The veteran producer thinks the Father of Indian cinema is a wellspring of inspiration for all makers.

The father of Indian cinema, Dhundiraj Govind Phalke or Dadasaheb Phalke passed away on 16 February 1944 but even today the influence of this iconic producer, director, and screenwriter on subsequent generations, remains unsurpassed. Veteran producer Anand Pandit has great admiration for the pioneer and says, “Can you imagine that Dadasaheb made India’s first full-length feature film back in 1913 without a single precedent? And then went on to make 95 features and 27 shorts in just 19 years? He is the reason why we have come this far and he is still the wellspring of inspiration for us all.”

The maker known for his mythological works like Mohini Bhasmasu, Satyavan Savitri, Lanka Dahan, and Shri Krishna Janma created the cinematic template that was followed by many other makers subsequently and says Pandit, “There is a Dadasaheb Phalke in all of us. All of us want to be celebrated as pioneers, break new ground and create a legacy that will be remembered forever but it is near impossible even today to do one percent of what he did all those decades ago with such limited means.”

Pandit believes his expertise came from his multifaceted talent and says, “When we make films, it is important to have an artist’s eye and technical proficiency and Dadasaheb was an artist and a technical whiz. He was a student of art and had in-depth knowledge about architecture which came in handy while creating backdrops for his cinema. He knew how still photography is done and also learned printing techniques. He remained a student of life and cinema throughout and that is what I want to be as well. Dadasaheb was and is an institution and his body of work will always remain unmatched.”