Harishchandrachi Factory, a masterpiece directed by Paresh Mokashi, is a definite Oscar and Bafta winner,writes DEVANSH PATEL in this world exclusive review

TODAY the word Bollywood is heard more than Barack Obama across the world. The Indian film industry is the most productive in the world, releasing more than 900 features each year, but it traces its lineage back to one movie and one man - Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, popularly known as Dadasaheb Phalke - the father of Indian cinema.

Harishchandrachi Factory is one such film, made in Marathi (one of the many spoken languages in India), which has been selected as India's official entry in the Best Foreign Film category at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards.

Just like Sir Richard Attenborough's Gandhi opens with an acknowledgement that it can't do justice to an entire life but will content itself with capturing the spirit of the man called Gandhi, Paresh Mokashi's Harishchandrachi Factory does the same. He captures the essence of Dadasaheb Phalke in just under two hours to such an extent that you are transported to the early 1900s to witness the making of India's first full-length feature film.

Dhundiraj Phalke (Nandu Madhav) was raised in a traditional orthodox Hindu family but turned his back on the priesthood in favour of photography, theatre and the emerging art form of cinema.

Venturing forth as a director, he found himself inspired both by an imported European film, The Life of Christ, which was screened in Bombay in 1911, and by the swadeshi movement of economic self-sufficiency which aimed to undermine British rule.

He thought, 'Why can't we produce our own films, based on our own stories? Why can't we make purely Indian films in India?'. With the help of his wife, Saraswati Phalke, (Vibhawari Deshpande) and his two sons, Bhalachandra Phalke (Mohit Gokhale) and Mahadev Phalke (Atharva Karve), Dhundiraj embarked on his ambitious journey to give birth to India's first silent motion picture.

But before his epic journey began, Phalke had to undergo a lot of criticism from his colleagues and family members. While some of his well-wishers thought he was going insane, others were of the opinion that he would never be able to accomplish his mission.

Phalke was so hooked on moving pictures that he was on the verge of losing his vision due to the huge number of screenings he would attend of foreign films shown in his village. His passion soon turned to addiction, but his will to succeed never took a back seat. He went to London in February 1912 to learn the art and craft of film-making. It was Cecil Hepworth of Walton Studios who trained him.

Phalke bought a Willamson camera and returned to India to find a cast and crew to be a part of his first ambitious film Raja Harishchandra. The money for this venture came from a loan against an insurance policy.

His wife, Saraswati, was an active partner in the venture. She not only managed the unit but also looked after the technical aspects of filmmaking.

The end result was a full house show of Raja Harishchandra in India in 1913; it was India's first official blockbuster hit.

One thing is certain - If you know nothing about Dadasaheb Phalke before going to the theatre, you will know a whole lot more coming out of it.

The director has captured nuances in the speech and movement of Phalke which make it seem as though he has stepped through black and white newsreels into the present technicolor reincarnation. While a lot of research may have gone into making this masterpiece, the director made sure that the journey of one man's struggle to make the first ever film in India was a treat for the eye.

Harishchandrachi Factory is clearly the work of a mature film-maker, one with patience and self confidence. Paresh Mokashi makes a smart film whose success is largely in the hands of its talented cast. Both script and camera serve only as a canvas upon which the masterful Phalke, beautifully played by Nandu Madhav, paints a touchingly lifelike picture of one of the greatest men in India's history.

Some brilliant performances by supporting characters need special mention: Vibhawari Deshpande, Atharva Karve, Tryambak Telang, Mohit Gokhale and Dilip Joglekar make you want to shout 'encore'.

Amlendu Chaudhary's cinematography is also top notch and Amit Pawar's editing is of an international standard.

Watching flawless cinema like this makes you want to stand up and bow down to Dadasaheb Phalke, for today the Indian film industry is reaping what he sowed.

To sum up, Harishchandrachi Factory is about one man, one camera and one dream - a dream to make India's first feature film. It deserves one Oscar for sure! [25cf] Harishchandrachi Factory premieres in London's Cineworld cinema at Shaftesbury Avenue on November 6.