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| Cinema of Bihar | |
|---|---|
 The emblem of Bihar | |
| No. of screens | 269 |
| Produced feature films (2019) | |
| Total | 150 |
| Part of a series on the |
| Culture of Bihar |
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| Society |
| Topics |
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The cinema of Bihar, a state in eastern India, primarily consists of films in the Bhojpuri language. Bihar also has smaller Maithili- and Magahi-language film industries. Cinema in the state began during the early 20th century.
Bihar's film industry began during the early years of the 20th century, when Jamshedji Framji Madan acquired the Elphinstone Theatre Company of Bombay in 1902 and converted it into the Elphinstone Bioscope Company. The Elphinstone Theatre in Patna (Bihar's capital) became the Elphinstone Cinema, screening short silent films until the advent of sound. The cinema exists under different ownership after the Madan family's economic collapse during the 1930s. Another silent-film cinema in Patna closed in 1931, early in the sound era. The city's first sound theatre, in the southwestern Babu Bazar, opened with Veer Abhimanyu in 1933 or 1934. The theatre was destroyed by a fire caused by flammable nitrate film, and was never rebuilt.
The first Bihari film was the silent Punarjanma (Life Divine) with Arati Devi, A. K. Prosad, Pratima Devi, and N. G. Bhattacharya. It was produced by Raja Rana Jagarnnath Prasad Singh. [1] Arati Devi, who was Jewish, was 19 years old when she made the film. Born Rachel Sofaer in Rangoon in 1912, she moved with her family to Calcutta c. 1923. Devi had made only one other film a year before (1930's A Man Condemned), and her career ended when she married Sassoon Jonah in 1933. She died in childbirth in April 1948.
Prakash Jha made his feature-film debut with 1984's Hip Hip Hurray, a Hindi film shot in Jharkhand (then part of Bihar) and produced in Bombay. Patang was directed by Goutam Ghose. By May 2012, more than 150 completed films were awaiting release.
Bhaiyaa , a Magahi-language film, was released in 1961. [2] The first Bhojpuri-language film, Ganga Maiya Tohe Piyari Chhadhaibo, was made in 1962 and released the following year. Bhojpuri and Maghi were spoken in earlier films such as Gunga Jumna and Nadiya Ke Paar, however. Films such as Laagi Nahi Chhute Ram and Bideshiya were popular in Bhojpur district.
Bollywood's Nadiya Ke Paar is one of the best-known Bhojpuri-language films. The first Maithili-language film was 1965's Kanyadan , [3] directed by Phani Majumdar. The film, about a man who decides to learn Maithili because it is his wife's only language, is based on Harimohan Jha's novel Kanyadaan. Bhauji Maay and Mamta Gaave Geet (directed by C. Parmanand) were also popular; the latter is noted for its music and plot. Sasta Jingi Mahag Senur (directed by Muarli Dhar and released in 1999) was a successful Maithili film, with songs by Md. Aziz, Sadhana Sargam, Udit Narayan and Deepa Narayan.
Another successful Maithili film, Kakhan Harab Dukh Mor , was based on the life of the Maithil poet Vidyapati. Phool Singh played the lead role, with music by Gyaneshwar Dubey. Other Maithili films include Senurak Laaj and Dularua Babu. Ashu-Priya Productions' unsuccessful Aau Piya Hamar Nagari was released in 2000. Murli Dhar directed 90 percent of the film, and Manikant Mishra completed it.
The Maithili film Sindurdan was released in November 2007, but was withdrawn from theatres due to sound problems. Senuriya, directed by B.D. Prasad Chaudhary with music by Gyaneshwar Dubey, is dubbed from Tamil into Maithili. Surya and Diva Shree starred, and Rami Reddy played the antagonist.
Banner Dev Kala Arts and A. Y. Movies' 2005 Garibak Beti, directed by Manoj Jha and produced by Ajay Yash, was a low-budget Maithili success; Jha's next film was 2010's Mayak Karz, for the same producers. Two successful Maithili films were released in 2011: Sajana Ke Anagana Me Solah Singaar (directed by Murli Dhar) and Mukhiya Jee (directed by Vikash Jha). Another successful Maithili film, An Ideal Lady - Ramaulwali (directed by Niraj Yadav and Randhir Singh), was released in November 2014.
