First in Indian Cinema & Arts — MCQ Quiz

Raja Harishchandra (1913), directed by Dadasaheb Phalke (Dhundiraj Govind Phalke), is considered India's first full-length feature film. It was a silent film shot in Mumbai. Dadasaheb Phalke is called the 'Father of Indian Cinema.' The Dadasaheb Phalke Award — India's highest film honour — is named in his memory.

Alam Ara (1931), directed by Ardeshir Irani, was India's first sound film (talkie). It premiered on March 14, 1931, at Majestic Cinema, Bombay. The film featured seven songs, making it also India's first musical film. The advent of talkies transformed Indian cinema and sparked the growth of regional film industries.

Bhanu Athaiya became the first Indian to win an Oscar when she received the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for the film Gandhi (1983), directed by Richard Attenborough. Satyajit Ray received an Honorary Oscar in 1992. A.R. Rahman and Gulzar won Oscars in 2009 for Slumdog Millionaire.

Mother India (1957), directed by Mehboob Khan, was India's first film submitted for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It was nominated but did not win. The film starred Nargis and is considered one of the greatest Indian films. It explored poverty, dignity, and the sacrifices of Indian women.

Neecha Nagar (1946), directed by Chetan Anand, won the Grand Prix (Best Film award) at the first Cannes Film Festival in 1946 — making it the first Indian film to win an international award. Pather Panchali (1955) by Satyajit Ray later won the Best Human Document award at Cannes 1956.

While no Indian director has won the Palme d'Or outright, Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali (1955) won the Best Human Document award at Cannes 1956. Satyajit Ray received the Honorary Palme d'Or in 1982 and the Lifetime Achievement Oscar in 1992. He is the only Indian filmmaker to receive both the Bharat Ratna (1992) and an Honorary Oscar.

Devika Rani, the legendary actress and producer, was the first recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1969. Known as the 'First Lady of Indian Cinema,' she co-founded Bombay Talkies with her husband Himanshu Rai. Devika Rani was also known for launching Dilip Kumar's career. She was awarded the Padma Shri in 1958.

Kisan Kanya (1937) was India's first colour feature film, produced by Ardeshir Irani (who also made India's first talkie, Alam Ara) using the Cinecolor process. However, widespread colour filmmaking in India began in the 1950s. Jhansi Ki Rani (1953) was the first Indian Technicolor film.

Pandit Ravi Shankar received his first Grammy Award in 1967 for Best Chamber Music Performance (with Yehudi Menuhin). He went on to win four Grammys in total. He is considered the greatest ambassador of Indian classical music internationally. He also collaborated with The Beatles' George Harrison, introducing sitar to Western audiences.

Rukmini Devi Arundale (1904–1986) was a pioneering Bharatanatyam dancer who revived and refined the art form. She was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1956. No Indian classical dancer has yet received the Bharat Ratna. However, Rukmini Devi is the most significant figure in the revival of Bharatanatyam from its temple origins to a concert stage art form. She founded Kalakshetra in 1936.

The National Film Awards were established in 1954 (1st National Film Awards). The Golden Lotus (Swarna Kamal) is awarded for Best Feature Film and several other top categories. The Silver Lotus (Rajat Kamal) covers many other categories. Administered by the Directorate of Film Festivals under the Ministry of I&B, the awards are India's most prestigious film honours.

M.S. Subbulakshmi (1916–2004) was the first Indian musician to receive an Honorary Doctorate from Edinburgh University (1971) and later from other prestigious institutions. She was also the first musician to receive the Bharat Ratna (1998). She performed at the United Nations in 1966 — becoming the first Indian musician to do so — rendering the Bhaja Govindam and Suprabhatam.

Ghajini (2008), directed by A.R. Murugadoss and starring Aamir Khan, was the first Bollywood film to cross Rs. 100 crore at the box office, ushering in the era of the '100 Crore Club' in Bollywood. 3 Idiots (2009) then crossed Rs. 200 crore. Today, films regularly cross Rs. 500 crore. This transformed marketing, distribution, and budgeting across the Indian film industry.

