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The film is the story about the beginning of the [[Indian film industry]], set in 1913, when two business partners fall out, resulting in one leaving the company. As the family struggle to survive Phalke (Nandu Madhav) decides to make his own silent motion picture with the support of his family. He travels to England to learn about the new medium and, after he returns, brings together a team of actors and technicians to produce his first film about the story of Raja Harishchandra. Through all the hard work, the movie becomes a hit — marking the beginning of one of the world's biggest film industries.<ref>[http://www.ukfilmproductions.com/productions/Harishchandrachi/index.html Productions: Harishchandrachi Factory]</ref><ref>[http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Features/Dadasaheb_Phalke_Man_behind_Indias_first_film_factory/rssarticleshow/3149982.cms "Dadasaheb Phalke: Man behind India's first film factory]," ''[[The Economic Times]]'', 21 June 2008.</ref>
The film is the story about the beginning of the [[Indian film industry]], set in 1913, when two business partners fall out, resulting in one leaving the company. As the family struggle to survive Phalke (Nandu Madhav) decides to make his own silent motion picture with the support of his family. He travels to England to learn about the new medium and, after he returns, brings together a team of actors and technicians to produce his first film about the story of Raja Harishchandra. Through all the hard work, the movie becomes a hit — marking the beginning of one of the world's biggest film industries.<ref>[http://www.ukfilmproductions.com/productions/Harishchandrachi/index.html Productions: Harishchandrachi Factory]</ref><ref>[http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Features/Dadasaheb_Phalke_Man_behind_Indias_first_film_factory/rssarticleshow/3149982.cms "Dadasaheb Phalke: Man behind India's first film factory]," ''[[The Economic Times]]'', 21 June 2008.</ref>


One of the remarkable feats in this film is that it is entirely shot in the style of the movies made in Dadasaheb Phalke's days. There was no camera movement possible in those days - actors and actresses would move in and out of view, much like stage actors. This movie is similarly made. With the exception of a couple of zooming in shots, almost the entire movie is made with the camera making nary a movement. Many of the camera angles appear to be contrived (e.g., the outside shots when Phalke goes to London; the shots on the trolley in Bombay) - until this particular feat is kept in mind.
One of the remarkable feats in this film is that it is entirely shot in the style of the movies made in Dadasaheb Phalke's days. There was no camera movement possible in those days - actors and actresses would move in and out of view, much like stage actors. This movie is similarly made. With the exception of a couple of zooming in shots, almost the entire movie is made without the camera moving. Many of the camera angles appear to be contrived (e.g., the outside shots when Phalke goes to London; the shots on the trolley in Bombay) - until this particular feat is kept in mind.


The zoom shots are also not done smoothly - there is a mildly perceptible hand shake, to indicate the experiments that Phalke himself could have conducted.
The zoom shots are also not done smoothly - there is a mildly perceptible hand shake, to indicate the experiments that Phalke himself could have conducted.

Revision as of 04:59, 9 June 2013

Harishchandrachi Factory
Directed byParesh Mokashi
Written byParesh Mokashi
Produced byRonnie Screwvala
Smiti Kanodia
Paresh Mokashi
StarringNandu Madhav
Vibhavari Deshpande
CinematographyAmalendu Choudary
Edited byAmit Pawar
Music byNarendra Bhide
Distributed byUTV Motion Pictures
Release dates
  • July 2009 (2009-07) (Osian's Cinefan)
  • 29 January 2010 (2010-01-29) (India)
Running time
97 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageMarathi
Budget2 crores
Box office3 crores

Harishchandrachi Factory (Marathi: pronunciation हरिश्‍चंद्राची फॅक्टरी, "Harishchandra's Factory") is a 2009 Marathi film, directed by Paresh Mokashi, depicting the struggle of Dadasaheb Phalke in making Raja Harishchandra in 1913: India's first feature film, the birth of Indian cinema.[1][2]

Harishchandrachi Factory is the directorial debut of Paresh Mokashi who won the Best Director award at Pune International Film Festival, where the film was shown. In September 2009, it was selected as India's official entry to Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Film Category, making it the second film, after Shwaas (2004), in Marathi cinema to receive this honour.[3][4][5]