The Maithili film Gamak Ghar premiered at the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival in October 2019, the first Maithili film selected for the festival. Cited as the region's first art film from the region, it had a positive reception at the festival and on the streaming service Mubi. [4]
The Patna Film Festival is an international film festival with participants from Iran, Canada, China, Japan, Sweden, Germany, Russia, the U.S. and India. Since 2006, it has been organized by of Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), the National Film Archive of India, the Federation of Film Societies of India and the state government.
Mini-film festivals were organized by Patna's Cine-Society during the summer and winter from 1973 to 1989; the last festival featured Charlie Chaplin films to celebrate his centenary. Cine-Society aided the government of India and cultural organizations such as the Bihar Art Theater. Facing competition from video, broadcast and satellite television, the society screens about twelve feature and four documentary films from around the world each month, organizes film-appreciation workshops and discussions, publishes a monthly newsletter and continues assisting governmental and non-governmental groups in organizing one or two mini-film festivals annually.
Two film cities were proposed in 2014: Rajgir Film City and a second film city in Valmikinagar. [5] In 2017, the Rajgir project was still alive. [6]
| 2021 Indian feature films certified by the Central Board of Film Certification [7] Note: The actual number of films produced may be less. | |
| Language | No. of films |
|---|---|
| Bhojpuri | 104 |
| Maithili | 2 |
| Total | 106 |
Bhojpuri language films, targeting residents of western Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, also have a large audience in Delhi and Mumbai due to the migration of Bhojpuri speakers to these cities. In addition to India, markets for these films developed among the Bhojpuri-speaking populations of the West Indies, Oceania and South America. [8]
Bhojpuri cinema began in 1962 with Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo (Mother Ganges, I Will Offer You a Yellow Sari), directed by Kundan Kumar. [9] Although few films were produced over the next two decades, Bidesiya (Foreigner, 1963, directed by S. N. Tripathi) and Ganga (Ganges, 1965, directed by Kumar) were successful.
The 2001 film Saiyyan Hamar (My Sweetheart, directed by Mohan Prasad), made Ravi Kissan a star. [10] This was followed by several other successes, including 2005's Panditji Batai Na Biyah Kab Hoi (Priest, Tell Me When I Will Marry, directed by Prasad) and Sasura Bada Paisa Wala (My Father-in-Law, the Rich Guy). Both did better in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar than mainstream Bollywood hits, and earned more than ten times their production costs. [11] Although smaller than other Indian film industries, the success of Bhojpuri cinema spawned an awards show [12] and the trade magazine Bhojpuri City. [13]
Kanyadan released in 1965, was the first full-length Maithili-language film. [14] A number of Maithili-language films have been made, [15] and Mithila Makhaan received a Best Maithili Film award in the language section of the 2017 National Film Awards. [16]
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the third largest state by population, the 12th largest by area, and the 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Bengal to the east, and Jharkhand to the south. The Bihar plain is split by the river Ganges, which flows from west to east.
Magahi, also known as Magadhi, is a Indo-Aryan language spoken in Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal states of eastern India, and in the Terai of Nepal. Magadhi Prakrit was the ancestor of Magahi, from which the latter's name derives.
Arrah is a city and a municipal corporation in Bhojpur district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is the headquarters of Bhojpur district, located near the confluence of the Ganges and Sone rivers, some 24 mi (39 km) from Danapur and 36 mi (58 km) from Patna.
Shahabad district or Arrah district, headquartered at Arrah was a Bhojpuri speaking district in western Bihar, India, making the western border of Bihar with Uttar Pradesh. In 1972, the district was split into two districts: Bhojpur and Rohtas. Kaimur District was carved out from Rohtas in 1991 and Buxar District from Bhojpur in 1992. Historically, the geographic area was the eastern part of the Mahajanapada Kingdom of Kashi, with the Son River separating it from Magadh.