Farah Khan was the first woman to win the Filmfare Award for Best Director for Om Shanti Om (2007). She is also known for directing Main Hoon Na (2004) and Happy New Year (2014). India's film industry has historically been male-dominated in direction and production, making Farah Khan's achievement a significant milestone.

Prithviraj Kapoor (1906–1972), patriarch of the Kapoor family and founder of Prithvi Theatres, was among the earliest actors to receive the Padma Bhushan (1969). He is considered the first major superstar of Indian cinema, known for films like Mughal-e-Azam (1960). He also established Prithvi Theatres in Mumbai, which became a major centre for theatre in India.

Hanuman (2005), produced by Sahara One Motion Pictures and directed by V.G. Samant and Milind Ukey, is considered the first fully animated feature film made in India. It depicted the story of Lord Hanuman in Hindi and was a major commercial success. Before Hanuman, most Indian animation was limited to television (like the Doordarshan animated shows) or foreign co-productions.

Nutan (1936–1991) won the National Film Award for Best Actress for Seema (1955) at the 3rd National Film Awards — making her one of the earliest winners of this prestigious award. She went on to win five Filmfare Awards for Best Actress — a record at the time. Known for her versatility and naturalistic acting, she is considered one of Indian cinema's greatest actresses.

Thanjavur (Tanjore) in Tamil Nadu is considered the birthplace and heartland of Bharatanatyam — the oldest classical dance form of India. The dance evolved from the temple traditions of the Devadasi community and the 'Sadir' style. The Thanjavur Quartet (four brothers — Chinnaiah, Ponnaiah, Vadivelu, and Shivanandam) in the 19th century codified the Bharatanatyam margam (repertoire) as known today.

Pather Panchali (1955) by Satyajit Ray is one of the most internationally acclaimed Indian films and has been preserved in various world film archives. The film launched the Apu Trilogy (Pather Panchali, Aparajito, Apur Sansar) and is regularly featured in lists of the greatest films ever made. It depicted rural Bengal with realism and poetry, influencing global parallel cinema.

Pandit Ravi Shankar was among the first Indian musicians to perform at the Royal Albert Hall, London, helping bring Indian classical music to Western audiences in the 1960s. His collaborations with Yehudi Menuhin and George Harrison of The Beatles made the sitar internationally famous. M.S. Subbulakshmi performed at the United Nations in New York (1966), becoming the first Indian musician to do so.

M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) was the first film actor to receive the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1988.

Guru Dutt's 'Kaagaz Ke Phool' (1959) was the first Indian film to use the CinemaScope format.

Parveen Babi was the first Indian film actress to appear on the cover of Time magazine in 1976.

Sohrab Modi's 'Jhansi Ki Rani' (1953) was the first Indian film to be shot in Technicolor.

A.R. Rahman won two Oscars for 'Slumdog Millionaire' in 2009 for Best Original Score and Best Original Song.

The Marathi film 'Shyamchi Aai' (1954) won the first-ever President's Gold Medal for the All India Best Feature Film.

Legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray was awarded an Honorary Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1992.

The 1965 film 'Guide', starring Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman, was produced in both Hindi and English versions.

Fatma Begum directed 'Bulbul-e-Paristan' in 1926, making her India's first female film director.

Kutiyattam, the ancient Sanskrit theatre tradition of Kerala, was the first Indian art form to be proclaimed a Masterpiece by UNESCO in 2001.

Nargis Dutt was the first film actress to be honoured with the Padma Shri in 1958.

The 1975 blockbuster 'Sholay' was the first Indian film to be released with stereophonic sound.

M.F. Husain, often called the 'Picasso of India', was the first Indian artist to achieve this global recognition.

