१३ मे १९१३ रोजी दादासाहेब फाळके यांचा "राजा हरिश्चंद्र" हा भारतात निर्मित झालेला सर्वप्रथम चित्रपट होता. १९३०च्या सुमारास येथे दरवर्षी २००पेक्षा अधिक चित्रपटांची निर्मिती होऊ लागली होती. १९३१मध्ये प्रदर्शित झालेला आलम आरा हा अरदेशर इरानीचा चित्रपट सफल झाला. यानंतर बॉलिवुड तसेच इतर भाषांतील बोलपट प्रदर्शित होऊ लागले.

The 1930s and 1940s were tumultuous times: India was buffeted by the Great Depression, World War II, the Indian independence movement, and the violence of the Partition. Most Bollywood films were unabashedly escapist, but there were also a number of filmmakers who tackled tough social issues, or used the struggle for Indian independence as a backdrop for their plots.

In 1937, Ardeshir Irani, of "Alam Ara" fame, made the first colour film in Hindi, "Kisan Kanya". The next year, he made another colour film, "Mother India". However, colour did not become a popular feature until the late 1950s. At this time, lavish romantic musicals and melodramas were the staple fare at the cinema.

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