D. D. Dabke – The First Hero of Indian Cinema

The First Hero of India’s First Silent Film Raja Harishchandra (1913) was Dattatraya Damodar Dabke better known as D. D. Dabke. He played the title role of Raja Harishchandra in Dadasaheb Phalke‘s historic film and wrote history. However, unlike Anna Salunke, the other actor who played the heroine’s role in Raja Harishchandra, D. D. Dabke did not earn much success as a hero!

 

Readers would be shocked to know that D. D. Dabke became the hero of Raja Harishchandra accidentally. The story goes; Dadasaheb Phalke had earlier given advertisement in local newspapers calling aspiring actors to act in his upcoming home production Raja Harishchandra. The salary offered was attractive. In those days when people were contented with a monthly salary of Rs 10! Dadasaheb Phalke offered Rs 40 for good actors to play an important role in the film.

 

The response generated from the advertisement was mind-blowing. There was a huge queue. Hundreds of aspirants had come for an audition but alas, Dadasaheb Phalke was disappointed. None of the aspirants had a basic knowledge of acting. Most importantly, the majority was average looking and dull. Hence Dadasaheb Phalke again inserted an advertisement categorically emphasizing –Only Good Looking Actors apply! This time the rush was less. Though the actors applied were good looking but most lacked knowledge of acting.

 

Eventually, let down by newspaper advertisements, Dadasaheb Phalke decided to travel across the country and select theatre actors. Thus he began his journey and Dadasaheb Phalke was impressed by two-stage actors Padurang Gadhadhar Sane and Gajanan Vasudev Sane. Dadasaheb Phalke cast Gajanan Vasudev Sane as Vishvamitra and Padurang Gadhadhar Sane played Nati.

 

Though Dadasaheb Phalke got a team of 40 actors but he did not get the right actor to play the hero i.e. Raja Harishchandra. While he was pondering over discovering an actor to play Raja Harishchandra, Padurang Sane introduced him with a Marathi stage actor Dattatraya Damodar Dabke, who was a close friend of Sane.

 

Dattatraya Damodar Dabke was tall, handsome and had a regal personality. A look at him and Dadasaheb Phalke was bowled over by spectacular physique and imposing personality and immediately signed him as the film’s lead hero Raja Harishchandra.

 

After the success of Raja Harishchandra, Dattatraya Damodar Dabke did few handfuls of films but he did not taste success as an actor. Hence he switched to cinematographer and later took direction. Interestingly, in 1924, he Re-Made Dadasaheb Phalke‘s Raja Harishchandra.