The birth of Bollywood movies

Summary

Forever Ago® Episode Summary: The Birth of Bollywood Movies

Podcast Information:

• Title: Forever Ago®
• Host/Author: American Public Media
• Description: Brains On presents Forever Ago®, a family-friendly history show that delves into the intriguing histories of everyday things, transforming learning about the past into a fun and thought-provoking experience.
• Episode: The Birth of Bollywood Movies
• Release Date: April 16, 2025

---

Introduction to Bollywood

In this episode of Forever Ago®, hosts Joy Dolo and Senna embark on an adventurous journey to uncover the fascinating origins of Bollywood, the colossal film industry based in Mumbai, India. They explore how Bollywood evolved from humble beginnings into a multi-billion dollar industry, influencing millions worldwide.

Notable Quote:

• Joy Dolo: “Bollywood is the nickname given to a giant movie industry in Bombay, India. It's a mashup of Hollywood that’s the hub of moviemaking in the US and Bombay.” [02:37]

Meet Dada Saheb Falke: The Pioneer

The heart of the episode revolves around Dada Saheb Falke, a visionary who played a pivotal role in establishing Bollywood. The story begins in the late 1800s, a period when India was under British rule, and technological advancements like cinema were just emerging.

Early Challenges

Falke’s passion for filmmaking sparked at the age of 40 after watching his first movie in 1911. Inspired by the silent, black-and-white film "The Life of Christ," he envisioned creating Indian stories on the silver screen, particularly Hindu epics rich with gods, heroes, and dramatic tales.

Notable Quotes:

• Senna: “Movies were totally new. The idea of moving pictures was so strange that it was kind of scary.” [19:23]
• Joy Dolo: “Dada Sahib Falke was lucky though. He grew up with a lot of opportunities, he was able to get a good education and even went to art school.” [08:22]

Learning and Adaptation

Determined to bring his vision to life, Falke traveled to London to learn the fundamentals of filmmaking under the mentorship of filmmaker Cecil Hepworth. He absorbed the technical aspects of shooting and editing, which he later adapted to suit Indian audiences upon his return to Bombay.

Notable Quote:

• Anupama Prabhala (Guest Expert): “Falke literally went out of his way to get what he wanted.” [16:07]

Overcoming Societal Barriers

One of Falke’s significant hurdles was convincing women to act in his films. In a society that viewed public performance as unseemly for women, Falke ingeniously cast a man to play the leading female role in his first film, "Raja Harshchandra" (1913). This groundbreaking move paved the way for women in Indian cinema by the 1930s.

Notable Quote:

• Anupama Prabhala: “Women were supposed to play very traditional, caregiving roles... And that's why women wouldn't act in front of the camera.” [18:01]

The Emergence of Bollywood’s Signature Style

Falke’s films were characterized by epic storytelling, blending traditional Indian narratives with the new medium of film. His work laid the foundation for what would become hallmark elements of Bollywood: elaborate song and dance sequences, colorful costumes, and intermissions during lengthy screenings.

Notable Quotes:

• Tejaswini Ganti (Guest Expert): “The stories are kind of seen as epic... struggle often about love... all these films have an intermission.” [05:42]
• Joy Dolo: “From there, movies got bigger and bigger and so did the audiences. Today, Bollywood is a multi-billion dollar industry.” [22:00]

Technological Advancements and Cultural Impact

As Bollywood grew, technological advancements like sound in films revolutionized the industry. The integration of music and dance was a natural extension of India’s vibrant live theater traditions, solidifying Bollywood’s unique identity.

Notable Quote:

• Joy Dolo: “Middle of the silent era, Falke went on to make a lot more hit movies... song and dance became a key part of Indian cinema.” [21:40]

Legacy of Dada Saheb Falke

Falke’s relentless determination and innovative spirit not only established Bollywood but also inspired future generations of filmmakers. His contributions are commemorated through prestigious awards in India, ensuring his legacy endures in the annals of cinema history.

