Prabhat Film Company

2022-03-25T01:38:30Z

2600:1700:1E11:1350:AC26:C8FE:88A:9E16:

{{Short description|Indian film production company based in Kolhapur}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Prabhat Chitra
| logo = Prabhat Film Company logo.jpg
| logo_size = 120px
| type = [[Private company|Private]]
| industry = [[Cinema of India|Indian Film industry]]
| genre =
| fate =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| foundation = {{start date and age|1929|6|1|df=y}}
| founder = [[Vishnupant Govind Damle]], [[V. Shantaram]], S Fatelal, Keshav Rao Dhaibar, Seetaram Kulkarni<ref name=et/>
| defunct = {{end date and age|1953|10|13|df=y}}
| location =
| location_city = [[Kolhapur]], [[Pune]] (1933 onwards)
| locations =
| area_served =
| key_people =
| products = films
| production =
| services =
| revenue =
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| aum =
| assets =
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| owner =
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| footnotes =
| intl =
| location_country = [[India]]
| homepage = [http://www.prabhatfilm.com Official website]
}}
'''Prabhat Film Company''' (popularly known as '''Prabhat Films''') was an Indian film production company and film studios founded in 1929 by the noted film director [[V.Shantaram]] and his friends.

It was formed in [[Kolhapur]], [[Maharashtra]], [[India]] in 1929, towards the end of silent films' era, by the noted film director [[V. Shantaram]], along with [[Vishnupant Damle|V.G. Damle]], Keshav Rao Dhaibar, S. Fatelal and S.V. Kulkarni.<ref>{{usurped|[https://web.archive.org/web/20100901060422/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2002/05/02/stories/2002050200380100.htm A navrang of Shantaram's films - Retrospective]}} ''[[The Hindu]]'', 2 May 2002.</ref> The company moved to Pune in 1933, where it established its own studio and produced a total of 45 films in both Marathi and Hindi over 27 years, including are ''Kunku'' (''[[Duniya Na Mane]]'' in Hindi), ''Swarajyacha Toran'' also called ''[[Udaykal]]'', based on [[Shivaji]]'s life, ''[[Dharmatma (1935 film)|Dharmatma]]'' on life of saint [[Eknath]], ''[[Sant Tukaram (film)|Sant Tukaram]]'', based on the saint-poet and social reformer, ''Shejari'' also called ''[[Padosi (film)|Padosi]]'', on communal harmony, ''[[Manoos]]'' (a.k.a. ''[[Aadmi (1939 film)|Aadmi]]'') about alcoholism and ''[[Amar Jyoti]]'' about woman’s emancipation. While several companies such as, Imperial Film Company, Krishna Cinetone, [[East India Film Company]], [[Madan Theatre]], Ranjit, [[Wadia Movietone]] were very active during the advent of Talkie films in India, Prabhat, along with [[New Theatres]] of Kolkata, stood out for their excellence and social awareness.

Today, the [[Film and Television Institute of India]] [[Pune]], at Law College Road, is situated in its former premises,<ref name=et>[http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=18908 The eternal dawn]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Uma Karve, ''[[Indian Express]]'', 28 May 2002.</ref><ref>[http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=54775 75 years on, this film company’s classics haven’t faded out]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Express Features Service, ''[[Indian Express]]'', 14 June 2003.</ref> and houses the 'Prabhat Museum' which displays artefacts, original contracts and partnership deeds of Prabhat Film Company, along with costumes, properties, equipment, posters and stills.<ref>[http://www.ftiindia.com/newftii/prabhat_musiem.html Prabhat Museum] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090808195928/http://www.ftiindia.com/newftii/prabhat_musiem.html |date=2009-08-08 }} [[Film and Television Institute of India]].</ref>

The [[University of Chicago Library]] has a collection of 27 films produced by the Prabhat Film Company between 1932 and 1949 <ref>[https://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/su/southasia/news.html Prabhat Films] [[University of Chicago Library]]..</ref>

