The Royal Bioscope Company was the first

film production Filmmaking (film production) is the process by which a motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, starting with an initial story, idea, or commission. It then continues through screenwriting, cast ...

company in Bengal, and possibly the first in India, set up in 1898 by Hiralal Sen, along with

Matilal Sen Bimal Krishna Matilal (1 June 1935 – 8 June 1991) was an eminent British-Indian philosopher whose writings presented the Indian philosophical tradition as a comprehensive system of logic incorporating most issues addressed by themes in Wester ...

, Deboki Lal Sen, and Bholanath Gupta. The initial productions used an

Urban Bioscope The Urban Bioscope, also known as the Warwick Bioscope was a film projector developed by Walter Isaacs in 1897 for Charles Urban of the Warwick Trading Company. The projector used a beater movement. It has two names because it was created by Charle ...

bought from

Warwick Trading Company The Warwick Trading Company was a British film production and distribution company, which operated between 1898 and 1915. History The Warwick Trading Company had its origins in the London office of Maguire and Baucus, a firm run by two American ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. The company produced shows, generally exhibited at the

Classic Theatre A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or highest quality, class, or rank – something that exemplifies its class. The word can be an adjective (a '' ...

in Calcutta, where the films featured in the intervals in the stage shows. When Sen began producing his own films regularly they were chiefly scenes from stage productions at the Classic, between 1901 and 1904. The longest film produced was ''Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves'' (1903), again based on an original Classic Theatre staging. Sen also made many local views and newsfilms, took commissions, made advertising films and put on private shows for members of high society. Sen was also to produce a number of short newsreels, including '' Anti-partition demonstration'' (1905), ''

Swadeshi movement The Swadeshi movement was a self-sufficiency movement that was part of the Indian independence movement and contributed to the development of Indian nationalism. Before the BML Government's decision for the partition of Bengal was made public in ...

'' (1905), and '' With Our King and Queen Through India'' (1912). Sen also produce some of the first advertisement movies. As newer film ventures entered the marketplace, Royal Bioscope's fortunes declined, and production ceased in 1913.

External links

The Pioneer from Manikganj & Zindabahar
Cinema of Bengal Film production companies based in Kolkata Indian companies established in 1898 {{film-company-stub