H. S. Bhatavdekar

Harishchandra Sakharam Bhatavdekar (15 March 1868 – 20 February 1958), also known as Save dada, was the first Indian to make a film (motion picture) in India.[1][2]

Lord and Lady Curzon on an elephant, Coronation Darbar in Delhi, 1903, News film by H. S. Bhatavdekar

Biography

H. S. Bhatavdekar was a resident of Mumbai (Bombay). A Maharashtrian portrait photographer by occupation, Bhatavdekar was one of the first witnesses to the Lumiere Brothers film show in 1896 in Mumbai.[3][4] He soon acquired a movie camera from London and a projector and went on to make some films on day-to-day life of the city as also some important events. His family name was changed to Save and his descendants live in Yari Road, Mumbai. His great-grandson, Aditya Save founded Agilio Labs and his great-granddaughter-in law Ananya founded Felicita Foods and The Little House Versova. They have a son who was born in 2007. H.S.'s grandson also acted in many plays free of cost.

Filmmaking career

"The Wrestlers" was shot during a wrestling match in Mumbai and was the first film to be shot by an Indian.

H. S. Bhatavdekar's later films also were all reality films, with "Local Scenes...", "Sir Wrangler..." and "Delhi Darbar..." being of historical significance; since important personalities like R. P. Paranjpe[5] can be seen landing in India from a ship; and the proceedings of the Delhi Durbar (Delhi Royal Court). Bhatavdekar also filmed Lord Curzon at the coronation of King Edward VII in Kolkata (Calcutta) in 1903.[1] Bhatavdekar can be considered the first documentary filmmaker of India,[1][2] with his films India's first newsreels.[6]

Filmography

(as a director)

  • The Wrestlers (1899)
  • A man and his monkeys (1899)
  • Local Scenes: Landing of M. M. Bhownuggree (1901)
  • Atash Behram (1901)[7]
  • Sir Wrangler Mr. R. P. Paranjpe (1901)
  • Delhi Durbar of Lord Curzon (1903)
  • Delhi Durbar (1903/I)

References
  1. Subir Ghosh. "The firsts in Indian cinema". Retrieved 14 July 2007.
  2. "A choronology of indian cinema (1896 -1905)". Archived from the original on 3 July 2007. Retrieved 14 July 2007.
  3. "History of Indian Cinema". Archived from the original on 14 February 2005. Retrieved 14 July 2007.
  4. "Hundred Years of Indian Cinema". Archived from the original on 24 May 2006. Retrieved 14 July 2007.
  5. R.P. Paranjpe was the first Indian Senior Wrangler from Cambridge University who sacrificed high salary and worked as the Principal of Fergusson College, Pune for over twenty years. "Chronomedia: 1901 - December 7". Retrieved 14 July 2007.
  6. Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) Archived 3 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine Foreword, 4th Mumbai International Film Festival, 1996.
  7. "Indian Cinema Database: Silent films". Archived from the original on 21 October 2007. Retrieved 14 July 2007.
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