Notable Quote:

• Joy Dolo: “Falque is still remembered. In fact, one of the top prizes for film in India is named after him.” [22:15]

Interactive Segment: "First Things First"

Throughout the episode, Joy and Senna engage listeners with an interactive game titled "First Things First," challenging them to order significant milestones in film history. This segment enhances listener engagement and reinforces the educational aspect of the show.

Notable Quotes:

• Joy Dolo: “We put these things in order. The first color movie, first full-length movie with talking in it, and the first full-length animated or cartoon movie.” [10:32]
• Senna: “My brain is blown.” [27:07]

Conclusion

The episode culminates by highlighting how Bollywood, born from the vision and perseverance of pioneers like Dada Saheb Falke, has become an integral part of global cinema. Joy and Senna encourage listeners to appreciate the rich history and cultural significance of Bollywood, inspiring them to delve deeper into the stories that shape our world.

Notable Quote:

• Senna: “He not only had the dream of telling Indian stories on screen, he was creative enough to make those movies and smart enough to build an audience.” [23:28]

---

Key Takeaways

• Dada Saheb Falke's Vision: His passion and determination were crucial in establishing Bollywood as a prominent film industry.
• Cultural Integration: Bollywood seamlessly blended traditional Indian narratives with modern filmmaking techniques, creating a unique cinematic experience.
• Overcoming Societal Norms: Falke’s innovative casting choices helped pave the way for women in Indian cinema.
• Technological Advancements: The adoption of sound and color in films further solidified Bollywood’s appeal and growth.
• Enduring Legacy: Falke’s contributions continue to influence Bollywood, ensuring its place in the global entertainment landscape.

---

Notable Quotes Summary

1. Joy Dolo: “Bollywood is the nickname given to a giant movie industry in Bombay, India. It's a mashup of Hollywood that’s the hub of moviemaking in the US and Bombay.” [02:37]
2. Senna: “Movies were totally new. The idea of moving pictures was so strange that it was kind of scary.” [19:23]
3. Anupama Prabhala: “Falke literally went out of his way to get what he wanted.” [16:07]
4. Tejaswini Ganti: “The stories are kind of seen as epic... struggle often about love... all these films have an intermission.” [05:42]
5. Joy Dolo: “Falque is still remembered. In fact, one of the top prizes for film in India is named after him.” [22:15]
6. Senna: “He not only had the dream of telling Indian stories on screen, he was creative enough to make those movies and smart enough to build an audience.” [23:28]

---

Credits:

• Written by: Sandon Totten
• Produced by: Nico Gonzalez, Whistler, Ruby Guthrie
• Edited by: Shayla Farzon
• Fact-Checking: Rebecca Randy
• Engineering: Alex Simpson
• Sound Design: Rachel Breese
• Original Theme Music: Mark Sanchez
• Additional Production: Brains on Universe Team

---

Listener Engagement: Joy and Senna invite listeners to share their thoughts and engage with the podcast by sending in badge ideas and fan art, fostering a community of curious and enthusiastic learners.

---

Future Episodes: Stay tuned for upcoming episodes, including topics like the Native Youth Olympics, promising more intriguing historical explorations and educational content for the whole family.

---

Final Thought: "The Birth of Bollywood Movies" episode of Forever Ago® masterfully combines historical insight with engaging storytelling, making the rich legacy of Bollywood accessible and entertaining for listeners of all ages.

Transcript

[Joy Dolo]

Explorer's log. Joy Dolo, Captain of the Forever Ago. Here, with my trusty companion, Senna. We're entering the ancient ruins of a long forgotten civilization.

[Senna]

We're making this recording to share what we find on this dark and dangerous journey. In case we don't return.

[Joy Dolo]

That's right. We've traveled long and far. By plane, ship, rollerblade, pogo stick, hopscotch, bicycle, tricycle, unicycle. Did I mention Rollerblade? And two stops on the metro. All in search of this legendary location.

[Senna]

Now that we've found it, we shall explore. Torches ablaze.

[Joy Dolo]

Actually, these are glow sticks.

[Senna]

Step in lightly so as not to disturb the shaky ground.

[Joy Dolo]

That's why I'm in my bunny slippers. Hop, hop, hop.

