Pundalik

1912 St c.12' b&w d P.R. Tipnis, N.G. Chitre c johnson?

Often presented as the first Indian film. Usually credited to R.G. Torney, but recent research suggests he was only marginally involved. Made jointly by N.G. Chitre, the manager of the Coronation Cinematograph in Bombay, and · P.R. Tipnis, later a major Delhi-based distributor. The film about the Hindu saint is · based, according to Harish Booch (1964), on Ramrao Kirtikar's Marathi play as staged by the Shripad Sangeet Mandali of Nasik. Shot on location in Bombay's Mangalwadi compound near Grant Road by a Bourne & Shepherd crew and released at the Coronation on 18

May, 1912. For the record, it must be pointed out that film-makeri such as Hiralal Sen had made similar films of stage plays before Pundalik.

Film