Directed by Fatma Begum in 1937, 'Duniya Kya Hai' is cited as the first talkie feature film directed by a woman in India.

Debaki Bose's 1934 film 'Seeta' was the first Indian film to receive an international award at the Venice Film Festival.

Satyajit Ray was the first Indian to receive an Honorary Academy Award in 1992 for his mastery of the art of cinema.

Raj Kapoor's 'Sangam' (1964) was the first Indian film to be shot extensively in foreign locations like Europe and Switzerland.

No Indian film personality has been elected to the British Parliament; this is a common trick question.

Chandidas (1932) is widely credited as the first Indian talkie to be dubbed into another language.

Rukmini Devi Arundale was the first Indian dancer to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 1952.

Bimal Roy's 'Do Bigha Zamin' (1953) was the first Indian film to win an award at the Cannes Film Festival and gain international recognition.

Aparna Sen was the first woman to win the National Film Award for Best Direction for her film '36 Chowringhee Lane'.

Nitin Bose introduced playback singing in the 1935 film 'Bhagya Chakra' (Bengali).

Pachhi's 'Around the World' (1967) was the first Indian film to be shot in 70mm format.

Uttam Kumar was the first Indian actor to win the Best Actor award at the Venice Film Festival in 1968 for 'Antony Firingee'.

Shoojit Sircar’s 'Gulabo Sitabo' was the first mainstream Bollywood film to opt for a direct-to-digital release in 2020.

Subrata Mitra, known for his work with Satyajit Ray, was the first Indian to be recognized for excellence in cinematography internationally.

M.S. Subbulakshmi was the first musician (and specifically Carnatic vocalist) to be awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1998.

The 1919 film 'Bilwamangal' is often cited as one of the early films that experimented with innovative narrative techniques including dual character portrayals.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra's 'An Encounter with Faces' (1978) was the first Indian short film to be nominated for an Oscar.

West Bengal was the first state in India to grant official 'Industry' status to the film sector in 1993.

Gulzar became the first Indian lyricist to win an Oscar (for 'Jai Ho' in 2009), marking a major milestone for Indian songwriters.

Chetan Anand's 'Neecha Nagar' (1946) was the first Indian film to be screened and win a prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

Alam Ara (1931), the first sound film in India, also pioneered the release of its songs as a commercial gramophone record, marking the birth of Indian film music industry.

Satyajit Ray was the first film personality to be awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1976 for his immense contribution to Indian cinema.

Tyeb Mehta’s painting 'Celebration' was the first work by an Indian artist to sell for over $1 million at Christie's in 2002.

Nargis Dutt was the first actress to be honored with the Padma Bhushan in 1958, recognizing her iconic performance in Mother India and other works.

Kalidas (1931), a Tamil film, was the first non-Hindi talkie produced in India, released shortly after Alam Ara.

Satyajit Ray was awarded the Legion of Honour by the French government in 1987, the highest civilian award in France.

Aag (1948) was the first film produced under the R.K. Films banner and the first to be shot at the newly established R.K. Studios.

Chandulal Shah, a prominent producer, was the first president of the Film Federation of India, founded in 1951.

Prithviraj Kapoor was the first Indian actor to be commemorated on a postage stamp in 1971.

'Ayodhyecha Raja' (1932) was the first Marathi talkie, also produced by Prabhat Film Company.

'My Dear Kuttichathan' (1984), a Malayalam film, was India’s first 3D feature film.

A.R. Rahman became the first Indian to win a Golden Globe for Best Original Score for 'Slumdog Millionaire' in 2009.

M.F. Husain was the first Indian artist to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

Sooraj Barjatya's 'Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!' (1994) is widely credited as the first Indian film to breach the ₹100 crore mark.

Bengali novelist Ashapoorna Devi was the first woman to receive the Jnanpith Award in 1976.

'Mughal-e-Azam' (1960) was the first Indian feature film to be colorized and digitally remastered for a 2004 re-release.