100 years of Indian cinema: From first kiss to first Indian woman to win an Oscar

As Indian cinema turns 100, we give you an insight into a series of unknown and interesting facts about the Indian film industry. From the first on-screen kiss to the first actor to have donned bikini, we get you all. Read on…
   

First on screen kiss: Devika Rani kissing Himanshu Rai in a still from Karma


Star Devika Rani, who belonged to an affluent family, left orthodox Indian viewers shocked when she locked lips with her real life spouse in the film Karma released in 1933. In fact, the scene lasted for four minutes and happens to be one of the longest kissing scenes on Indian screen. 

First colour film: Moti B Gidvani’s Kisan Kanya


While Kisan Kanya which released in 1937 is India’s first colour film to have been produced, Mughal-e-Azam was in news because Asif filmed one reel in Technicolor  (which included the song Pyar Kiya to Darna Kya).
Kisan Kanya, which was directed by Moti B Gidvani and produced by Ardeshir Irani, it was the first Indian color film to be made entirely in India.
  

First Bollywood actress to give bikini scene - Nutan
Mother of Kajol and Tanisha Mukharjee, Nutan was among the first of Bollywood actress to don a bikini. She wore it for the film Dilli Ka Thug released in 1958.

First Indian film which was nominated for an Oscar: Mother India

This cult film released in 1957 is perhaps one of the classic films of all times. Nargis played the epitome of motherhood while Rajendra Kumar and Sunil Dutt played her devoted sons. Directed, produced and written by Mehboob Khan, ‘Mother India’ looked like a live painting. It’s a story of a mother who fights all odds to raise her children and setup a prosperous and a progressive village.
  

First Indian woman to win an Oscar: Bhanu Athaiya

Bhanu Athaiya, the first Indian woman to bag an Oscar, is Indian cinema's most respected costume designer. With over 100 films, since 1950s to her credit, Bhanu Athaiya has worked with popular filmmakers - Guru Dutt, Yash Chopra, Raj Kapoor, Ashutosh Gowarikar, Conrad Rooks and Richard Attenborough.

She was given the Academy Award for Costume Design (The Oscar), for her work in 1982 film, Gandhi. She also bagged two National Film Awards in 1991 and 2002.