General Management
In 2008, Harishchandrachi Factory, a film based on the making of Raja Harishchandra was announced. The Oscar nominated Marathi film – Harishchandrachi Factory is the story behind the making of the first Indian feature film – Raja Harishchandra. The movie in a light hearted way portrays the struggles Dadasaheb Phalke, had to face to make his dream of producing a motion picture a reality. While the movie is a must watch for cinema lovers it also can be a source of inspiration for budding entrepreneurs. So if you do not have time to take up a course on Entrepreneurship, spend around 100 minutes in watching this film and you shall have learned enough. Lesson # 1 – Follow Your Passion Irrespective Of Failures Although his first venture in the camera business failed miserably, Dadasaheb Phalke realized that it was due to people spreading false rumors that taking photos sucks the life out of you and not because of any lack of opportunity in the business. Seeing an English feature film for the first time, he was bewildered by seeing pictures in motion and instantaneously decided that this is what he wants to do. While he did not have the resources or the knowledge to make a film, he had the passion to make motion pictures. Being passionate about what you intend to do is most crucial to setting up your venture. Knowledge and resources can be acquired, but passion has to be ignited from within. Lesson # 2 – Have Confidence in Your Dreams While the movie portrays the struggles of a first time film maker, ironically Paresh Mokashi (the director of the film) had to face his share of struggles in making Harishchandrachi Factory. But his confidence in his dream made him overcome all problems. When no producer was ready to produce the film in Marathi, Paresh mortgaged his home and decided to make the film on his own money. This bears resemblance to Dadasaheb mortgaging his wife’s jewels to make his first film. When you have confidence in your dreams, problems are nothing but milestones in your journey. Lesson # 3 – A Desire for Continuous Learning Dadasaheb sat for hours watching English cinema on screens in his town to try and learn the art of making films. However he realized that watching films alone is not enough and if he had to learn the art of making films, he would have to go and learn it at London. Without having any contacts or acquaintances in London, but with the burning desire to learn, he left for London to study cinema. It was this quest for knowledge which gave him the confidence to walk into a Motion Pictures office in London and say, “I am Dadasaheb Phalke and I want to make a motion picture. Will you help me?” As entrepreneurs you need to have this constant quest for learning everything related to your business. As long as this desire is present within you, success would not be very far. When you think you have learnt everything, then it is time to move on to something new.
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Raja Harischandra: The film revolves around the noble and righteous king, Harishchandra, who first sacrifices his kingdom, followed by his wife and eventually his children to honors his promise to the sage Vishwamitra. Though, in the end, pleased by his high morals, the Gods are pleased and restore his former glory, and further bestow him with divine blessings. Production: Phalke was greatly influenced by the style of painter Raja Ravi Verma in the making of his films. Just as Verma brought Hindu mythology on canvas, Phalke brought it in motion picture. He would make many films based on mythological stories from Ramayana, Mahabharata and others. The film had an all-male cast as no woman was available for playing female leads. Phalke struggled to get woman, including nautch girls, to agree to act in film. He hence had to cast a delicate-looking man to play the role of Queen Taramati, Harishchandra's wife. Phalke discovered Salunke, who used to work in a restaurant as a cook, for this role. Salunke would later play the role of both Rama and Sita in Phalke's 1917 film Lanka Dahan and become the most popular actor and actress of his time. Dadasaheb's wife cooked food alone, without any help, for the whole cast and crew, which were more than 500 people. She also washed the clothes and costumes, helped in the posters and production of the film, and co-operated with the cast, satisfying them with food and water. The film reel was 3700 feet long and roughly 40 minutes. The film premiered on 21 April 1913 at the Olympia Theatre, Grant Road for a selective audience that included famous personalities of Mumbai and editors of many newspapers. It was first shown in public on 3 May 1913 at Mumbai's Coronation Cinema, Girgaon, where crowds thronged the roads outside the hall, as it marked the beginning of the Indian fi