Meet Durgabai Kamat: The First Actress in Indian Cinema History

Long before Bollywood had its first female superstar, it had Durgabai Kamat — a Marathi actress who, in 1913, became the first woman ever to appear in an Indian film. A recently resurfaced clip from a vintage photo studio archive is bringing renewed attention to just how radical that moment was.

Breaking a Century-Old Taboo

In the earliest days of Indian cinema, acting was considered entirely unsuitable for women from respectable families — so much so that Dadasaheb Phalke, widely regarded as the father of Indian cinema, had to cast a man in the lead female role of his first film, Raja Harishchandra. For his second film, Mohini Bhasmasur, Phalke took the unprecedented step of casting Durgabai Kamat as the goddess Parvati, with her own daughter, Kamlabai Gokhale, playing Mohini alongside her.

The decision made history twice over: Durgabai became the first actress in Indian cinema, and Kamlabai became the first child actress. Their casting opened the door for women to work in Indian film at all, at a time when the profession carried serious social stigma.

A Legacy That Outlived Her

Durgabai's career stretched across seven decades of Indian cinema. Her family's connection to acting didn't end with her, either — her grandson Chandrakant Gokhale and great-grandsons Vikram Gokhale and Mohan Gokhale all became respected names in Marathi film and television, carrying the Kamat-Gokhale legacy well into the modern era.

Quick Facts

• First film: Mohini Bhasmasur (1913)

• Role: Goddess Parvati

• Milestone: First actress in Indian cinema

• Daughter: Kamlabai Gokhale, first child actress in Indian cinema

• Descendants: Chandrakant Gokhale, Vikram Gokhale, Mohan Gokhale

FAQs

Who was the first actress in Indian cinema?

Durgabai Kamat, who appeared as Goddess Parvati in Dadasaheb Phalke's 1913 film Mohini Bhasmasur.

Why was casting a woman considered radical at the time?

Acting was seen as an unsuitable profession for women from respectable families, so early Indian films used male actors in female roles until Kamat's casting broke that norm.

Which of her descendants became actors?

Her daughter Kamlabai Gokhale, grandson Chandrakant Gokhale, and great-grandsons Vikram Gokhale and Mohan Gokhale all had notable acting careers.