D.G. Phalke was the pioneer of the Indian Cinema who established the basic norms of filmmaking in almost every department of this conglomerate art. He was his own scenarist, cameraman, art-director, costume-designer, editor, processor, printer, costume-designer, edtor, processor, printer, developer, projectionist and distributor.

Dadasaheb Phalke's real name is Dhundiraj Govind Phalke. He was born in 1870 at Trymbakeshwar near Nasik. He was by birth to be Shastri and was trained for a career as a Sanskrit scholar. Phalke came to Mumbai with his family when his father joined the Wilson College as a professor.

He joined J.J. School of arts in 1885 for a course in Drawing and then continued art studies at Baroda's famous Kalabhavan, earned his living as a photographer and scene painter for Drama Companies. In 1903 he joined the Archaeological Department as a photographer.

Raja Harishchandra was made in 1913 under the banner of Phalke Film Co. in 1917 Phalke Film Co. was incorporated into the Hindustan Film Co. Phalke's Raja Harishchandra is recognized as the first indigenously made story film. It was released in Mumbai in1913, and was not only produced, directed, written and photographed by him, but also processed, printed and edited by him. Except for the imported camera, the processing outfit and the raw film, which were not made in India, everything was organized by talented artistes willing to work in films.

Stage artistes shied away from the new medium, no woman, not even dancing girls, would agree to act in films. So the role of Taramati in Raja Harishchandra, Phalke had to go to a delicate looking youngman. He selected Salunke to play Taramati. Later Salunke also played both Rama as well as Seeta in Lanka Dahan.

The father of Indian cinema, Phalke made more than 100 films and 30 short films in a span of 25 years. Raja Harishchandra, Mohini Bhasmasur, Satyawan Savitri, Lanka Dahan, Birth Of Krishna, Kalia Mardan, Kans Wadh, Sant Tukaram were notable silent movies among them.

Towards the end of 1934, he was invited by Kolhapur Cinetone to direct the Hindi & Marathi film Gangavataran. His first talkie was also his last film. At the age of 74 on February 16th, 1944 Dadasaheb Phalke expired in Nasik.

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