Who Was the First Bollywood Actress?
Ask who the first Bollywood actress was and you’ll get different answers, because the story starts before the word “Bollywood” existed.
The first women on screen. In India’s earliest films, female roles were played by men. Dadasaheb Phalke’s Raja Harishchandra (1913) followed this practice. His next film, Mohini Bhasmasur (1913), changed it by casting Durgabai Kamat and her daughter Kamlabai Gokhale. Durgabai is generally credited as the first woman to act in an Indian film, and Kamlabai as the first Indian female child actor.
Devika Rani, the “First Lady of Indian Cinema.” Devika Rani became a major star of the 1930s. She is often called the first lady of Indian cinema and helped make acting a respectable career for women.
Fatma Begum is another important early name. She is widely recognised as one of India’s first female film directors.
Why it matters
These women worked when acting was considered taboo for women from respectable families. Every actress working today builds on their path.
FAQs
Who was the first female actress in Indian cinema?
Durgabai Kamat, in Mohini Bhasmasur (1913).
Who is called the First Lady of Indian cinema?
Devika Rani.
