, a man (Dorabji Mewawala) whose life ruined due to his relationship with courtesan Chintamani (Miss Gohur).[3]

Cast
  • Miss Gohur as Temptress Chintamani
  • Dorabji Mewawala as Bilwamangal

References
  1. Sur, Ansu (1999). Bengali Film Directory. West Bengal Film Centre(Calcutta). p. 01.
  2. K. Moti Gokulsing; Wimal Dissanayake (17 April 2013). Routledge Handbook of Indian Cinemas. Routledge. p. 88. ISBN 978-1-136-77284-9.
  3. "NFAI acquires Bilwamangal, a 1919 silent film". The Indian Express. 19 August 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  4. Scroll Staff. "Missing silent film 'Bilwamangal' finally returns to India". Scroll.in. Retrieved 10 February 2017.


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