==History==
[[Baburao Painter]]'s [[Maharashtra Film Company]], based in Kolhapur, had made a name for itself with its silent films in early 1920s. Close friends Vishnupant G Damle and Fateh Lal (Damle Mama and Saheb Mama) were very good artists and held posts with senior responsibility at the company.<ref name=pra>[http://www.indianexpress.com/ie/daily/19990722/ile22129.html Backing Prabhat Films]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''[[Indian Express]]'', Thursday, 22 July 1999.</ref>

[[Baburao Pendharkar]] became the de facto head of operations because of Baburao Painter's distaste for financial matters. Pendharkar's cousin Shantaram Vanakudre ([[V. Shantaram]]) joined the company and became Baburao Painter's right-hand man.

[[File:Ayodhyecha Raja, 1932 Marathi film, India.jpg|left|200px|thumb|''[[Ayodhyecha Raja]]'' (1932), the first [[Marathi film]], was made by [[Prabhat Films]]]]

In 1927-28, the senior personnel became dissatisfied by Baburao Painter's increasingly lukewarm and erratic behaviour. Damle and Fateh Lal were thinking of starting their own company, as were V. Shantaram and Keshav Rao Dhaibar. The four of them got together, and with Sitaram Kulkarni, well-established jeweller in Kolhapur as their fifth partner and financier, started a new company on 1 June 1929, with an initial investment amount of Rs 15,000.<ref name=pra/> Baburao Pendharkar suggested the name ''Prabhat'' (meaning "Dawn"), and the other partners liked it.

Prabhat soon made a name for itself with silent films and produced six films, most of them directed by the tireless V. Shantaram. When India entered the era of [[talkie]]s with ''[[Alam Ara]]'' in March 1931, Shantaram predicted that it was a transient phase, and the silent films were the real artistic area. But soon the company realized its mistake, and joined the talkie era with ''[[Ayodhyecha Raja]] (The King of Ayodhya)'' in [[Marathi language|Marathi]] (1932), also starring [[Durga Khote]], which was the first film of [[Marathi Cinema]], and later made under the name ''Ayodhya Ka Raja'' in [[Hindi]]. The film is based on [[Raja Harishchandra]]'s story.<ref>[http://www.filmtvguild.in/milestones.htm The Firsts of Indian Cinema: Milestones from 1896-2000] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719114936/http://www.filmtvguild.in/milestones.htm |date=2011-07-19 }} Film and Television Producers Guild of India</ref> In 1930s when most of silent movies companies had closed down, Prabhat joined the ranks of "big three" of [[Indian cinema]], which included [[New Theatres]] of [[Calcutta]] and [[Bombay Talkies]] of Mumbai <ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=nEFw2nnbpGAC&pg=PA327&dq=Prabhat+Film+Company#v=onepage&q=Prabhat%20Film%20Company&f=false Prabhat Films] ''Cinemas of the world: film and society from 1895 to the present'', by James Chapman. Reaktion Books, 2003. {{ISBN|1-86189-162-8}}. ''p. 327''.</ref>

