The origins of cinema in India
The first cinema screening in India dates back to 1896, when six films by the Lumière brothers were shown in Mumbai (then Bombay), much to the delight of the colonial and local elites. A few years later, photographer H. S. Bhatavdekar made The Wrestler (1899), a shot of a wrestling match in Bombay's Hanging Gardens, and the very first Indian film in the process. In 1913, India's first feature film, Raja Harishchandra, was released. The brainchild of filmmaker Dadasaheb Phalke, considered by some to be the father of the Indian seventh art, the film draws its tale from the Mahābhārata, more specifically the sacrifices of King Harishchandra, ready to do anything to honor his oath to sage Vishwamitra. A great popular success, it confirmed the Indian people's infatuation with cinema. In the early 1930s, Indian cinema became talking pictures, with Ardeshir Irani's Alam Ara (1931). The language issue was a real obstacle to the distribution of films in this multilingual territory, particularly in the north of the country, where the industry was underdeveloped. Most of the production of what was soon to become Bollywood was made in Hindi, and the other studios and small producers tackling regional markets tended to do so in the south of the country, releasing films in Tamil, Marathi, Malayalam and Telugu. To compensate for these comprehension problems, producers introduced dance and song as universal means of communication, establishing what was to become the norm for Indian films aimed at the general public. Splendid films from this period include Himansu Rai's Karma(1933). These works were part of the Bollywood dynamic of major studios such as Bombay Talkies, Prabhat and Wadia Movietone, companies that dominated the Indian audiovisual landscape until the early 1950s.
From the 1950s to today
Before Hollywood, India was to experience the fall of the major studios, under pressure from new producers who broke the system of actors under contract, offering fees on a film-by-film basis. A perilous but highly profitable technique that continues to this day, given the importance of headliners in the marketing of an Indian film. Parallel to this revolution, a number of filmmakers are leaving the studios of their own accord to gain creative freedom, bringing new individualities to the national audiovisual landscape. In the East, Bengali cinema saw the emergence of figures such as Satyajit Ray, Raj Kapoor and Ritwik Ghatak, well known to international cinephiles. This creative effervescence was also exported internationally for the first time, and films such as Chetan Anand's La Ville basse (1946) won acclaim at major festivals.
After a first golden age with the arrival of talking pictures, Bollywood's industrial hub experienced a revival in the 1960s, with the number of films produced rising again to over 200 a year. Certain actors, who sometimes appeared in several feature films at the same time, gained tremendous popularity, such as Rajesh Khanna (1942-2012), who appeared in over 160 films between 1966 and the end of the 1990s. Bollywood's first superstar, he was followed by many others whose names may already be familiar to you.
Famous actors and actresses
Shah Rukh Khan (1965-), or King Khan as some call him, is surely one of the biggest stars of Indian cinema in the early 2000s. Born in Delhi, this versatile actor made his debut in Deewana (1992), for which he received the Best New Male Actor award at the Filmfare Awards, one of the highest honors in Indian cinema. His career took off, and he went on to star in such cult films as Devdas (2002), Don (2006) and Jusqu'à mon dernier souffle (2012), which won him the hearts of his fans. Comfortable in all genres, he has appeared in romantic films, dramas, thrillers and comedies, and is often appreciated for the quality and emotion he infuses into his characters.
Star of RRR (2022) and Brahmastra Part 1: Shiva (2022), actress Alia Bhatt has become an international star with phenomenal success to her credit. Involved and committed, the actress (born in 1993) has won over a whole generation of young Indians looking for stars who share their values and energy. Alia Bhatt has also become a fashion icon, thanks to her bold and innovative choices.
The son of Telugu film star Chiranjeevi, Ram Charan is also one of the great actors of contemporary India. Revealed by filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli in 2009's Magadheera, he is now adored by Indians and films with the greatest directors from Bollywood, Tollywood and elsewhere.
