Today India is a country that occupies first or second place in the world in film production(Excluding telefilms). Most of the films are done according to commercial formula. But there are few personalities, who really struggled to make quality films and showed new pathways to others. They didn’t made much money.But they are immortal in the history of World movies.

One such personality is- V.SHANTHARAM

Background

Mr. V.Shantharam would have been about 109 years old, had he lived till now.He died in 1993 in his 93rd year.He was born in a poor family, just like Charley Chaplin, but , by ambition and sternous efforts,grew to great heights and became a celebrated film maker

As an actor

V.Shantharam first appeared on celluloid screen in the silent film'Surekha Haran' in 1921.Later he acted in his other films also. But after sometime, he gave up acting and restricted himself for direction

First Direction

The first film directed by him was'Netaji Palkar' in 1927.Later he produced and directed many other films which created a history in Indian film industry.Some of them are -

Dr.Kotnis ki amar kahani (The film is about Dr.Kotnis,who went to china in 1936, to seve that country during an epidemic, and, after some years of service, he himself was succumbed to death there itself) He produced it in 1946.

For a link to read more about this film, click here-

dustedoff.wordpress.com/.../

Geet Gaaya Pattharone (stones sang the songs)

Navrag (Nine colours)1960s

Do Ankhen barah hath(Two eyes and twelve hands)1957

Jhanak Jhanak Payal Bhaje ( the anklle chains made musical sound)

V.Shantharam, was first in many respects among Indian film makers.Some of them are -

1.First to produce a film for children-Ranisaheba-1930

2First user of camera trolley,in 1931, for Marathi silent film-Chandrasena

3. First person to produce Marathi talkie film-Ayodhyecha Raja-1933

4 Producer of first colour film-Sairendhri-1933

5 First person to produce gramaphone records fromoriginal sound tracks-1934

6 First person to use telephotolens-1935

7 First animation film maker-1936

AWARDS

Apart from winning various awards for his different films, V,Shantharam Got two prestigious awards for his life-time work. They are -

1.Dada saheb Phalke award for his contribution to film field.

2 PadmaVibhushan award,-the second highest award Indian government could give to anybody( first, being-Bharatha Rathna)

V. Shantharam was a jain.He lived honest to his core till his end. He was a non-smoker, non-alchoholic, and never kept false accounts to hide taxes.

His autobiography is in Marathi, entittled-'SHANTAHARAMA'

He is one who breathed aesthetic sense to Indian film.click the following links to read more:

http://punekar.in/site/2008/11/18/v-shantaram-the-legend/

harmanjit.blogspot.com/2008/10/navrang-by-v-s...

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