Cinema of Bihar


Cinemas in Bhojpuri language are predominantly produced in the Indian state of Bihar. Bihar also has relatively smaller Maithili Angika, and Magahi film industries.

History

Cinema in Bihar dates to the early years of the 20th century, when Jamshedji Framji Madan acquired the Elphinstone Theatre Company of Bombay in 1902 and converted it into the Elphinstone Bioscope Company. The Elphinstone Theatre in Patna became the Elphinstone Cinema, showing silent shorts until the advent of sound films. It continues in existence, with different ownership after the Madan empire's collapse during the 1930s. Another silent-cinema theatre in China Kothi, Patna, closed early in the sound era. The first sound theatre in Patna was in the Babu Bazar in the southwestern part of the city and opened with Veer Abhimanyu in 1933 or 1934. The theatre was destroyed by a fire caused by nitrate film, and was never rebuilt.
The first Bihari film was the silent Life Divine or 'Punarjanma' with Arati Devi, Mr. A. K. Prosad B.L., Miss Pratima Devi, and Mr. N. G. Bhattacharya. It was produced by Raja Rana Jagarnnath Prasad Singh 'of Deo. Arati Devi was a Jewish girl of 19 years when she made the film. She was born Rachel Sofaer in Rangoon, Burma in 1912 and moved with her parents and siblings to Calcutta, India, circa 1923. She had made only one other film a year before A Man Condemned and her career was cut short by marriage in 1933 to Sassoon Jonah. She died in childbirth in April 1948.
Prakash Jha made his feature-film debut with 1984's Hip Hip Huray, a Hindi film shot in Jharkhand and processed in Bombay. Patang was directed by Goutam Ghose. As of May 2012, more than 150 completed films are awaiting release.
Bhaiyaa, a Magahi-language film, was released in 1961. The first Bhojpuri-language film, Ganga Maiya Tohe Piyari Chhadhaibo, was made in 1962 and released the following year. Films such as Laagi Nahi Chhute Ram and Bideshiya were popular in the Bhojpur district.
Bollywood's Nadiya Ke Paar is one of the best-known Bhojpuri-language movie. The first Maithili-language film was 1965's Kanyadan, directed by Phani Majumdar. The film, about a man who decides to learn Maithili because it is his wife's only language, is based on Harimohan Jha's Hari Mohan Jha novel Kanyadaan. Bhauji Maay and Mamta Gaave Geet were also popular; the latter was noted for its music and plot. Sasta Jingi Mahag Senur was a successful Maithili film, with songs by Md. Aziz, Sadhana Sargam, Udit Narayan and Deepa Narayan.
Another successful Maithili film, Kakhan Harab Dukh Mor, was based on the life of the Maithil poet Vidyapati. Phool Singh Phool Singh played the lead role, with music by Gyaneshwar Dubey.
Other Maithili films include Senurak Laaj and Dularua Babu. Ashu-Priya Productions' Aau Piya Hamar Nagari was released in 2000, but was unsuccessful. Murli Dhar directed 90 percent of the film, with Manikant Mishra completing it.
In November 2007 the Maithili film Sindurdan was released but the film was withdrawn from theatres due to sound problems. Senuriya, directed by B.D. Prasad Chaudhary with music by Gyaneshwar Dubey, is dubbed from Tamil into Maithili with Surya and Diva Shree in lead roles as actors and Rami Reddy as an antagonist.
Banner Dev Kala Arts and A. Y. Movies' 2005 Garibak Beti, directed by Manoj Jha and produced by Ajay Yash, was a low-budget Maithili success. Jha's next film was 2010's Mayak Karz, for the same producers.Suhagin and Khurluchchi Two other hit Maithili films were released in 2011: Sajana Ke Anagana Me Solah Singaar and Mukhiya Jee. Another successful Maithili movie, An Ideal Lady - Ramaulwali, was released in November 2014, directed by Niraj Yadav and Randhir Singh.
In October 2019, Maithili film Gamak Ghar premiered at 21st Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2019, becoming the first Maithili film to be selected for the festival. Cited as the first art-house film from the region, the film received a warm reception both at the festival and online release on streaming platform Mubi.

Patna Film Festival

The Patna Film Festival is an international film festival with participants from Iran, Canada, China, Japan, Sweden, Germany, Russia, U.S. and India.Begun in 2006, it is organized by of Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the National Film Development Corporation, the National Film Archive of India, the Federation of Film Societies of India and the state government.
Mini-film festivals were organized regularly by Cine-Society, Patna during the summer and winter from 1973 to 1989; the last festival featured Charlie Chaplin films for the worldwide celebration of his centenary. Cine-Society aided the Government of India and cultural organizations, such as the Bihar Art Theater. Facing competition from video, broadcast and satellite television, the society is smaller but screens about twelve feature and four documentary films from around the world each month, organizes film-appreciation workshops and discussions, publishes a monthly newsletter and continues assisting governmental and non-governmental groups organize one or two mini-film festivals annually.

Directors