Hyderabad: For more than a century, Indians have loved and celebrated cinema like no other country in the world. From the glamour of Bollywood to the massive success of Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Marathi films, Indian cinema has grown into a global entertainment powerhouse with fans across continents.
But do you know May 18 is one of the most important dates in Indian cinema history?
On this day in 1912, India’s first-ever feature film, Shree Pundalik, was released. In 2026, the iconic silent film completes 114 years, marking a historic milestone in the journey of Indian movies.
Directed by Dadasaheb Torne, also known as Ramchandra Gopal Torne, Shree Pundalik was a silent Marathi film based on the life of Hindu saint Pundalik. At a time when Indian audiences were mostly watching live plays and imported foreign films, Torne dreamed of creating a film made for Indian audiences.
What Was Shree Pundalik About?
The movie was inspired by a famous Marathi play written by Ramrao Kirtikar. The film was around 22 minutes long and completely silent, as sound technology wasn’t there back then.
It was shot inside a theatre in Bombay, now Mumbai, where the original play was being performed. Since filmmaking technology was still new in India, a British cameraman named Johnson was brought in to operate the camera.
Interestingly, Dadasaheb Torne was unhappy after initially recording the play in one continuous shot. He later decided to shoot scenes separately and combine them together, which many film historians consider an early form of film editing in India.
A Debate About India’s First Film?
Even after 114 years, debate continues over whether Shree Pundalik should officially be called India’s first feature film.
Some cinema historians argue that the movie was mainly a filmed stage play rather than a fully original cinematic production. Another major reason behind the debate is that the film negatives were sent to London for processing, while the cameraman was British.
Because of this, many people believe Raja Harishchandra, released in 1913 by Dadasaheb Phalke, deserves the title of India’s first full-length feature film made completely in India.
Despite the controversy, Shree Pundalik remains a landmark moment in Indian cinema history. The film opened the doors for filmmaking in India and inspired generations of filmmakers in the decades that followed.
Today, Indian cinema stands among the biggest film industries in the world, and its incredible journey began with the historic release of Shree Pundalik on May 18, 1912.
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