Bilwamangal
Bilwamangal (Bengali: বিল্লমঙ্গল Billamaŋgal, pronounced [bilamaŋal]), also known as Bhagat Soordas, is a 1919 silent black-and-white film directed by Rustomji Dhotiwala, a Parsi Gujarati based on the story by Gujarati writer Champshi Udeshi. This full length (12000 feet) film was produced by the Elphinstone Bioscope Company, Calcutta with Bengali intertitles and is credited as the first Bengali feature film. It was released on 1 November 1919 at Cornwallis Theatre in Calcutta.[2][1] The National Film Archive of India acquired the footage of film from Cinémathèque Française, France in 2016. The acquired footage is 594 metres long or run 28 minutes at 18 fps.[3][4]
Bilwamangal বিল্বমঙ্গল | |
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Film advertisement | |
Directed by | Rustomji Dhotiwala |
Produced by | Elphinstone Bioscope Company, Calcutta; Madan Theatres Ltd |
Written by | Champsi Udeshi |
Starring | Miss Gohur, Dorabji Mewawala |
Release date |
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Running time | 132 minutes (12000 feet) |
Country | India |
Language | Silent film Bengali intertitles |
Plot
It featured story of Bilwamangal, a man (Dorabji Mewawala) whose life ruined due to his relationship with courtesan Chintamani (Miss Gohur).[3]
Cast
- Miss Gohur as Temptress Chintamani
- Dorabji Mewawala as Bilwamangal
References
- Sur, Ansu (1999). Bengali Film Directory. West Bengal Film Centre(Calcutta). p. 01.
- K. Moti Gokulsing; Wimal Dissanayake (17 April 2013). Routledge Handbook of Indian Cinemas. Routledge. p. 88. ISBN 978-1-136-77284-9.
- "NFAI acquires Bilwamangal, a 1919 silent film". The Indian Express. 19 August 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
- Staff, Scroll. "Missing silent film 'Bilwamangal' finally returns to India". Scroll.in. Retrieved 10 February 2017.