[Senna]

Pen in hand, taking notes of the an ancient artifacts we find.

[Joy Dolo]

Oh, this isn't a pen. It's a Twizzler. Was I supposed to bring a pen, Sally?

[Senna]

Who knows what wonders we'll discover.

[Doug]

Uh, excuse me, lady with the bunny slippers and glow stick? No eating candy in here. You'll get the shelves sticky.

[Joy Dolo]

Eat. Gads. A citizen of this forgotten realm.

[Senna]

And he's alive.

[Doug]

Of course I'm alive. And this isn't some forgotten realm, ma'am. This is a video rental store.

[Joy Dolo]

Ah, yes, the ancient site known as a video rental store. People would come to this establishment to borrow physical copies of movies and watch them at home. Truly a wonder to behold. Oh, the Little Mermaid. I love this one. I'm Joydolo, here with my pal Sena.

[Senna]

Hey.

[Joy Dolo]

And this is Forever Ago from APM Studios. We're a nonprofit public radio program that.

[Senna]

Means you keep us going.

[Joy Dolo]

You can do that by donating, joining Smarty Pass, or buying a shirt that has my face on it.

[Senna]

Head over to foreverago.org and show your support. Thanks.

[Joy Dolo]

Now today, Senna and I are on an adventure.

[Senna]

We're exploring the history of Bollywood cinema.

[Joy Dolo]

And the story of one man who helped bring it to life. His name was Dada Saheb Falke.

[Senna]

Bollywood is the nickname given to a giant movie industry in Bombay, India. It's a mashup of Hollywood that's the.

[Joy Dolo]

Hub of moviemaking in the US And Bombay.

[Senna]

Bombay plus Hollywood equals Bollywood.

[Joy Dolo]

Bombay is the old name of India's largest city. Today it's called Mumbai. But the name Bollywood lives on. Senna, do you watch Bollywood movies?

[Senna]

I've watched a few clips from Bollywood movies. I also like the song Chaya Chaya from the movie Dilsey. I like it because it's like a train and people Are on top of the train dancing.

[Joy Dolo]

Oh, yeah, that sounds pretty cool. Well, to help set a cinematic movie tastic mood, we're camped out in this dusty old video rental store.

[Doug]

Geez, it's just a video rental store, not the lost kingdom of Atlantis. And it's not that dusty. I actually cleaned it last week. Or was that last year?

[Joy Dolo]

Oh, I almost forgot. That is our noble guide. His name is Doug, guardian of the divids.

[Doug]

For the last time, my name is Doug. Doug. And they're pronounced D V ds. You know, the shiny little discs that play movies. By the way, Bollywood. That's in aisle six. Just past French new wave and right before Korean drama.

[Joy Dolo]

Thank you, Doug. Hmm. So how do you define a Bollywood film anyway? Like, what makes it different from other movies?

[Tejaswini Ganti]

I can help with that.

[Senna]

Whoa.

[Joy Dolo]

Where did you come from?

[Tejaswini Ganti]

Oh, just behind that rack of movies. I'm just picking up a couple to watch this weekend.

[Joy Dolo]

Oh, cool. And who are you?

[Tejaswini Ganti]

I'm Tejaswiniganti. I'm a professor at New York University and I know all about Bollywood. I've even written some books about it.

[Senna]

Oh, hi. My name is Sena and this is Joy. We love to pick your brain.

[Tejaswini Ganti]

Sure.

[Senna]

So what makes Bollywood films unique?

[Tejaswini Ganti]

So there are certain defining features. One thing that I'm sure many people, especially in the US as soon as they think of Bollywood, they think of music. They think of song and dance.

[Joy Dolo]

That's right. You usually see big, flashy dance numbers. Lots of people with colorful costumes and super catchy songs.

[Senna]

I love dance numbers. I'm actually taking lessons to learn Bollywood dance moves.

[Joy Dolo]

So what moves are you learning, Sana?

[Senna]

I like the flower blooming step. It's kind of like a flower opening. You twist your hand so it's like a flower opening.

[Joy Dolo]

Oh, cool. Like a flower blooming dance. That's cool. Is there other moves that you like?

