Beginning of Bollywood: History, journey, and current standing

The Indian film industry goes way back to the Nineteenth Century. The very first films were shot by the Lumiere brothers in 1896. These movies were shown in Mumbai. It was in the year 1899 when a simple screening of a wrestling match was shown on-screen. This is considered as the very first motion picture in the Indian film industry. This was shot in the hanging gardens in Mumbai.

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Birth of Cinema

Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of Indian cinema, released the first full-length feature film Raja Harishchandra in 1913. This silent film was a commercial success. Dahasaheb was popular due to this film as he was the director, writer, cameraman, editor, and make-up artist. This incredible set of skills made him much popular. Several new production companies emerged in the early 1920s. Films based on mythological and historical facts were popular. These include Ramayan and Mahabharata.

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The first talkie Alam Ara was screened in Bombay in 1931. It was the first sound film in India. This created a new era in the history of Indian cinema. Following this, several other production companies emerged and by 1931, 328 films were made.

Independence

The film industry then took a great turn around 1947, the year of Independence of India. This period witnessed a spectacular and promising variation of the Indian film industry. Revered filmmakers like Satyajit Ray and Bimal Roy made movies that focused on the survival of the lower class. The 1950s and 1960s were considered as the golden era in the history of Indian cinema. This helped actors like Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, Nargis, and others gain popularity.

Bollywood

The 1970s took a turn of events. The audiences were stoked by the energy of actors like Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, and many others. Sholay was a big hit and got several accolades internationally. This movie was also a major turning point for Amitabh Bachchan as it gave a major boost to his career.

The 1990s then saw the now popular actors like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Amir Khan, Chiranjeevi, Madhuri Dixit and many more. The actors who are now considered among the elites were launched in the 1990s. Indian cinema is now appreciated internationally and several Indian movies have received awards at numerous international film festivals.