Trevor51P0492 at 06:26, 2 March 2026

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{{Short description|Indian film producer and businessperson}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Bishwanath Prasad Shahabadi
| image =
| caption =
| alt =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1912|01|24}}
| birth_place = [[Arrah]], [[Bihar]], [[India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2000|07|13|1912|01|24}}
| occupation = [[Film producer]], [[Businessperson]]
| known_for = Producing the first black-and-white Bhojpuri film, ''[[Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo]]'', in 1962
| notable_works = ''[[Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo]]'', ''Solaho Singar Kare Dulhaniya'', ''Rootha Na Karo'', ''Ganga Dham'', ''Geet Ganga'', ''[[Sasural (1961 film)|Sasural]]'', ''Tulsi'', ''[[Ghar Jamai (1992 film)|Ghar Jamai]]''
| years_active = 1962–1992
| spouse = Swarnmani Devi
}}

'''Bishwanath Prasad Shahabadi''', (also spelled as '''Vishwanath Prasad Shahabadi'''), also known as '''B.P. Shahabadi''', was an Indian [[film producer]] and [[businessperson]] known for producing [[Bhojpuri cinema|Bhojpuri]] and [[Hindi cinema|Hindi films]]. He is known as the father of [[Bhojpuri cinema]].<ref>{{cite book|author1=Dr. Manish Rannjan (IAS) |title=Bihar General Knowledge 2024 |date=21 July 2023 |page=136 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aQqMEAAAQBAJ&dq=Vishwanath+Prasad+Shahabadi&pg=PA136 |publisher=[[Prabhat Prakashan]] |isbn=9789354884900}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2010-07-07 |title=Ganga ho! |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Ganga-ho/article16188137.ece |access-date=2025-02-08 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> He is known for producing the first black-and-white [[Bhojpuri film]], ''[[Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo]]'', in 1962.<ref>{{cite news |title=भोजपुरी सिनेमा की गंगा कब तक रहेगी मैली? |url=https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/how-long-will-the-ganga-of-bhojpuri-cinema-remain/articleshow/66785924.cms |publisher=[[Navbharat Times]] |date=28 November 2018 |language=Hindi}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Society and Culture |url=https://bhojpur.nic.in/society-and-culture/ |website=bhojpur.nic.in |publisher=National Informatics Centre}}</ref> His works include ''Solaho Singar Kare Dulhaniya'' (Bhojpuri) and Hindi films like ''[[Rootha Na Karo]]'', ''Ganga Dham'', ''Geet Ganga'', ''[[Sasural (1984 film)|Sasural]]'' and ''Tulsi'' and ''Ghar Jamai''. He died on 13 July 2000.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ranjan |first1=Manish |title=Bihar Samanya Gyan |date=2021 |publisher=[[Prabhat Prakashan]] |isbn=9789386300850 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Sq1aDwAAQBAJ&dq=%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A5+%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A6+%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%80&pg=PT141}}</ref>

== Biography ==
He was born on 24 January 1912, in Bandhuchhapra village in [[Arrah]], [[Bihar]]. Shahabadi owned [[mica]] and [[coal mines]], along with a liquor contract business. Shahabadi owned movie theaters in [[Dhanbad]] and [[Giridih]]. In 1938, he contributed to the freedom cause by purchasing six yards of [[khadi]] from [[Rajendra Prasad]] in a special auction for Rs 15,000.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ghosh |first1=Avijit |title=CINEMA BHOJPURI |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wAuTZ6_1XL4C&dq=Bishwanath+Prasad+Shahabadi&pg=PT16 |publisher=[[Penguin Books]] |date=2010|isbn=978-81-8475-256-4 }}</ref>

In the 1960s, the first [[President of India]], [[Rajendra Prasad]], asked Bishwanath to make a Bhojpuri film. He produced the film ''[[Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo]]'' in 1963, marking the first Bhojpuri language film, which was well received. The film was produced by Shahabadi under Nirmal Pictures and directed by Kundan Kumar.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dr. Rajendra Prasad wanted a Bhojpuri movie |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bhojpuri/movies/did-you-know/dr-rajendra-prasad-wanted-a-bhojpuri-movie/articleshow/13955392.cms |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=22 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Sultan |first1=Parvez |title=A month ahead of MCD polls, Delhi to host the first ever Bhojpuri film festival |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/a-month-ahead-of-mcd-polls-delhi-to-host-the-first-ever-bhojpuri-film-festival/story-RgYzZTjjwnrYsr9mEzOP9J.html |publisher=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=25 January 2017}}</ref>

He wrote the story for the 1980 film ''Ganga Dham''. He worked on ''Geet Ganga Ke'', a flop at box office. In 1983, he produced ''[[Hamar Bhauji|Hamaar Bhauji]]'', a big hit. It was inspired by a famous South Indian film called "Bhabhi" (1957).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ghose |first1=Avijit |title=CINEMA BHOJPURI |date=22 May 2010 |publisher=[[Penguin Publisher]] |isbn=978-81-8475-256-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wAuTZ6_1XL4C&pg=PT137}}</ref>

== Filmography ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! Year !! Film
|-
| 1992 || ''[[Ghar Jamai (1992 film)|Ghar Jamai]]''
|-
| 1989 || ''Ustaad''
|-
| 1985 || ''Tulsi''
|-
| 1984 || ''[[Sasural (1984 film)|Sasural]]''
|-
| 1982 || ''Geet Ganga''
|-
| 1979 || ''Ganga Dham''
|-
| 1970 || ''[[Rootha Na Karo]]''
|-
| 1965 || ''Solaho Singar Kare Dulhaniya''
|-
| 1962 || ''[[Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo]]''
|}

== Personal life ==
He was the youngest among the five children of father Uttamchand Shah. Bishwanath Prasad Shahabadi was married to Swarnmani Devi. He died at the age of 89 on 13 July 2000.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Patel |first1=Raviraj |title=Bhojpuri Filmon Ka Safanama: The Journey of Bhojpuri Cinema |date=2021 |publisher=[[Prabhat Prakashan]] |isbn=9789351862031 |pages=54, 55 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_GZtCwAAQBAJ&dq=%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A5+%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A6+%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%80&pg=PA54}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Bhojpuri cinema]]
* [[Dadasaheb Phalke]]
* [[Jagannath Prasad Singh Kinkar]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shahabadi, Bishwanath Prasad}}
[[Category:Film producers from Bihar]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian people]]
[[Category:Hindi film producers]]
[[Category:1912 births]]
[[Category:2000 deaths]]
[[Category:Film producers from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Bhojpuri cinema]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Bihar]]

Bishwanath Prasad Shahabadi - Revision history

Trevor51P0492 at 06:26, 2 March 2026