[Senna]

I really like the glitter. It's like you shake your hands from side to side like you're trying to get the glitter off your hands.

[Joy Dolo]

Oh, like you're shaking glitter off?

[Senna]

Yeah, like from left to right or right to left?

[Joy Dolo]

Oh, I like that glitter. Oh, I'm gonna work on that one. So, Tejaswini, what about the stories? What kind of stories do you usually see in Bollywood films?

[Tejaswini Ganti]

The stories are kind of seen as epic. You know, they're always kind of like larger than life. Struggle often about love. Rich girl, poor boy. Poor girl, rich boy. You know, so a lot, you know, often about, like, love across social boundaries. The other thing that's also Distinctive is that all these films have an intermission.

[Senna]

That means Bollywood movies usually have a break in the middle so you can get more snacks or go to the bathroom.

[Joy Dolo]

Right, because these movies are long. Sometimes three or even four hours.

[Tejaswini Ganti]

Well, nice chatting with you. I got my movies, so I gotta run. Hey, Doug, put these on my tab.

[Anupama Prabhala]

See ya.

[Joy Dolo]

Let's see what Bollywood movies they have on the shelf here. Oh, this looks cool. It's called Mr. India and it's from 1987.

[Senna]

What's it about?

[Joy Dolo]

It says it's about a man. His father was an inventor who built a machine that can make the person who wears it invisible. The man finds the invisibility machine and uses it to fight crime and save all of India.

[Senna]

Ooh, this looks great too. It's called Jaga jasus. It's from 2017. It's about a boy who goes on a wild adventure. He's looking for his long lost father. The boy struggles with words, but can express himself in song. I gotta see that. Grab these movies and let's watch them later.

[Joy Dolo]

Good call. Okay, now that we know a little more about Bollywood movies, let's learn about.

[Senna]

The history and the man who helped pioneer Indian filmmaking.

[Joy Dolo]

His name was Dada Sahib Falke and his story begins in the late 1800s.

[Senna]

Back then, people mostly traveled by train or ship. Cars were still new and very rare.

[Joy Dolo]

Most homes didn't have electricity or radios or even telephones.

[Senna]

People mostly got their news from newspapers or talking to their neighbors.

[Joy Dolo]

During this time, India was under British rule, which meant that the country was controlled by Great Britain. That means British people usually made the rules for the Indian people who lived.

[Senna]

There, which was totally unfair. They made Indians pay them lots of taxes and they took a lot of natural resources out of the country. Much of India was very poor back then too.

[Joy Dolo]

Dada Sahib Falke was lucky though. He grew up with a lot of opportunities, he was able to get a good education and even went to art school.

[Senna]

He picked up a ton of skills. Drawing, painting, printing, architecture, photography. He even did magic shows.

[Joy Dolo]

This guy picked up new skills like my sweater picks up cat hair. But Falque didn't find his true calling until he was about 40 years old. That's when he saw his first movie.

[Senna]

It was the year 1911. Movies were brand new technology at that time, and they were pretty different from today.

[Joy Dolo]

They were black and white and they were silent. So they didn't have any talking or music. But sometimes live musicians played along with the images. One of the first movies Falque saw Was a religious film called the life of Christ. He was inspired by this new technology.

[Senna]

And he thought, what if you could use the same technology to show Hindu epics?

[Joy Dolo]

Hinduism was and is the biggest religion in India. It's full of incredible stories with gods and goddesses, daring heroes and demons.

[Senna]

Falke thought putting those tails on a movie screen would be the cruelest.

[Joy Dolo]

Falke became obsessed with movies. He started watching hours of them every day. He was skipping sleep. He had to make his own movies. But cameras were expensive, and buying film, hiring a cast, getting costumes and sets, that was gonna take a ton of money, which he didn't have.

[Senna]

But like the hero of Bollywood film, Falcon would succeed against these incredible odds.

[Joy Dolo]

We'll tell you how in a minute. But first, let's hit pause and play a game of first things first. That's the game where we put three things in the order they came in history. Today's things are movie milestones. We've got the first color movie. So a full length film in color. The first full length movie with talking in it, and the first full length animated or cartoon movie. Senna, which of these do you think came first and which you think came second and most recently in history?

