The uniqueness of this brain wave is efficiently exploited by debutante writer-director Paresh Mokashi who reintroduces Dadasaheb as Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, a common man with uncommon vision in Harishchandrachi Factory .

The narrative essentially unfolds in two sections where the first half focuses on Phalke’s fascination towards the moving images in an era when cinema was an alien term in India. Once the protagonist’s aspirations are credibly established, the second half goes on to detail his eventful endeavours in the making of the first Indian film Raja Harishchandra . What could have ended up as a biographical documentary on Phalke is fortunately skillful scripted by Mokashi as an entertaining feature film.

The film opens in 1911 Bombay where Dhundiraj Phalke (Nandu Madhav) has abandoned his established printing business and is content clowning around in his Girgaum chawl. Without a job, supporting his family of wife Saraswati (Vibhawari Deshpande) and two sons is a task. His inclination towards images draws him towards a tent theatre frequented mostly by the elite crowd then. On watching a motion picture, The Life of Christ , he envisions how Indian gods would look in a similar milieu of moving onscreen images. His drive is fuelled by fervent passion towards the medium of cinema (which was still in its nascent stage globally), setting him on a journey to achieve what seemed impossible.

Like in case of any evolving art or science, Phalke faced opposition from the society that considered moving images as black magic and had superstitions that still camera could exhaust energy from human body. Friends thought he had lost his mind and even took him to mental asylum. He almost lost his eyesight but not his vision. Undeterred by all, Phalke ventured into foreign lands to learn the art of cinematography, leaving behind his wife, pregnant with their third child.

Returning to India, he found funds for his first film and settled down on the story of Raja Harishchandra, a mythological fable and also a popular play of that period. Putting together a team of actors and technicians for the film was no easy task. Only Phalke had knowledge of the technique and women, including his wife, refused to play female lead in the film. So Phalke had to manage with men posing as actresses and the cast had to be more expressive in absence of sound in the silent era.

After more such hardships, the first Indian film Raja Harishchandra was completed and screened at the Coronation Theatre on May 3, 1913 turning out to be a runaway success. Subsequently Phalke was felicitated in London where he also turned down foreign offers to continue making more films in his own country thereby giving birth to one of the biggest film industries in the world.

Harishchandrachi Factory is a delightful treat for trivia buffs and cinema connoisseurs, offering a huge bank of factoids through detailed research of the era. Thankfully the trivia is not restricted to being a docudrama depiction but is collated and imaginatively sketched into a riveting screenplay. The scene when their neighbours empathize with Phalkes when they sell their cupboard is hilarious and so is Phalke’s stint with prostitutes, in his search for a leading lady for his film. The climax is poignant where Phalke prioritizes his film over his son’s health. Also it’s thoughtful of the director to show a bunch of kids dramatizing Harishchandra’s story as their daily recreation through the first half, which consequently forms the takeoff point for Phalke’s first film.

Though Phalke’s journey was high on hurdles, the beauty of Paresh Mokashi’s treatment is that he doesn’t make the film look like a heavyhearted drama of distress and difficulty. There’s a wave of positivity in the film’s outlook which extracts fun and feel-good moments even through the trials and tribulations of the characters. Thus the film primarily works as a comedy.

The ever-dependable Nitin Desai aptly recreates the period look for the film. However, with limited exterior shots, the film doesn’t demand much regeneration of art designs. The detailing in art, costume and makeup seems flawless. One is astounded to learn facts like Dadar (which is the heart of Mumbai today) was only a forest extension of the city back then. The storytelling is thankfully devoid of any song-dance numbers and Anand Modak’s musical theme-piece with a yesteryear charm tremendously contributes to the proceedings. Amalendu Chaudhary’s camerawork is striking and he takes special care to shoot London’s Trafalgar Square in long and low shots to maintain the period effect.

Finally the film works largely because of the compelling and convincing portrayal of Dadasaheb Phalke by Nandu Madhav. As an eccentric, workaholic man bursting with confidence, he is extremely poised and confident in his performance. Vibhawari Deshpande as Phalke’s wife and support system is equally efficient. The two boys playing their sons are good enough while the supporting cast lends adequate support.

Coming to the film’s selection as India’s official entry for the Oscars, Harishchandrachi Factory seems an apt choice. It’s an original story about spirit-of-winning, song-less, crisp in length, sensibly narrated, having universal appeal, rich on Indian culture and tradition and rightly represents the country in a progressive light beyond its global perception restricted to icons as diverse as the slums or the Taj Mahal.

It’s ironical how a filmmaker delved deep into the past of Indian cinema and substantiated the fact that Indian filmmaking is progressive. Harishchandrachi Factory is an institution in itself.