Bengali movies have a good history in the South Asia region. They have branched widely from the two basic root systems, one in Dhaka and Bangladesh and the other in Kolkata, West Bengal. They date back to the 18th century when the first cinemas were displayed in the streets of Kolkata. The 18th century cinemas involved bioscopes and not the usual theatre screens. It is interesting to know that these little bioscopes have performed well and they have almost made the best base to the present film industry.
Victorian Era Cinema:
Victorian Era cinema was an era in which cinema took its roots deep into the Bengali soil. Hiralal Sen was the first man to start the Bioscope Company in Bengal. The Bioscope Company displayed several staged performances from several theatres, Star theatres, and Classic theatres. The ever first Bengali film was produced in 1919 and it was named Billwamangal. It was bannered with Madan Theatre. Madan theatre has done many movies since then. It made the Jamai Shashthi in 1931, which was huge success during that period. During 1931, several parallel releases were made in several parts of the state. Mukh O Mukhosh that was done in August 1956 based on the drama Dacoit.
Honours in Bengal Movie Industry:
Several great honours existed in the Bengali movie industry.
- The most famous cinema movement “Parallel Cinema” was first done in the Bengali film industry rather than in the other industries. The movement soon was transformed to other film industries too.
- Academy honorary award winner Satyajit Ray also won the Bharat Ratna and Legion of Honor. This legend was the greatest victory of the Bengal movie industry. Apart from him, several other legends were produced by the Bengal industry. Mrinal Sen and Wilford E.Deming were the other great moviemakers who did best in the Bengali movie.
- Several moviemakers like Ritwik Ghatak and Bimal Roy have produced several classics. The Nagarik, which was produced in 1952, was a great victory and was almost the best role model Bengali movie to the present Bengali film industry.
The Bengal movie field have produced several great heroes, producers and directors. They have had an audience of about 230 million viewers all around the globe. It is estimated that around 30 to 40 Bengal movies hit the theatres every year with an average of two Bengal movies in a month. This opportunity is meant to merry all the Bengali people in the world.