[Senna]

I think maybe animated came first, then color, and then maybe talking. I'm not completely sure, though.

[Joy Dolo]

Animated, color and then talking?

[Senna]

I think so, maybe.

[Joy Dolo]

So why that order?

[Senna]

I don't know. Animated feels like it would be pretty easy. Just draw a bunch of animated pictures. Yeah, and then talking sounds really hard to put on. And color, too. You have to color a lot.

[Joy Dolo]

A lot of coloring. Okay, so animated because it seems like it's easy to draw color and sound. Talking, because it seems like it's a little harder to lay over. Those are great guesses. Is that your final answer?

[Senna]

Coloring, talking may be switched around, But I think animate is. I think animated should stay there.

[Joy Dolo]

So it could be animated color talking, or it could be animated talking, color.

[Senna]

Yeah.

[Joy Dolo]

Yes. All right, well, we'll hear the answers at the end of the show, so stick around. We're working on an episode all about the girl scouts. Girl scouts earn badges for gaining special skills, like learning how to do first aid or cooking a delicious meal or even being a great friend. And we want to know, if you could give a badge to an important person in your life, what badge would you give them and why? What about you, Senna? Is there someone in your life who deserves a badge for something?

[Senna]

I would give a badge to my dance teacher, Vonnie, for teaching me all my dance moves.

[Joy Dolo]

That's cool. For me, I would give my dog King Louie a Poop Master badge because he's the poop Master. Like, when he goes outside, he just does his business. There's no waiting around. It's Minnesota. It's freezing here. You don't wait in the snow and the cold. You just do the poopy and you head back in the housey. And that's why we give him the Poop Master badge. Listeners, we want to hear from you too. Record yourself describing who you would give a badge to and what it would be for and send it to [e-mail] contact.

[Senna]

You can also send us questions and fan art.

[Joy Dolo]

Yes, like a drawing of me and my pet elephant, Hermey, dancing to Bollywood music. Can't wait to see it. Brains on Universe is a family of podcasts for kids and their adults. Since you're a fan of Forever a goal, you'll love the other shows in our universe. Come on, let's explore. It's Alien exercise hour. Hi yah hoo ha. While I stretch my snoodles and bounce on my trampolini, I'll listen to a new podcast. I'm going to try Brains on the best science podcast ever.

[Senna]

It's starting.

[Joy Dolo]

Yay. Hello and welcome to Pop Planet, the only show that gets you up close and personal with space. I'm your host, star Eden Zorp. Come back here. Podcast must listen to Brains On Now. Listen to Brains on wherever you get your podcasts.

[F]

Hey, friends. Molly Sandon and Mark here with some very big news. Drumroll, please.

[Doug]

We're hitting the road in search of adventure, fresh air, and you.

[Joy Dolo]

That's right. We're going to be live at the Boulder theater in Boulder, Colorado on Sunday, April 27.

[F]

Our science themed live stage show takes the audience on an adventure through the brain, complete with magic tricks, dance moves, out of body experiences, mystery sounds, and a game show.

[Doug]

Molly, you almost left out the most important part.

[Joy Dolo]

Yeah, Molly, don't forget the big party.

[F]

Oh, right after the shows, we're throwing a Brain Tastic bash. Join us afterward for a VIP party where we'll play games, guess mystery sounds, pose for photos, and give as many high fives as humanly possible. Snag a spot by bright, purchasing a VIP pass when you buy your show ticket.

[Doug]

Oh, that reminds me, I've got to start training. These hands aren't going to high five by themselves.

[Joy Dolo]

Good idea. And remember, spots are limited, so grab your tickets [e-mail] events.

[G]

Is there a teen in your life who needs A little extra help learning how to manage their finances. Financially Inclined From Marketplace is a podcast you can trust to help Gen Z get serious about money. I'm the host, Janelli Espinal, and each week I talk to experts about essential and practical personal finance topics like choosing a college that you can actually afford, finding internship opportunities, and how to start a business while you're still young. Let's make sure the next generation gets these financial lessons sooner than we did. Listen to Financially inclined wherever you get your podcasts.

