The Man Who Changed Indian Cinema
V SHANTARAM
Professional Life
With a career spanning the majority of the 20th century, V. Shantaram was a pioneering force in early Indian cinema, successfully transitioning from the silent era to talkies, to colour. While most of his films were Hindi-language, he was a proponent of pan-India reach, sometimes simultaneously shooting a film in other regional languages like Marathi, Tamil and Bengali.
Shantaram's experimental techniques, sharp editing and courageous writing resulted in films that were an evocative reflection of society from colonial to Independent India; from prisoner rehabilitation (Do Aankhen Barah Haath) to dowry malpractice (Dahej), humanising sex workers (Aadmi) to communal harmony (Padosi), and child marriage (Duniya Na Mane).
Larger-than-life sets, unique title and song picturisations, and visual symbolism in his commercially-successful entertainers like Navrang, Pinjra, Shakuntala and Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje came to be known as "the Shantaram Touch", setting records at the box office across decades and cementing his place in the hearts of the audience.
Shantaram Rajaram Vankudre
18 Nov 1901 - 28 Oct 1990
With a career spanning the majority of the 20th century, V. Shantaram was a pioneering force in early Indian cinema, successfully transitioning from the silent era to talkies, to colour. While most of his films were Hindi-language, he was a proponent of pan-India reach, sometimes simultaneously shooting a film in other regional languages like Marathi, Tamil and Bengali.
Shantaram's experimental techniques, sharp editing and courageous writing resulted in films that were an evocative reflection of society from colonial to Independent India; from prisoner rehabilitation (Do Aankhen Barah Haath) to dowry malpractice (Dahej), humanising sex workers (Aadmi) to communal harmony (Padosi), and child marriage (Duniya Na Mane).
Larger-than-life sets, unique title and song picturisations, and visual symbolism in his commercially-successful entertainers like Navrang, Pinjra, Shakuntala and Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje came to be known as "the Shantaram Touch", setting records at the box office across decades and cementing his place in the hearts of the audience
Professional Life
Explore The Best of His Filmography
Pioneering Achievements
With five brothers, three wives and seven children, Shantaram's personal life was as dramatic and colourful as his films. Although he built an unconventional family, he maintained a deep sense of tradition while encouraging modern thought and creativity among his children and grandchildren who are continuing to take his legacy forward.
Family Life
First Children's Film
Rani Saheba (1930)
First Marathi Talkie
Ayodhyacha Raja (1932)
First Bilingual (Hindi and Marathi) Film
Ayodhyacha Raja (1932)
First Original Sound Track Disc
Sairandhri (1933)
First Trilingual (Hindi, Marathi, Tamil) film
Chandrasena (1934)
First Silver Jubilee Hindi Film in a Single Theatre
Amrit Manthan (1934)
First Silver Jubilee Hindi Film
Duniya Na Mane (1937)
First Indian Film shown in the USA
Aadmi (1939)
First Film to Hit 100-week Record at the Box Office
Shakuntala (1943)
As A Director-Producer
First Use of Trolley
Chandrasena (1931)
First Colour Film
Sairandhri (1933)
First Use of Telephoto Lens (Close-up)
Amrit Manthan(1934)
First Animation Film
Jambu Kaka (1935)
First Use of Back-Projection
Amar Jyoti (1936)
First One-Shot One-Scene
Dr Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani (1946)
First Use of Jump-Shot
Dahej (1950)
First Technicolour Film
Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje (1955)
As A Director-Editor
V. Shantaram is the only filmmaker who established and successfully ran two of the largest film studios in India - Prabhat Film Company and Rajkamal Kalamandir.
In the span of his 64 year career, he produced 92, directed 55 and acted in 25 films.
He launched and supported the career of many doyens of the film industry including Lata Mangeshkar, Jeetandra, Mumtaz, Padmini Kolhapure, Govind Nihalani and Yash Chopra, to name a few.
His legacy is celebrated through several awards bearing his name (Lifetime Achievement Award, Special Contribution Award, and Gold Medal), each recognising his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema.
He is a founder member of several cinema-related bodies in India including: Producers Guild of India, The Cinematographers Association, The Cine Exhibition Pictures Distributors Association, The Indian Motion Pictures Association, The Cine Exhibitors Association, The Indian Motion Pictures Distributors Association, The Indian Film Directors Association, The Film Editors Association, The Cine Artistes Association and The Children's Film Society
As An Industry Stalwart
Awards & Accolades
Family Life
With five brothers, three wives and seven children, Shantaram's personal life was as dramatic and colourful as his films. Although he built an unconventional family, he maintained a deep sense of tradition while encouraging modern thought and creativity among his children and grandchildren who are continuing to take his legacy forward.