Last but not least, we can't talk about the great stars of Indian cinema without mentioning Deepika Padukone. Discovered by Farah Khan in Om Shanti Om (2007), she won the FilmFare Award for Best Emerging Actress and was nominated for a FilmFare Award for Best Actress. She made a number of films in the 2010s, regularly accompanied by Shah Rukh Khan, with whom she made her debut in Om Shanti Om. In 2022, she was a member of the jury at the 75th Cannes Film Festival, presided over by Vincent Lindon and alongside filmmakers Ladj Ly, Asghar Farhadi, Jeff Nichols and Rebecca Hall. Most recently, she made a stunning return to the screen in Pathaan , in a legendary new duet with Shah Rukh Khan. A grandiose film in the purest Bollywood tradition, which broke the Indian box-office record in 2023.
Of course, it's impossible to list all the great stars of Indian cinema, past and present. But this little panorama will give you plenty to talk about with the film buffs you'll come across on a terrace or at a meeting. And while you're at it, ask them to show you one of the locations where these legendary films were shot. India has many splendid landscapes, and international filmmakers have been invited here more than once.
When Hollywood turns to Bollywood
Like some of the world's other great heritage monuments, the Taj Mahal has regularly been used as a backdrop or outlet by Hollywood. Epic scenes and various cataclysms have struck this magnificent tomb, recently reduced to cubes in one of the memorable scenes in Chris Columbus' otherwise rather forgettable Pixels (2016). Other cinematic moments include the great prayer scene in Michael Bay's Armageddon(1995), which also features Delhi's Lal Qila (Red Fort) and the nearby city of Agra. A decade earlier, the monument appeared in Octopussy (1983), during a brief helicopter trip by James Bond, then played by Roger Moore. In 2007, it was Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson's turn to make a detour to the mythical funeral complex in Sans plus attendre (2007). The opportunity to add this marvel of the world to their characters Carter and Ed, two cancer-stricken men who will do anything to enjoy their last moments. No doubt this monument is already on your own bucket list, as it's a mecca of Indian tourism, as much as a mecca of cinema. As you travel through Rajasthan, you may also find yourself following in the footsteps of Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman or Adrian Brody, filmed by Wes Anderson in Aboard the Darjeeling Limited (2007). The journey of three brothers in mourning for their father stops in Osian, Udaipur and Jodhpur. A touching odyssey, which earned its award-winning director honors at the Venice Film Festival. Another atmosphere, another star: Julia Roberts strolls the streets of Delhi and the Pataudi Palace in Mange, prie, aime (2010). A film in which she makes a more than sympathetic duet with Javier Bardem. Two years later, the Mani Majra district of Chandigarh was used by Kathryn Bigelow to recreate Osama bin Laden's hideout in Zero Dark Thirty (2012), a thriller chronicling the hunt for the Al Qaeda terrorist leader. And most recently, it was in Ahmedabad that the Russo brothers, accompanied by actor Chris Hemsworth, shot much of their film Tyler Rake (2020). A fast-paced, brutal action blockbuster, available on Netflix for fans of the genre.
Cinemas to discover and festivals in North India
In India, cinema moves crowds, regardless of age, gender or caste. Before the pandemic, cinemas welcomed over 15 million spectators a day, with a total of over 9,000 cinemas across the country by 2022. A gigantic market, where it's easy to get lost as there are so many complexes and screens. Depending on what you're looking for, you'll be able to discover not only Indian arthouse cinema, but also major American and Bollywood releases, as well as fascinating film archives. In Delhi, the cinemas of the PVR group welcome you to very modern cinemas. But if you prefer the authenticity of a more traditional cinema, head for the Shiela Cinema in Paharganj, or the Delite Dimond Cinema in the Chandni Chowk district. Finally, if you're looking for festivals, every major city in the region has its own. They may not match the renown of the International Film Festival of India in Goa, but from Patna to Jaipur, you'll be spoilt for choice to discover the full diversity of Indian and international cinema. Make the most of it, you're in a film country like no other.
