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3 Silent Movies in 1 DVD
Raja Harishchandra (1913)
Country: India
Language: Silent
Year: 1913
Color/BW: BW
Category: Feature Film
Genre: Drama, Mythology
Description
Preceded by two lost efforts at making a narrative film in India, Raja Harishchandra, is commonly reckoned as India's first feature film production. Based on one of the popular Mahabharata legends, Raja Harishchandra is about King Harishchandra's devotion to truth for which he is prepared to sacrifice his kingdom. Sent into exile by the sage Vishwamitra for profaning his fire sacrifice, he is separated from his committed wife Taramati and son Rohidas. Finally, he is reduced to becoming an attendant in a cremation ground and charged with the task of the execution of Taramati. But, Lord Shiva is moved by his sacrifice, steadfastness and honesty and brings the morality play to a happy conclusion. Recent research shows that the archive's footage maybe from the reshot or re-edited version released in 1917. In any case, only the first and last reels survive.
Cast: Dattatraya Damodar Dabke, Anna Salunke, Bhalachandra D Phalke
Director: Dadasaheb Phalke
Kaliya Mardan (1919)
Also Known As: The Childhood Of Krishna
Country: India
Language: Silent
Year: 1919
Color/BW: BW
Category: Feature Film
Genre: Drama, Mythology
Description
The film narrates episodes from the leela or divine play of the child Krishna. It begins with a marvelous prologue in which the child actress enacting Krishna (Phalke'e daughter, Mandakini) is shown in her everyday clothes which dissolves into the role she is playing. The narrative of Krishna's childhood is then unfolded revealing his divine self. The end of the great underwater sequence shows Krishna subjugating the demon snake Kaliya followed by the ritual of aarti and celebration. With its characteristic blending of the real and the imaginary and western filming techniques with a distinct Indian ethos, Kaliya Mardan is widely regarded as the first definitive masterpiece of Indian cinema.
Cast: Mandakini Phalke, Anna Salunke, Neelkanth
Director: Dadasaheb Phalke
Jamai Babu (1931)
Also Known As: Jamaibabu
Country: India
Language: Silent
Year: 1931
Color/BW: BW
Category: Feature Film
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Description
Probably the only surviving silent film from Bengal, Jamai Babu is about a country bumpkin Gobhardan who comes to visit his in-laws in Calcutta. Hilariously, he mistakes a 'No Nuisance' sign for an address and gets lost in the teeming streets of Calcutta. A highlight of the film is the way the city of Calcutta is woven into the action, reminding one of the urban landscapes of California in early American slapstick comedies.
Commemorating the centenary of Dadasaheb Phalke's Raja Harishchandra released in 1913, the National Film Archive of India presents this DVD of classic silent films. The DVD features surviving reels of Raja Harishchandra. And Kaliya Mardan & Jamai Babu both of which survive almost in their entirety.
This rare selection of landmark Indian silent films is with music accompaniment by noted film composer Rahul Ranade.
