Indian Film industry

History
When the Lumiere Brothers' first films were shown at Bombay's Watson's Hotel in 1895 or when Dadasaheb Phalke released his epochal feature film Raja Harischandra in 1913, it is unlikely that either the exhibitors or the pioneer film maker realised they were unleashing a mass entertainment medium that would hold millions in sway for the next hundred years; that they were spawning an industry that in years to come would overtake the rest of the world in film production!
For most Indians, cinema is integral to their lives; it is not a distant, two to three hour distraction, but a vicarious lifestyle for them. The large screen provides an alternative, an escape from the realities of day-to-day life. The protagonists are totally identified with, the hero is applauded, the virtuous is worshipped and the villain is condemned. The actors and actresses are household names; there is no escaping their omnipresence, from the Paanwala (betel vendor) to the most revered Indian painter - th...