Raja Harishchandra

'How Films Are Made' (1917), a Satish Bahadur's documentary. All of these shots appear to have been taken during the shooting of the 1917 remake.

Lanka Dahan (Lanka Aflame) is a 1917 Indian silent film directed by Dhundiraj Govind Phalke (Dadasaheb Phalke). Phalke also wrote the film based on an episode of the Hindu epic Ramayana, credited to Valmiki. A retelling of the familiar 'Ramayana' story of Rama's wife Sita being abducted by Ravana, the demon king of Lanka, and Rama's triumph with the aid of men, monkeys and bears. From the trees Hanuman the brave monkey observes Sita held captive in the tulasi garden where Ravana comes to intimidate her. The main part of the film covers Hanuman's rage while in Lanka when he set the whole island afire with his burning tail.

This is a Puranic tale, which, by all accounts, was a grand mythological spectacle full of miracles and fantasy scenes with special effects. Chitnis played the god Shanker, and Suresh played the sage Narada.

The first cinematic portrayal of the Hindu epic Ramayana tale featuring villagers constructing a giant bridge.

The playmates of Krishna are insulted by a female villager who splashes water on them. They take revenge by stealing butter from her house. When they are beaten up by the woman, they again take revenge with the aid of Krishna. He receives a gift of fruit for his help but gives it away. Krishna then enters the room of a wealthy merchant and his wife at night and ties the man's beard to his wife's hair. These exploits lead to a large crowd complaining of Krishna's antics to his foster parents.

Footage of bricklayers shot by film pioneer DB Phalke