Bhojpuri Cinema
First President Rajendra Prasad instrumental in first Bhojpuri film PTI : Patna, Sun Nov 17 2013 IndianExpress
Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo, the pioneer
Noted actor Nazir Hussain's chance meeting with India's first President Rajendra Prasad resulted in the country's first Bhojpuri film, the timeless classic Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo (1963).
"Despite being the President, Rajen Babu always spoke to people from Bhojpuri-speaking regions in his mother-tongue and when Nasir sahab met him, he expressed his desire to see a film in Bhojpuri language being made," says film scholar and critic Alok Ranjan.
For Hussain, who hailed from Ghazipur in eastern Uttar Pradesh, the chance encounter proved to be a catalyst that helped turn a dream into an obsession.
The film starring Kum Kum of "C.I.D" fame and featuring the voices of Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammed Rafi, in soulful renditions was released in 1963 to critical and commercial applause. The title song, sung by Lata Mangeshkar, was more popular than most the Hindi-Urdu songs of the year and rose high on the national Binaca Geet Mala charts
The film was eventually dedicated to President Rajen Babu at his post-retirement retreat at the Sadaquat Asharam in Patna on February 21, 1963 and released the next day for public at the Veena Cinema in Patna.
Colour films
"Dangal" was the first colour cinema in Bhojpuri. Other prominent films include "Dagabaz Balma" starring Padma Khanna, and "Hamar Dewdas".