Overview

The film is the story about the beginning of the Indian film industry, set in 1913, when two business partners fall out, resulting in one leaving the company. As the family struggle to survive Phalke (Nandu Madhav) decides to make his own silent motion picture with the support of his family. He travels to England to learn about the new medium and, after he returns, brings together a team of actors and technicians to produce his first film about the story of Raja Harishchandra. Through all the hard work, the movie becomes a hit — marking the beginning of one of the world's biggest film industries.[6][7]

One of the remarkable feats in this film is that it is entirely shot in the style of the movies made in Dadasaheb Phalke's days. There was no camera movement possible in those days - actors and actresses would move in and out of view, much like stage actors. This movie is similarly made. With the exception of a couple of zooming in shots, almost the entire movie is made without the camera moving. Many of the camera angles appear to be contrived (e.g., the outside shots when Phalke goes to London; the shots on the trolley in Bombay) - until this particular feat is kept in mind.

The zoom shots are also not done smoothly - there is a mildly perceptible hand shake, to indicate the experiments that Phalke himself could have conducted.

Cast

  • Nandu Madhav as Dadasaheb Phalke
  • Vibhavari Deshpande as Saraswati Phalke
  • Mohit Gokhale
  • Atharva Karve
  • Dilip Joglekar
  • Ketan Karande
  • Dhiresh Joshi
  • Sandip Pathak
  • Vaibhav Mangle
  • Abhay Mahajan
  • Amey Wagh
  • Nipun Dharmadhikari
  • Ganesh Mayekar
  • Ambarish Deshpande
  • Pravin Tarde
  • Mayur Khandge
  • Gary Richardson
  • Gary Tantony

Critical reception

The film was officially released in India on 29 January 2010 and received critical appreciation.[8]

Awards and honours

  • 2009: Pune International Film Festival: Best Director Award: Paresh Mokashi
  • 2009: 18th Aravindan Puraskaram 2009 (Chalachitra Film Society, Pune): Best Debutant Director: Paresh Mokashi [9][10]
  • 2009: India's Official entry: Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
  • 2009: 46th Maharashtra State Film Awards
  • 2009: Ahmedabad International Film Festival: Best Film
  • 2009: Kolhapur International film Festival: Best Film [People's Choice Award]
  • 2009: Signs 2009, Kerala: Best Film
  • 2009: Chalchitra Film society, Kerala : Best Débutante director
  • 2009: Gollapudi Shrinivas National Award, Chennai : Best Débutante director
  • 2009: V Shantaram Award: Best Costume: Mridul Patwardhan, Mahesh Sherla, Geeta Godbole
  • 2009: Balasaheb Sarpotdar Award: Best Film[11]

References

  1. ^ "Harishchandrachi Factory to tell story behind making of India’s first feature film," Indian Express, Express News, 3 May 2008.
  2. ^ "Harishchandrachi Factory: We all owe a bit to Dadasaheb," Passion for Cinema, 25 May 2009.
  3. ^ "'Harishchandrachi Factory' India's entry for Oscars," Indian Express, PTI 20 September 2009.
  4. ^ "'Harishchandrachi factory' India's entry for Oscars," Press Trust of India, 20 September 2009.
  5. ^ India's Oscar entry: Harishchandra Factory NDTV, Indo Asian News Service. 20 September 2009.
  6. ^ Productions: Harishchandrachi Factory
  7. ^ "Dadasaheb Phalke: Man behind India's first film factory," The Economic Times, 21 June 2008.
  8. ^ Rajeev Masand (Jan 30, 2010). "Masand Review: Harishchandrachi Factory, an important film". CNN IBN.
  9. ^ Chalachitra film society presents Aravindan Puraskaram 2009 The Hindu, 14 March 2009.
  10. ^ 'Harishchandrachi Factory' wins award The Times of India, TNN 5 March 2009.
  11. ^ "Harishchandrachi Factory is India's Oscar entry," The Times of India, Chitra Nair, TNN 21 September 2009. "46th Maharashtra State Film Awards"