Explore the historic environment of filmmaker Ardeshir Irani, who directed ‘Kisan Kanya,’ pioneering the vibrant era of color cinema. Filmmaker Ardeshir Irani was an ambitious and creative filmmaker. His successful experiment by making India’s First Talkie Film Alam Ara justifies his passion for innovations. Hence after the huge success of Alam Ara, Ardeshir Irani decided to take a huge leap and make a color film. In 1930s Hollywood had started color films production thanks to the first mono pack color film stocks available in Hollywood. Hence Ardeshir Irani was eager to make a color film in India and despite expense and hurdles, Irani made India’s first color film Kisan Kanya (1937).
It may be noted that before Ardeshir Irani‘s Kisan Kanya, Marathi film legend V Shantaram had produced a Marathi film Sairandhri (1933) which was partially in color.
Ardeshir Irani: The Revolutionary Filmmaker
Nevertheless, Ardeshir Irani wanted to write history hence he took the challenge and made Kisan Kanya, which is regarded as India’s first indigenously color film. The film was released in 1937. Unlike mythological tales, the film had a hard-hitting subject of a farmer’s exploitation by the hands of the landlord. The film was based on noted novelist Saadat Hasan Manto’s novel. The film depicted how a farmer forced by the atrocities of a landlord takes law in his hand. The same subject was later adapted by Mehboob Khan in his cult classic film Mother India (1957).
Kisan Kanya was a path-breaking film. It featured a novel subject, film technology innovation and used film to address social issues. Moti B Gidwani directed it, starring silent era top stars like Padmadevi, Jilloo, Ghulam Mohammed, Nissar, Syed Ahmed, and Ghani.
The film was shot in black and white. However, Shantaram experimentally filmed a few important scenes in color. They processed and printed these color prints in Germany. The film was an average hit.Due to high production costs, no filmmakers attempted color films during the 30’s.
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