[Joy Dolo]

Welcome back to Forever Ago. I'm Joy.

[Senna]

And I'm Sena.

[Joy Dolo]

And we're telling the story of Dada Saheb Falke, the man who helped launch the Bollywood film industry.

[Doug]

And I'm Doug and I work at this video store. And I'm just letting you know that we close in five minutes. Got that.

[Joy Dolo]

But we can't leave Doug. We're not done telling the story. Plus, you have all these movie snacks for sale. You can't talk movie history without snacks.

[Doug]

You know you have to pay for those.

[Joy Dolo]

I know. Doug here. Now, where were we?

[Senna]

We're talking about Dada Sahib Falke. He wanted to make a movie in India, but he didn't have a camera or the skills or anything really.

[Joy Dolo]

Right. But he did have one thing. Not giving up. Ness.

[Senna]

Or as most people call it, determination.

[Joy Dolo]

Falque cobbled together some cash and traveled to London. There, he managed to meet up with a filmmaker named Cecil Hepworth.

[Anupama Prabhala]

Yes, Falke literally went out of his way to get what he wanted.

[Senna]

Oh, hello. Let me guess. You're looking for DVDs.

[Anupama Prabhala]

Yes, I am.

[Senna]

And you happen to be an expert on Bollywood cinema?

[Anupama Prabhala]

Why, yes. My name is Anupama Prabhala. I am a professor of film, TV and media studies at Loyola Marymount University. I write about and teach classes on the origins and history of Bombay cinema, also known as Bollywood.

[Senna]

Wow.

[Joy Dolo]

What are the odds? So tell us more about Falque's time in London.

[Anupama Prabhala]

That's where he kind of learns the grammar of filmmaking. What is a shot? How to cut, how long a shot should be? What films? Well, in black and white, he learns some of these things in the Hepworth studio. But back in Bombay, he adapts the tricks he's learned to appeal to Indian audiences.

[Joy Dolo]

So he learns the basics of moviemaking while he's in London and manages to buy a camera. Then he heads back to India to make his first movie. But he quickly runs into another problem. He can't find a woman to star in the movie.

[Anupama Prabhala]

Women were Supposed to play very traditional, caregiving roles, cook for their family. And any woman who had a public life was seen as, you know, not respectable. And that's why women wouldn't act in front of the camera.

[Senna]

So there was a lot of pressure from society on women. It made them feel like acting was a bad thing to do.

[Joy Dolo]

Even Falque's own wife wouldn't be in his movie. So eventually he found a man working at a restaurant and convinced him to play the leading lady role.

[Senna]

Finally, in 1913, the movie was ready.

[Joy Dolo]

It was called Raja Harshchandra. It's a story about a noble king who has to give up his kingdom. But in the end, he makes the gods happy and they give it back to him.

[Senna]

He was 40 minutes long, black and white and silent.

[Joy Dolo]

Sometimes there would be a person there describing the action while the movie played, or live musicians playing along.

[Senna]

The next challenge was getting people to see it.

[Joy Dolo]

Back then, movies were played by running long rolls of a thin, plasticky material called film through a big projector. The projector then shined a moving image on a screen.

[Senna]

At the time, people watched plays for entertainment or went to concerts, but they had never seen a movie before. Movies were totally new. The idea of moving pictures was so strange that it was kind of scary.

[Joy Dolo]

But people had seen still photos before. So Falke told people movies were just lots of photos combined together. Right, Anupama?

[Anupama Prabhala]

Exactly. So at one point he was like, you know, one minute of a film strip is like 3750 images. And then he goes, that's 3750 photographs.

[Senna]

He used something they had seen before photos to make them feel more comfortable with something they hadn't seen before movies. And he tried to drum up interest by having his cast act up parts of the movie at busy places around town.

[Anupama Prabhala]

So he does all of these things and people at one point think he's mad. He's a maverick because he's experimenting so much.

[Senna]

But Falke wasn't just hustling to convince people to see his movies. He was hustling to show them to people too.

