Did you know Bollywood is India's and world's largest film industry in terms of films produced and released EVERY year?
Fascinating, right?
Want to know more facts about Bollywood? Explore below!
1. Ever wondered why film fraternity members are facilitated with a ‘Dadasaheb Phalke Award’?
Here’s why, Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, popularly known as “Dadasaheb Phalke” was an Indian producer-director-screenwriter, known as "the Father of Indian Cinema”. He created the first ever movie released in India, Raja Harishchandra in 1913. To honour his contribution to the Indian Film Industry the Dadasaheb Phalke Award was instituted as highest honorary award under the National Film Awards by the Government of India.
2. The first sound movie of India produced in the Hindustani language was “Alam Ara” directed by Ardeshir Irani in 1931. The film also gave Irani the reputation of as “The Father of Indian Talkies”.
3. "Mera Naam Joker," a timeless classic directed by Raj Kapoor produced in 1970, was the first Hindi film to feature two intervals. Mera Naam Joker is the second and to date last Indian film to have two intervals, the first being Sangam.
4. Lagaan became the first Hindi film to be shot using sync sound which means that dialogues and sounds were recorded live during the shoot itself.
Lagaan was the most expensive Indian film at the time of its release. It was the third, and as of 2024 the last, Indian film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The film also holds the record for casting the maximum number of British actors in one film.
5. The 1975 movie "Sholay" almost did not include Amjad Khan because writer Javed Akhtar felt his voice was too weak for Gabbar Singh's role. Danny Denzongpa was first in line for the role, but Amjad Khan was ultimately selected.
6. Veteran Actress, Sri Devi was only 13 years old when she played the role of a 25-year old mother to Rajnikanth in the movie “Moondru Mudichu”.
7. The Guinness World Record for the first father-son acting team to have performed opposite parts on screen is held by Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan from the film Paa, directed by R. Balki. The film also starred Vidya Balan as the mother of Auro played by Amitabh Bachchan.
8. Veteran Actress, Waheeda Rahman has played the characters with Amitabh Bachchan as a mother as well as a lover on the big screen. She portrayed his mother in "Trishul" (1978) and starred as his love interest in "Adalat" (1976).
9. Devika Rani is the first recipient of the honorary Dadasaheb Phalke Award. She is also the first actress to get a degree in filmmaking. She is also known as the “First Lady of Indian Cinema”.
10. The Bollywood Actor, Jeetendra began his career as a body double to the Indian actress Sandhya in the film Navrang. The director of the movie, V. Shantaram.
