INDIA’S FIRST HEROINE
Today is Durgabai Kamat's birth anniversary. She was a Marathi theatre actress who went on to become the first actress of Indian cinema. It’s said that Dadasaheb Phalke, now known as the Father of Indian Cinema, could not manage to find even one female actor to act in his movie Raja Harishchandra (1913). It was during that age that Durgabai Kamat took the courageous step of pursuing a career in acting, paving the way for numerous other women in the industry.
Today is Durgabai Kamat's birth anniversary. She was a Marathi theatre actress who went on to become the first actress of Indian cinema. It’s said that Dadasaheb Phalke, now known as the Father of Indian Cinema, could not manage to find even one female actor to act in his movie Raja Harishchandra (1913). It was during that age that Durgabai Kamat took the courageous step of pursuing a career in acting, paving the way for numerous other women in the industry.
INDIA’S FIRST HEROINE
Today is Durgabai Kamat's birth anniversary. She was a Marathi theatre actress who went on to become the first actress of Indian cinema. It’s said that Dadasaheb Phalke, now known as the Father of Indian Cinema, could not manage to find even one female actor to act in his movie Raja Harishchandra (1913). It was during that age that Durgabai Kamat took the courageous step of pursuing a career in acting, paving the way for numerous other women in the industry.
'%3E%3Cpath d='M15.9963 8c0 4.4179-3.5811 7.9993-7.9986 7.9993-4.4176 0-7.9987-3.5814-7.9987-7.9992 0-4.4179 3.5811-7.9992 7.9987-7.9992 4.4175 0 7.9986 3.5813 7.9986 7.9992Z' fill='url(%23paint0_linear_15251_63610)'/%3E%3Cpath d='M15.9973 7.9992c0 4.4178-3.5811 7.9992-7.9987 7.9992C3.5811 15.9984 0 12.417 0 7.9992S3.5811 0 7.9986 0c4.4176 0 7.9987 3.5814 7.9987 7.9992Z' fill='url(%23paint1_radial_15251_63610)'/%3E%3Cpath d='M7.9996 5.9081c-.3528-.8845-1.1936-1.507-2.1748-1.507-1.4323 0-2.4254 1.328-2.4254 2.6797 0 2.2718 2.3938 4.0094 4.0816 5.1589.3168.2157.7205.2157 1.0373 0 1.6878-1.1495 4.0815-2.8871 4.0815-5.159 0-1.3517-.993-2.6796-2.4254-2.6796-.9811 0-1.822.6225-2.1748 1.507Z' fill='%23fff'/%3E%3C/g%3E%3Cdefs%3E%3CradialGradient id='paint1_radial_15251_63610' cx='0' cy='0' r='1' gradientUnits='userSpaceOnUse' gradientTransform='matrix(0 7.9992 -7.99863 0 7.9986 7.9992)'%3E%3Cstop offset='.5637' stop-color='%23E11731' stop-opacity='0'/%3E%3Cstop offset='1' stop-color='%23E11731' stop-opacity='.1'/%3E%3C/radialGradient%3E%3ClinearGradient id='paint0_linear_15251_63610' x1='2.3986' y1='2.4007' x2='13.5975' y2='13.5993' gradientUnits='userSpaceOnUse'%3E%3Cstop stop-color='%23FF74AE'/%3E%3Cstop offset='.5001' stop-color='%23FA2E3E'/%3E%3Cstop offset='1' stop-color='%23FF5758'/%3E%3C/linearGradient%3E%3CclipPath id='clip0_15251_63610'%3E%3Cpath fill='%23fff' d='M-.001.0009h15.9992v15.9984H-.001z'/%3E%3C/clipPath%3E%3C/defs%3E%3C/svg%3E){kind=small}
========================================================================
Cinemaa India Storytelling | Episode 6
Before Indian cinema had heroines, two women had to first step before the camera.
Durgabai Kamat and her daughter Kamlabai Gokhale are remembered among the first women to act in Indian cinema.
In Mohini Bhasmasur, Durgabai appeared as Parvati and Kamlabai appeared as Mohini. But their importance goes far beyond those roles.
At a time when women appearing on screen was still socially risky, they did not just perform.
They opened a door.
Before glamour.
Before stardom.
Before industry comfort.
There was courage.
Episode 6 remembers the mother and daughter who helped Indian cinema move from absence to presence, from male actors playing women to women claiming their own place before the movie camera.
Full CineMAA India Storytelling playlist:
CineMAA India remembers even when the world forgets.
Accuracy Note: Early cinema history often carries conflicting dates, spellings, credits and archival interpretations. If you find any correction or additional verified source, do share it with us.
======================================================================
