100 Years India Cinema History

Hrishikesh Mukherjee made the surname Bhatavdekar memorable in his 1983 film ‘Rang Birangi’ in which the legendary Utpal Dutt played the character of inspector Dhurandar Bhatavdekar, but there was another Bhatavdekar who made a name for himself in the nascent era of Indian  cinema.

Harishchandra Sakharam Bhatavdekar aka Save Dada, was an insightful filmmaker who made the first Indian motion picture. As expected, Lumiere brothers were his inspiration. Sooner or later, somebody had to start filmmaking in India and Save Dada set the ball rolling before anyone else. Bhatavdekar made the first Indian motion picture ‘The Wrestlers’ four years after Lumiere Brothers’ presentation of ‘La Sortie de l’Usine Lumiere A Lyon’ (The Exit From the Lumiere Factory in Lyon) in 1895.