1. The history of Indian cinema begins 2000 years ago
The conventions of Bollywood are actually rooted in the Natyashastra, a Sanskrit text from the second century BCE. In 6000 verses, this treatise explores all elements of theatrical performance and production throughout India, and discusses drama as a cultural form accessible to all levels of society.
The 1932 film Indrasabha featured an incredible 71 songs!
2. Cinema caught on quickly in India
France’s famous Lumière brothers debuted their innovative camera and projector in Paris in 1895. It only took six months for the technology to reach Mumbai, a journey of nearly 7000km! The first feature-length silent film produced in India, Raja Harishchandra, was released in 1913, after its director, Dadasaheb Phalke, spent just two weeks in London learning filmmaking techniques.
3. There’s no such thing as a Bollywood musical
Bollywood films are known for their epic song and dance numbers, but there’s no such thing as a Bollywood musical. And that’s because songs are so integral to Indian cinema that almost no films are made without them.
Up to 25% of a film’s budget can depend on the sale of music rights, and musical numbers serve specific narrative purposes within a film: they introduce characters, set the emotional tone, reveal key themes, and provide crucial moments of levity. Some films have gone overboard with the music though. The 1932 film Indrasabha featured an incredible 71 songs!
4. German filmmakers helped bring colour to Indian cinema
In the interwar period, a number of German directors worked in India, Indian filmmakers trained in Germany, and a German man led India’s first cinecolour laboratory. The first Bollywood film in colour, 1933’s Sairandhri, was actually produced in Germany. Sadly, these collaborations ended with the advent of the Second World War, when Britain expelled all German citizens from its colonies.