In September 1933, the company moved to [[Pune]] because of its proximity to [[Mumbai]] and all the five founder moved with their families, and the doors of the studio finally opened in Pune in 1934. Then followed a golden era of 8–10 years during which the company made some landmark films: ''Sairandhri'' (1933), India's first colour film, processed and printed in Germany; ''[[Amrit Manthan (1934 film)|Amrit Manthan]]'' (1934), ''Sant Tukaram'' (1936), ''Kunku'' (or ''[[Duniya Na Mane]]'' in Hindi) in 1937, ''[[Manoos]]'' (or ''[[Aadmi (1939 film)|Aadmi]]'' in Hindi) (1939), ''Shejari'' (or ''[[Padosi (film)|Padosi]]'') in 1941. The [[biopic]], title ''Sant Tukaram'', in 1936, made by V. Damle and S. Fattelal of Prabhat Film Company and starring Vishnupant Pagnis as the lead, and released on 12 December 1936 at Central Cinema in Mumbai. The film was not only a big hit but also had won an award at the 5th [[Venice International Film Festival]] in 1937, and still remains a part of film appreciation courses.<ref>[http://www.televisionpoint.com/news2007/newsfullstory.php?id=1198663828 'Sant Tukaram' film still a topic of interest] Anurag Basu - Televisionpoint.com, 26 December 2007.</ref><ref>[http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=79904 Lost & found: A piece of classic cinema history]{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''[[Indian Express]]'', 26 March 2004.</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=DIVlw5AzQTgC&pg=PA16&lpg=PA16&dq=Prabhat+Film+Company&source=bl&ots=M1L6IF1GIV&sig=guo8M64UuknYuTOYMqIqiGkEvqE&hl=en&ei=hPHlStPKM5S6swON-s2zAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CCUQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=Prabhat%20Film&f=false Milestone 1937] ''Bollywood: a guidebook to popular Hindi cinema'' by Tejaswini Ganti. Routledge, 2004. {{ISBN|0-415-28853-3}}. ''page 208 ''.</ref>

After Shantaram split away in 1942 to form his own "[[Rajkamal Kalamandir]]" studios, and Damle Mama fell ill, the company encountered hard times. People associated with the studio, such as [[G. Kamble]] a noted painter, were lured away by Shantaram.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sethi |first1=Sunil |title=Hoarding Secrets |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/hoarding-secrets/266082 |access-date=23 July 2020 |work=Outlook India Magazine |date=12 July 2010}}</ref> Its last major film was ''Ram Shastri'' in 1944. Noted director, [[Guru Dutt]] started his career as a choreographer, under a three-year contract with the Prabhat Film Company in Pune in 1944. The company was closed in the early 1950s and property auctioned away in 1952. The company formally closed on 13 October 1953.

Major figures associated with Prabhat are composers [[Govindrao Tembe]], [[Dinkar D. Patil]], [[Keshavrao Bhole]], [[Krishnarao Phulambrikar|Master Krishnarao]], [[Vasant Desai]]; actresses [[Durga Khote]], [[Shanta Apte]], Shanta Hublikar, Vasanti, Jayashree Kamulkar; actors [[Bal Gandharva]], [[Keshavrao Date]], [[Shahu Modak]]. Other [[Marathi film]] companies of note in 1930s include Saraswati Movietone, Shalini Movietone, Hans Pictures. Major film directors : Bhalji (Bhal G) Pendharkar, Master Vinayak. Major music directors : Annasaheb Mainkar, Dhamman Khan, Dada Chandekar.

A number of notable Hindi film personalities were also associated with Prabhat Films, including [[Guru Dutt]], [[Dev Anand]] and [[Rehman (actor)|Rehman]].

==Legacy==

* The [[Film and Television Institute of India|Pune premises]] of Prabhat Studios are today a declared heritage site.
* The [[Film and Television Institute of India|Film and Television Institute of India (FTII)]] today occupies the Pune premises of Prabhat Studio in 1960. Students of FTII continue to use the studio premises.<ref>{{cite web|title=A brief history of FTII|url=http://www.ftiindia.com/brief_history.html|website=FTII|publisher=FTII|access-date=7 July 2015}}</ref>
*The road starting from Deccan Corner and ending at Law College Road in Pune is named 'Prabhat Road' because of the location of Prabhat Studios.

