Dada Saheb Phalke is known as the 'father of Indian Film Industry'. He was born in 1870. Phalke laid the foundation for the start of a regular feature film industry in the country. He has produced about 175 films. His famous films are 'Satyavan Savitri', 'Mohini Bhasmasur' and 'Raja Harichandra'. The outbreak of World War I plunged Phalke into extreme financial crisis. In 1917, he made a grand reappearance with the revised version of Raja Harischandra and India’s first big box office hit ‘Lanka Dahan’.

Phalke has been honoured by naming an award for the outstanding works in the field of films. It is called Dadasaheb Phalke Award.