Bhishma Pratigna (transl. The oath of Bhishma) is a 1921 Indian Hindu mythological silent film directed by Raghupathi Surya Prakash (R. S. Prakash).[1] Produced by Surya Prakash and his father Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu under the Star of the East production company, the film stars Surya Prakash as Bhishma and Peggy Castello as Ganga. It is widely recognised as the first Telugu feature film[2] and is also considered by some film historians to be the first feature film produced in South India.[3][4][5] The film was released across India, Burma, and Sri Lanka, and was a significant success.[6] Made on a budget of ₹12,000 (worth ₹2.2 crore in 2021 prices), it earned ₹60,000 in returns.[7]
| Bhishma Pratigna | |
|---|---|
| భీష్మ ప్రతిజ్ఞ | |
| Directed by | Raghupathi Surya Prakash |
| Produced by | Raghupathi Surya Prakash Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu |
| Starring | Ragupathi Surya Prakash Peggy Castello |
Production company | Star of the East |
Release date |
|
| Country | India |
| Language | Silent |
| Budget | ₹12,000 |
| Box office | ₹60,000 |
Cast
edit- Raghupathi Surya Prakash as Bhishma
- Peggy Castello as Ganga
- Bunny Osten
- A. Narayanan
Production
editBhishma Pratigna is notable for being the first film made by a Telugu producer.[8][9] Raghupathi Venkaiah Naidu sent his son, Raghupathi Surya Prakash (R. S. Prakash), abroad to study filmmaking. Prakash trained at Barker Motion Photography in Ealing, London, and furthered his studies in Paris (Pathé), Germany (where he observed F. W. Murnau's work), and Hollywood.[10][11][12] Upon returning to India, Prakash established Star of the East, the first Telugu-owned film production company.[12] In 1921, the father-son duo produced Bhishma Pratigna, with Prakash directing and starring in the title role, while English actress Peggy Castello played Ganga.[13]
The pair went on to produce other films such as Matsyavatar and Nandanar (1923), and Gajendra Moksham (1923). Notable filmmakers C. Pullayya and Y. V. Rao began their careers as followers of Prakash.[12]
References
edit- ^ "Bhishma (1936)". The Hindu. 1 February 2014. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
The first silent version was produced and directed in 1921 by the now forgotten Indian film pioneer R. Prakash (then known as R. Suryaprakash or R.S. Prakash).
- ^ Thoraval, Yves (2000). The Cinemas of India. Macmillan India. p. 346. ISBN 978-0-333-93410-4.
- ^ Hindi Cinema Year Book. Screen World Publication. 2002. p. 21.
- ^ Asian Film Directory and Who's who. 1952. p. 33.
- ^ Hindustan Year-book and Who's who. M. C. Sarkar. 1989.
- ^ Chabria, Suresh; Usai, Paolo Cherchi (1994). Light of Asia: Indian Silent Cinema, 1912-1934. Wiley Eastern. p. 15. ISBN 978-81-224-0680-1.
- ^ Baskaran, Sundararaj Theodore (1981). The Message Bearers: The Nationalist Politics and the Entertainment Media in South India, 1880-1945. Cre-A.
- ^ Rao, Akkina Mareswara (1997). "Celluloid and its past: Cultural and ideological mediation of Telugu cinema in colonial Andhra's Past" (PDF). University of Hyderabad. p. 93. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
- ^ Thoraval, Yves (2000). The Cinemas of India. Macmillan India. ISBN 978-0-333-93410-4.
- ^ Thoraval, Yves (2000). The Cinemas of India. Macmillan India. p. 16. ISBN 978-0-333-93410-4.
Raghupathi Surya Prakash (or Prakasa) was sent to study the cinema industries of London, Paris (Pathe), Germany, and Hollywood. He started the 'Star of the East Film Company' and went on to direct films in Telugu and Tamil.
- ^ Jayasiṃha (2015). Indian Cinema Through the Century. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 104. ISBN 978-81-230-1991-8.
Raghupathi Venkaiah had sent his son Raghupathi Surya Prakash Rao to learn about filmmaking in England. He was attached to Barker Studio in London. He made many silent movies on return from there.
- ^ a b c Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul (1994). Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema. British Film Institute. pp. 1994–1995. ISBN 978-0-85170-455-5.
- ^ Garga, Bhagwan Das (1996). So Many Cinemas: The Motion Picture in India. Eminence Designs. p. 51. ISBN 978-81-900602-1-9.