Later, Anantrao Damle, V G Damle's son, bought back the company's film prints from Mudaliyar of Chennai, who said he was happy to return to Maharashtra its treasures. Damle's sons have followed up his good work and brought out some of Prabhat's vintage films on VCDs, and songs from several Prabhat Films on audio CDs.<ref>[http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=54775 75 years on, this film company’s classics haven’t faded out]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Express Features Service. ''[[Indian Express]]'', 14 June 2003.</ref> However, in January 2003, most of the original nitrates of the films, stored at the FTII cold-storage were destroyed in a fire while waiting to be transferred to National Film Archives storage.<ref>[http://www.indianexpress.com/storyOld.php?storyId=16752 Prabhat Studio founder’s kin ask why such neglect] 16 January 2003.</ref>

The 75th anniversary of Prabhat Films was celebrated in Pune, in June 2004. It included an exhibition of rare photographs and screening of the documentary film, ''It’s Prabhat!''.<ref>[http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=86855 The age of innocence: From child artists waiting to be moulded to perfection by their directors to graceful veterans today, three actresses of Prabhat Film Company..] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050310034134/http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=86855 |date=2005-03-10 }} ''[[Indian Express]]'', 7 June 2004.</ref><ref>[http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=86535 The Bugle Sounds again]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''[[Indian Express]]'', 3 June 2004.</ref>

==Filmography==
Silent Films
* ''[[Gopal Krishna (1929 film)|Gopal Krishna]]'' (1929)
* ''[[Khooni Khanjar]]'' (1930)
* ''[[Rani Saheba]]'' (1930)
* ''[[Udaykal]]'' (1930)
* ''[[Chandrasena (1931 film)|Chandrasena]]'' (1931)
* ''Zulum'' (1931)

Talkies
* ''[[Ayodhyecha Raja]]'' (1932)
* ''[[Maya Machhindra]]'' (1932)
* ''[[Agnikankan: Branded Oath]]''(1932)
* ''[[Sinhagad (film)|Sinhagad]]'' (1933)
* ''[[Sairandhri (1933 film)|Sairandhri]]'' (1933)
* ''[[Amrit Manthan (1934 film)|Amrit Manthan]]'' (1934)
* ''[[Dharmatma (1935 film)|Dharmatma]]'' (1935)
* ''[[Chandrasena (1935 film)|Chandrasena]]'' (1935)
* ''[[Amar Jyoti]]'' (1936)
* ''[[Sant Tukaram (film)|Sant Tukaram]]'' (1936)
* ''[[Rajput Ramani (1936 film)|Rajput Ramani]]'' (1936)
* ''[[Kunku]]'' (1937)
* ''[[Duniya Na Mane]]'' (1937)
* ''Mera Ladka'' (1938)
* ''[[Gopal Krishna (1938 film)|Gopal Krishna]]'' (1938)
* ''[[Manoos]]'' (1939)
* ''[[Aadmi (1939 film)|Aadmi]]'' (1939)
* ''[[Sant Dnyaneshwar (film)|Sant Dnyaneshwar]]'' (1940)
* ''[[Wahan|Beyond the Horizon]]''
* ''[[Padosi (film)|Padosi]]'' (1941)
* ''[[Das Baje]]'' (1942) also called ''10 O'Clock''
* ''[[Ramshastri (1944 film)|Ramshastri]]'' (1944)
* ''Chand'' (1944)
* ''[[Aparadhi (1949 film)|Aparadhi]]'' (1949)
* ''[[Hum Ek Hain (1946 film)|Hum Ek Hain]]'' (1946 film - Debut film of [[Dev Anand]])
* ''[[Aage Badho]]'' (1946)(starring [[Dev Anand]])

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* [http://www.upperstall.com/people/shantaram.html V. Shantaram, biography] Upperstall.com

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.prabhatfilm.com }}
* [https://www.imdb.com/company/co0119015/ Prabhat Films] at [[Internet Movie Database]]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Indian film studios]]
[[Category:Film production companies of Maharashtra]]
[[Category:1929 establishments in India]]
[[Category:1953 disestablishments in India]]
[[Category:Marathi cinema]]
[[Category:Mass media companies established in 1929]]
[[Category:Mass media companies disestablished in 1953]]
[[Category:Defunct companies of India]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Pune]]

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Prabhat Film Company