https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Himanshu_RaiHimanshu Rai - Revision history2026-07-31T13:35:03ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Himanshu_Rai&diff=141346&oldid=previmported>Soap Boy 1 at 21:18, 4 August 20212021-08-04T21:18:05Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|Indian filmmaker}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2016}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2016}}<br />
{{unreferenced|date=May 2018}}<br />
{{Infobox person<br />
| name = Himanshu Rai<br />
| native_name = হিমাংশু রায়<br />
| image = Himansu Rai.jpg<br />
| caption = Himanshu Rai<br />
| birth_date = {{birth year|1892}}<br />
| birth_place = [[Cuttack]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British India]]<br />
| death_date = {{death date and age|1940|5|18|1892}}<br />
| occupation = Actor, director<br />
| nationality = [[India]]<br />
| spouse = {{plainlist|<br />
* {{married|Mary Hainlin|1924|1926|end=divorce}}<br />
* {{married|[[Devika Rani]]|1929|1940}}<br />
}}<br />
| children = Nilima Dietze (Hainlin) (1926–1997)<br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Himanshu Rai''' (1892 – 18 May 1940), one of the pioneers of Indian cinema, is best known as the founder of the studio in 1934, along with [[Devika Rani]]. He was associated with a number of movies, including ''Goddess'' (1922), ''[[Prem Sanyas|The Light of Asia]]'' (1925), ''[[Shiraz (film)|Shiraz]]'' (1928), ''[[A Throw of Dice]]'' (1929) and ''Karma'' (1933). He was married to actress [[Devika Rani]] Chaudhuri (1929–1940)[https://web.archive.org/web/20210412171212/https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/himanshu-rai-the-boss-of-bombay-talkies-and-his-two-wives/story-EZoFBFqkAZBIwPwwZJHRXI.html].<br />
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==Biography==<br />
Born into an aristocratic Bengali family, he spent several years in [[Santiniketan]] for his schooling. After obtaining a law-degree from [[Kolkata]], he went to [[London]] to become a [[barrister]]. There, he met a playwright and screenwriter [[Niranjan Pal]].<br />
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That association led to the making of a film, ''[[The Light of Asia]]'', which he co-directed with [[Franz Osten]]. Rai was also one of the main actors in this film. While making his third film, ''[[A Throw of Dice|Prapancha Pash]]'', he met and fell in love with [[Devika Rani]], a great-grandniece of the [[Nobel Laureate]] [[Rabindranath Tagore]]. Before this film was complete, he married her.<br />
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==Bombay Talkies==<br />
[[File:Devika Rani Himanshu Rai Kiss.jpg|thumb|Devika Rani kissing Himanshu Rai in ''Karma'' (1933)]]<br />
At Bombay Talkies studio, Rai partnered with [[Sashadhar Mukherjee]], and Mukherjee's brother in law worked as a technician in the studio. Due to suspected romantic liaisons between his wife and the leading man, [http://thebigindianpicture.com/2013/10/the-man-who-missed-the-train/ Najmul Hasan], in Jeevan Naiya(film), Himanshu sacked the leading man and cast the gawky and reluctant brother-in-law [[Ashok Kumar]] as the leading man. Kumar went on to have a successful career in films.<br />
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After Rai's death, there was a struggle for studio control. His widow Devika Rani was in conflict with Sashadhar Mukherjee. Eventually there was dual control and alternate production of films by the two camps. During this era Mukherjee produced the studio's biggest hit ''[[Kismet (1943 film)|Kismet]]'' in 1943. Then Mukherjee broke away to form [[Filmistan Studio]] in partnership, and Devika Rani, fully in charge of the studio, did not have as much success.<br />
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In 1945, Devika Rani married [[Svetoslav Roerich]] and moved away from Bombay and films. Ashok Kumar and Mukherjee made a bid to revive Bombay talkies and produced one big hit in ''[[Mahal (1949 film)|Mahal]]''. Eventually, the studio shut down and is now a decrepit property in [[Malad]].<br />
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==Filmography==<br />
===Producer===<br />
* ''Kangan'' (1939) / The Bangle (English title)<br />
* ''[[Izzat (1937 film)|Izzat]]'' (1937)<br />
* ''[[Jeevan Prabhat]]'' (1937)<br />
* ''[[Savitri (1937 film)|Savitri]]'' (1937)<br />
* ''[[Achhut Kanya]]'' (1936) / Untouchable Girl (English title)<br />
* ''[[Janmabhoomi (1936 film)|Janmabhoomi]]'' (1936)<br />
* ''[[Jeevan Naiya]]'' (1936)<br />
* ''[[Jawani Ki Hawa]]'' (1935) / Leichtsinn der Jugend (Germany title)<br />
* ''[[Karma (1933 film)|Karma]]'' (1933)<br />
* ''[[Prapancha Pash]]'' (1929) / A Throw of Dice (English title) / Schicksalswürfel (Germany title)<br />
* ''Shiraz'' (1928) / Grabmal einer großen Liebe (Germany title)<br />
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===Actor===<br />
*''Karma'' (1933)<br />
*''Prapancha Pash'' (1929) / A Throw of Dice (English title) / Schicksalswürfel (Germany title)<br />
*''Shiraz'' (1928) / Grabmal einer großen Liebe (Germany title)<br />
*''Prem Sanyas'' (1925) / Leuchte Asiens (Germany title)<br />
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===Writer===<br />
*''[[Achhut Kanya]]'' (1936) / Untouchable Girl (English title)<br />
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===Director===<br />
*''Prem Sanyas'' (1925) / Leuchte Asiens (Germany title)<br />
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== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
*{{IMDb name|0706795}}<br />
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070630001345/http://sdsd.essortment.com/bombaytalkies_riwe.htm Bombay talkies and her forgotten heroes]<br />
*[http://thebigindianpicture.com/2013/10/the-man-who-missed-the-train/ Najam-Ul-Hasan]<br />
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{{Tagore family}}<br />
{{Authority control}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rai, Himanshu}}<br />
[[Category:1892 births]]<br />
[[Category:1940 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:People from Cuttack]]<br />
[[Category:Bengali Hindus]]<br />
[[Category:Indian male film actors]]<br />
[[Category:Film producers from Odisha]]<br />
[[Category:Male actors in Hindi cinema]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian male actors]]<br />
[[Category:Hindi-language film directors]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian film directors]]<br />
[[Category:Hindi film producers]]<br />
[[Category:Male actors from Odisha]]<br />
[[Category:Film directors from Odisha]]</div>imported>Soap Boy 1