Remembering the pioneer

In an illustrious career spanning well over seven decades, Shantaram Vankundre, known to one and all as V. Shantaram, was born on November...

In an illustrious career spanning well over seven decades, Shantaram Vankundre, known to one and all as V. Shantaram, was born on November 18, 1901, at Kolhapur. He entered the world of drama at the tender age of 12 by joining the Gandharva Natak Mandali, wherein, apart from handling odd jobs, he also appeared in bit roles in the plays staged by the company.

After a brief stint on the stage, he later joined the Maharashtra Film Company started at Kolhapur by Baburao Painter, whom Shantaram considered as his Guru. In his formative years, he performed all kinds of jobs that came his way in practically all the departments of film-making including cinematography and editing and also went on to become an actor. These multifarious activities helped him to learn the various crafts. He became assistant to Baburao Painter and played small roles in Surekha Haran in 1921, Damaji in 1922 and Maya Bazar in 1923. His first major role was in the silent movie Sinhagad.

Shantaram made his directorial debut with Netaji Palkar in 1927. Two years later, he founded the Prabhat Film Company, in association with S Fatehlal, V Damle, K Dhaiber and Sitaram Kulkarni. The new company came into being at Kolhapur, its first film being Gopal Krishna in 1929. Prabhat established its own studio at Pune and it was there that Shantaram made Indiaacirc;euro;trade;s first multi-colour film, Sairendhri, printed and processed in Germany.

In 1932, Prabhat produced its first talkie, Ayodhya Ka Raja Ayodhyecha Raja in Marathi, a mythological, which was directed by him. Followed other noteworthy films directed by him for Prabhat like Duniya Na Mane Kunku in Marathi which dwelt on the theme of child marriage, Aadmi Manoos in Marathi about a policeman and a prostitute, and Padosi Shejari in Marathi on Hindu-Muslim amity, which put Shantaram on the top rung Indian film directors. After the last-named film, Shantaram left Prabhat and shifted to Bombay where he set up Rajkamal Kalamandir by acquiring the old Wadia Movietone studio at Parel. Whilst the premises and studio were being renovated, he briefly served as Chief Producer FAB Government of Indiaacirc;euro;trade;s Film Advisory Board. Rajkamalacirc;euro;trade;s first film was Shakuntala which ran for over 100 weeks in Bombay.

His most acclaimed films under the Rajkamal banner include Dr Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani about an Indian medical practitioneracirc;euro;trade;s visit to China, Dahej with a theme about dowry, Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje which was a dance-musical and Do Ankhen Barah Haath on the reformation of criminals. Known for bold experimentation with techniques and themes, he has given Indian cinema several socially relevant and purposeful films.

Shantaram has many firsts to his credit during his Prabhat days. These include the first childrenacirc;euro;trade;s film, Ranisaheba, in 1930, first use of a camera trolley in 1931 for the silent film Chandrasena, first Marathi talkie Ayodhyecha Raja in 1933, first colour film Sairendhri in 1933, production of gramophone records from the original sound track in 1934, use of telephoto lens for Amrit Manthan in 1935, first animation film Jambukaka in 1936, and the first utilisation of back-projection for Amar Jyoti in 1937.

Shantaramacirc;euro;trade;s films garnered many national and international awards. He made a mark on the international film scene when Amar Jyoti received a Certificate of Merit at the Venice Film Festival in 1936. Amar Bhoopali was named for Best Sound Recording from the Centre National de La Cinematographic at the Cannes Film Festival in 1952. And Do Aankhen Barah Haath, came as a crowning glory, winning awards from the Hollywood Press Association, the Berlin Film Festival and the Catholic Cinema Bureau. It was also named the Best film of 1957 at the National Film Awards.

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Shantaram was honoured with Padmabhushan. He was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1986 for his outstanding contribution to the development and enrichment of Indian cinema. An Honorary Doctorate was also conferred on him by the University of Nagpur. He was connected with various film institutions, like the Film Advisory Board and the Central Board of Film Censors. He was the founder president of the Film Producers Guild of India, a member of the SK Patil Film Inquiry Committee and a founder member of the Childrenacirc;euro;trade;s Film Society.

V Shantaram wrote an autobiography Shantarama published in Marathi and Hindi which throws light on his childhood days, early struggles and his steady yet determined march to the position of eminence he achieved in the world of cinema.

Awards in his memory have been instituted by the Central government and the Government of Maharashtra and also by the V Shantaram Motion Picture Scientific Research and Cultural Foundation.