HARISHCHANDRACHI FACTORY, our entry to the Oscars this year, takes you through the madness and passion of one man, who made cinema possible in India - Dhundiraj Phalke aka Dadasaheb Phalke. It’s not an unheard of story, but its adaptation on screen, by director Paresh Mokashi, makes it an unusual treat.
Set in 1911, and revolving around the two years of Dadasaheb Phalke (played by Nandu Madhav)’s life when he made the first Indian motion picture, the film takes you on a beautiful nostalgic trip. Motion pictures during that time were in its nascent stages, shown once in a while in tent theatres in Mumbai by the British government. Phalke, an eccentric man, who, after quitting his well-paid government job, is now juggling a couple of odd jobs. One day, he and his elder son happen to watch a motion picture…thus triggering off his undying obsession with cinema. He decides to make ‘halte pictures’ (moving pictures) in India and there begins his struggle… Despite being ridiculed by friends and everyone around, Phalke believes in himself and his passion and with the strong support of his wife, who doesn’t utter a word even when he pawns off each and every item of value from their house to fuel his aspiration, he transforms his dream into a reality and gives India its first feature film - RAJA HARISHCHANDRA.
HARISHCHANDRACHI FACTORY is well-scripted and packed with a bunch of excellent performances. Nandu Madhav as Phalke, does not falter even once, excelling all through the film. Vibhavari Deshpande, as Phalke’s wife Saraswati, is excellent. Even the kids, Mohit Gokhale and Atharva Karve give noteworthy performances. The film, with its excellent cinematic presence, its message of perseverance and a dash of humour, makes it one of its kind and is sure to leave viewers with a smile for days. Credit is also due to art director Nitin Desai for skilfully re-creating early Mumbai.
The film is a must-see for every film buff, especially to witness the fervour of the man, who laid the foundation of an industry, which is the largest in the world today - Dhundiraj Phalke, the father of Indian cinema.
