'''Baburao Painter (1890-1954)'''


Marathi-Hindi director born Baburao
Krishnarao Mestri in Kolhapur, into family of
traditional craftsmen. Taught himself to paint
(hence his name) and sculpt in academic artschool
style. He and his artist cousin
Anandrao Painter were, between 1910 and
1916, the leading painters of stage
backdrops in Western India, doing several
famous curtains for Sangeet Natak troupes
(esp. Bal Gandharva and Tembe’s
companies) but also for Gujarati Parsee
theatre. Became avid filmgoers after seeing
Raja Harishchandra (1913). Perceiving its
theatrical limitations, they turned to cinema,
first as exhibitors (Shivaji theatre, Kolhapur)
while trying to assemble their own camera.
Anandrao died in 1916. Baburao and his main
disciple, Damle, eventually put together a
working camera in 1918. With financial
support from local nobility, started
Maharashtra Film with Seeta Swayamvar,
although that film was later abandoned.
Remained head of studio until 1932,
launching many talented cineastes, including
the group that later left to set up Prabhat:
Damle, Fattelal and Shantaram. Resigned
following Lanka, producing Prem Sangam
for Anand Pics. Later ran Shalini Cinetone
(1932-8). Then occasional freelance director
(e.g. Lokshahir Ramjoshi on Shantaram’s
invitation, although Shantaram finished the
film himself). Added a Marathi soundtrack to
his Prem Sangam and re-released it in 1934 as
his first sound film. Practised cinema as a
continuation of earlier craft traditions, seen as a
contribution to Swadeshi, legitimated by
nationalist leader B.G. Tilak’s public
commendation of his achievements (1918).
Developed sophisticated art direction and
shooting techniques, e.g. the use of backdrops
in red and yellow to register the right shades of
grey on film, the manufacture of primitive
filters with tinted glass, the first use of indoor
electric lighting with generators, use of fades,
etc. Also used costume design and art direction
to relate to characters’ spaces, reserving
elaborate sets and design for fantasy films.
Helped codify the mythological and founded
the social (Savkari Pash) and the historical
(Sinhagad, Baji Prabhu Deshpande) as film
genres.


'''FILMOGRAPHY:''' 1919: Congress Session in
Bombay (Doc); 1920: Sairandhri; 1921:
Surekha Haran; 1922: Bhagwata Bhakta
Damaji; 1923: Sinhagad; Shri Krishna
Aavtar; 1924: Sati Padmini; Kalyan
Khajina; 1925: Shahala Shah; Rana Hamir;
Maya Bazaar; Savkari Pash; 1926: Gaja
Gauri; Bhakta Prahlad; 1927: Muraliwala;
Sati Savitri; 1929: Baji Prabhu Deshpande;
1930: Lanka; 1932: Prem Sangam (all St);
1935: Usha; 1936: Savkari Pash; 1937:
Pratibha; Sadhvi Meerabai; 1946: Rukmini
Swayamvar; 1947: Lokshahir Ramjoshi/
Matwala Shayar Ramjoshi; 1952:
Vishwamitra; 1953: Mahajan.

[[Director]]