1933

1933 is the year the studio system found its identity in Hindi cinema. New Theatres (Calcutta) delivered three landmark productions: Puran Bhagat, in which Saigal's bhajans unified all of India in a single devotional voice; Yahudi Ki Ladki, in which Pankaj Mullick made Ghalib sing on screen; and Rajrani Meera, in which Durga Khote's Meera and Prithviraj Kapoor's Rana formed the opposing poles of devotion and pride. The same year, Devika Rani and Himanshu Rai's Karma became India's first international co-production — and Devika Rani possibly sang the first English-language song in any Indian talkie. V. Shantaram's Prabhat Film Company attempted India's first colour film with Sairandhri — the Bipack colour process failed in Germany, but the experimental spirit endured.