[Joy Dolo]

Sometimes he had to literally carry those big reels of film in a cart all across town from show to show.

[Anupama Prabhala]

And we can imagine, you know, how much of a sort of family effort this was. Like, okay, his wife is helping him and he's kind of carrying this material to smaller parts around Bombay in order to get that new audience right.

[Senna]

But eventually it pays off big time.

[Joy Dolo]

His movies were hits. Critics loved them.

[Senna]

Soon people were offering him big money deals to make More and more movies.

[Joy Dolo]

And he made new film fans left and right after this, there was no going back. India became a country that loves movies.

[Senna]

Of course, he wasn't the only one making films at the time. But he was one of the most successful of the silent era. And that helped build an audience.

[Anupama Prabhala]

Exactly. And. Oh, here's the movie I was looking for. I gotta head out now. Nice talking to you both. See you around, Doug.

[Doug]

Yep. On the tab. See ya. Wait, so what happened next, Doug?

[Joy Dolo]

Have you been listening this whole time?

[Senna]

Yeah.

[Doug]

I consider myself a film buff, but I didn't know any of this. Finish the story, please.

[Senna]

But isn't it closing time?

[Joy Dolo]

Eh?

[Doug]

I'll stay open for you.

[Joy Dolo]

Awesome. Well, Falque went on to make a lot more hit movies. And he even found women willing to act in his second film.

[Senna]

In fact, by the 1930s, it became more common to see women on the screen in India.

[Joy Dolo]

Around that same time, movies with sound got popular. Song and dance became a key part of Indian cinema.

[Senna]

Right. Live theater performances in India already featured a lot of singing and dancing. So it was a natural fit for the movies.

[Joy Dolo]

From there, movies got bigger and bigger and so did the audiences. Today, Bollywood is a multi billion dollar industry. And Falque is still remembered. In fact, one of the top prizes for film in India is named after him.

[Doug]

Wow.

[Joy Dolo]

So cool.

[Doug]

Consider me a Falque fanatic. Now, I hear tell that you're looking to see one of these ancient films of Falque.

[Joy Dolo]

Yes, that's exactly what we seek to find.

[Doug]

I am here to tell you they are not on the format you call dvd. I have them on an even more ancient vessel. One called a Vhis.

[Senna]

Wait, you mean a VHS tape? The big blocky things people used to buy movies on?

[Doug]

Yeah. Just kidding. They are called vhs. We can go watch them in the screening room. Come on.

[Joy Dolo]

One sec. Just gotta grab a few more Twizzlers.

[Doug]

Joy, again, you do have to pay for that. Ugh.

[Joy Dolo]

Why does shopping always have to cost money? Dada Sahib Falke was a visionary who helped shape an entire film industry.

[Senna]

Yeah. He not only had the dream of telling Indian stories on screen, he was creative enough to make those movies and smart enough to build an audience.

[Joy Dolo]

Even though Bollywood films today are pretty different from fall case silent movies, you can see his fingerprints all over the industry.

[Senna]

And speaking of fingerprints, Joy, your candy covered fingers are leaving prints all over the DVDs we rented.

[Joy Dolo]

Don't tell Doug. It was me. This episode was written by Sandon Totten. It was produced by Nico Gonzalez Whistler and Ruby Guthrie. It was edited by Shayla Farzon. Fact checking by Rebecca Randy. Engineering help from Alex Simpson with sound design by Rachel Breese. Original theme music by Mark Sanchez. We had additional production help from the rest of the Brains on Universe team.

[F]

Molly Bloom, Rosie Dupont, Anna Goldfield, Lauren.

[Senna]

Humbert, Joshua Wright, Mark Sanchez, Charlotte Traver.

[Joy Dolo]

Anna Weigel and Aron Woldesilassi. Beth Perlman is our executive producer and the executives in charge of Apart Studios are Chandra Kavadi and Joanne Griffith. Special thanks to Tejaswini Ganti, Anupama Prabhala, Nicole Dubriel and Sharath Ciletti, and Avni. Okay, Senna, Ready to hear the answers for First Things First?

