Topic summary
Raja Harischandra
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Raja Harishchandra.
Classification as first full-length Indian film
The status of Raja Harischandra as the first full-length Indian feature film has been debated. Some film historians consider Dadasaheb Torne's silent film Shree Pundalik as the maiden Indian film. Torne's film was released at the same theatre as Raja Harischandra on 18 May 1912, almost a year before. An argument has been made in favour of Raja Harischandra that Shree Pundalik is a cinematographic recording of a play, using a single, fixed camera and it was filmed by a British cameraman with the film stock processed in London. The Government of India recognises Raja Harischandra as the first Indian feature film. In 1969, it introduced the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the country's highest award in cinema, to commemorate Phalke's contribution to Indian cinema.