Dadasaheb Phalke was born in 1870. He was a printing technician by profession. He was highly impressed and inspired after watching the foreign film 'Life of Christ' and was filled with a desire to make a film of his own.
He went to England to learn film technology and buy the necessary related material. On returning to India, he began to work as a director-cum-cameraman for the film 'Raja Harishchandra'.
He pawned his wife's jewellery for the film and cast a cook's assistant Salunke as the film's heroine as no woman was willing to face the camera due to the social stigma attached to it. The film was a hit!
In 1917, he released 'Lanka Dahan'. The film was about the episode of the Ramayana where Lord Hanumana sets Lanka ablaze. It was a stupendous success. After this film, Dadasaheb Phalke formed the Hindustan film company and made popular and hit films like 'Shri Krishna Janma' and 'Kaliya Mardan'.
Dadasaheb Phalke died in 1944.
Thus began the now famous 'Bollywood'