[Senna]

Definitely.

[Joy Dolo]

Okay, as a reminder, we're putting these things in order. The first color movie, first full length movie with talking in it, and the first full length animated or cartoon movie. And so you said one animated and then color and then talking, right?

[Senna]

Yeah, or.

[Joy Dolo]

Or talking or talking in color. Okay, well, let's see what the first feature film was that was in history. All right. The first one was colored movies. Can you believe it? What? Yeah, yeah. That was invented in 1914. That's over a hundred years ago.

[Senna]

That's crazy.

[Joy Dolo]

I know. So the first movie credited as having natural color was called the World, the Flesh and the Devil. And it was filmed with red and green filters. So while it was definitely more colorful than previous movies, some shades like blue were missing. And before this, filmmakers would sometimes paint the film by hand to give a movie color. Could you imagine painting a movie by hand?

[Senna]

That would take a long time.

[Joy Dolo]

And then second was cartoon movies. Isn't that something? And that was in 1917. So just a few years after the colored movie. So historians usually say the first full length animated movie was a political fantasy from Argentina. It was called El Apostol. It's about the then president of Argentina having a dream where he climbs Mount Olympus and talks politics with the gods there. The animation was made with figures cut out of paper. That was. That's a long way from like spongebob the movie. So last but not least is talking movies. Yeah. And that was 1927, which is again 10 years after that last one, which was 1967.

[Senna]

That's crazy. Yeah, it's like boom, boom, boom.

[Joy Dolo]

Yeah, it was like all back to back to back. It was like movies were invented and then all these different kinds of movies came out afterwards.

[Senna]

Yeah.

[Joy Dolo]

So the first full movie with recorded dialogue was called the Jazz Singer. And it's about a young man who Dreams of being a famous singer. Even though this goes against his parents wishes. The movie is credited as being the first talkie, a nickname for old films with talking in them. But it only had 281 words in it, which is hardly any talking. Still, most people say it marked the end of the silent film era. Okay, that was a lot of information.

[Senna]

Yeah.

[Joy Dolo]

Let's digest it. What do you think of that?

[Senna]

My brain is blown.

[Joy Dolo]

Yeah. What's the coolest fact you heard there?

[Senna]

It's like really mind blowing that they made the first anime. I don't know. But cut out like people out of paper.

[Joy Dolo]

Yeah.

[Senna]

Like that took a lot of hard work.

[Joy Dolo]

Would you ever do something like that? Like make little papers and make a little movie?

[Senna]

I don't think so. Well, I am doing a stop motion and me and my two friends who are doing it with me, we cut out the paper. But we didn't have. We don't have that many, like, props.

[Joy Dolo]

Oh.

[Senna]

So it's pretty easy.

[Joy Dolo]

But so you cut out the paper yourselves and then you like make a story. Or is it like.

[Senna]

Like it's about a farmer. So cut a farmer, draw the farmer on the paper and it's like stop motion. You have the things in place, you take a picture and you move them the tiniest bit. And you do that over and over again. And then when you speed it up, it looks like it's moving.

[Joy Dolo]

Oh, that's so. Okay. So you're making a movie?

[Senna]

Sort of, yeah.

[Joy Dolo]

So you're a movie maker, film star. Okay. Not a big deal. Can I be in it? Can I be the farmer? Listen to my farmer voice. Hey, get off my crops, you kids. I changed my mind. I've changed my ways. That was my audition.

[Senna]

We're not gonna have anyone to speak for the farmer.

[Joy Dolo]

Yeah.

[Senna]

Or the sheep. It's about a farmer trying to grow rainbow grape. Or a beautiful grape ends up growing a rainbow grape. Oh, and then the sheep with concerningly long legs eats it.

[Joy Dolo]

The sheep with concerning long legs.

[Senna]

Yeah. And then it turns rainbow. And then wolves come and eat the sheep and they turn rainbow.

[Joy Dolo]

That's so cool. You know what you should do? You should add like a rainbow dance. So then it could be like Bollywood with music and things. Join us next week for a new episode all about the Native Youth Olympics.

[Senna]

Thanks for listening.