Shailendra was a popular Indian Hindi-Urdu Poet, lyricist and film producer. Noted for his association with the filmmaker Raj Kapoor, singer Mukesh, and the composers Shankar–Jaikishan, he wrote lyrics for several successful Hindi film songs in the 1950s and the 1960s.
Media in Bihar started with Bihar Bandhu, the first Hindi newspaper published there.
Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo is a Bhojpuri film released in 1963 directed by Kundan Kumar. It was the first-ever Bhojpuri film, and starred Kumkum, Ashim Kumar and Nazir Hussain. It had music by Chitragupta, lyrics by Shailendra and songs sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammad Rafi.
Patna Film Festival is an international film festival in Patna, India. Participant countries include Iran, Canada, China, Japan, Sweden, Germany, Russia, the United States, and India. Patna Film Festival started in 2006. It was jointly organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), directorate of the film festival, National Film Archive of India, Federation of Film Societies of India, and the state government.
Bihari culture refers to the culture of the Indian state of Bihar. Bihari culture includes Angika culture, Mithila culture, Bhojpuri Culture and the culture of Magadha.
Bhojpuri cinema, is the segment of Indian cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Bhojpuri language widely spoken in the state of Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar with major production centres in Lucknow and Patna. The first Bhojpuri talkie film, Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo, was released in 1963 by Vishwanath Shahabadi. The 1980s saw the release of many notable as well as run-of-the-mill Bhojpuri films like Bitia Bhail Sayan, Chandwa ke take Chakor, Hamar Bhauji, Ganga Kinare Mora Gaon and Sampoorna Tirth Yatra.
Kumkum,, was an Indian actress.
Padma Khanna is an Indian actress, dancer and director. She appeared mainly in Hindi and Bhojpuri films in the 1970s and 1980s. She is most remembered for her role in the film Saudagar with Amitabh Bachchan and also as Queen Kaikeyi in Ramanand Sagar's epic series Ramayan (1987–88). She has appeared in two Telugu films with N. T. Rama Rao, in Desoddarakulu and Rajaputra Rahasyam. She also acted in Odia movie Sakshi Gopinath(1978)
Leela Mishra was an Indian actress. She worked as a character actor in over 200 Hindi films for five decades, and is best remembered for playing stock characters such as aunts. She is best known for her role of "mausi" in the blockbuster Sholay (1975), Dil Se Mile Dil (1978), Baton Baton Mein (1979), Rajesh Khanna films such as Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein, Aanchal, Mehbooba, Amar Prem and Rajshri Productions hits such as Geet Gaata Chal (1975), Nadiya Ke Paar (1982) and Abodh (1984). Her career's best performance was in Naani Maa in 1981, for which she received Best Actress award at the age of 73.
Nazir Hussain was an Indian actor, director and screenwriter. He was famous as a character actor in Hindi cinema and acted in almost 500 films. Dev Anand starred in a large proportion of the films he acted in.
The 27th Annual Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards were held in 1964, honoring the best in Indian cinema in 1963.
Mithila Makhaan is a Maithili language film directed by Nitin Chandra that stars Anurita Jha, Kranti Prakash Jha and Pankaj Jha.
Sadhana Singh is an Indian actress who appears in Hindi films and television. Sadhana was born into a Rajput family in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Her family hails from the Indian state of Punjab. Her first magazine shot was done by Pardeep Mishra. She started her film career with the 1982 film Nadiya Ke Paar, by writer-director Govind Moonis.
Bhojpuri music is a form of Hindustani Classical Music and includes a broad array of Bhojpuri language performances in distinct style, both traditional and modern. This form of music is mostly created in Indian states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other countries like Nepal, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Guyana, Netherlands, Mauritius and other Caribbean Islands.
Laagi Nahi Chhute Rama is a 1963 Bhojpuri film, directed by Kundan Kumar and produced by R. Tiwari. This was third Bhojpuri film after Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo and Bidesiya. The film stars Sujit Kumar and Kumkum in the lead roles.
