Anandi Mandal shows reels of old Bhojpuri films. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, Feb. 10: Anandi Mandal may be 82 years old but he clearly remembers the day the first Bhojpuri film — Ganga Maiya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo — was released at Veena theatre in the state capital on February 21, 1963.

Mandal was the distributor the film, under Krish Distribution House, which ran for over 19 weeks. Before Bhojpuri cinema completes 50 years on February 16 this year, The Telegraph traced the man who was instrumental in the release of the first film in the dialect.

Mandal said: “It was a historic moment for Bhojpuri cinema when Ganga Maiya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo was released. I still remember the day the film’s artistes — Leela Mishra, Tun Tun, Bhagwan Sinha, Ramaya Tiwari — and director Kundan Kumar came to watch the film. More than 1,000 people were inside the theatre, while another 5,000 waited outside to catch a glimpse of the artistes.”

“The artistes stayed in Patna for three days for the promotion and went to the theatre to watch the film on all three days,” he added.

On the film’s making, Mandal said: “It all started when the then President of India Rajendra Prasad met Nazir Hussain, a scriptwriter, and requested him to write a story for Bhojpuri cinema. Hussain agreed and came up with a script in a year. Director Kundan Kumar completed the film in two years. Unfortunately, Rajendra Prasad died the month the film was released.”

While the film’s mahurat was shot at Sadaqat Ashram, several scenes were shot in Varanasi.

The film was a hit in Bengal as well, Mandal recalled. “Ganga Maiya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo was a superhit in Bengal. It released at Hind cinema in Calcutta on August 30, 1963, and ran for over 23 weeks. The ticket price was less than Rs 5,” he said, adding at that time distribution of most of the films made in Bihar was handled from Calcutta.

Mandal also said: “I am in this field for more than 60 years and have distributed hit films like Ghar Sansar (1958), Maa Baap (1960), Tajmahal (1963) and many more. But Ganga Maiya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo is my biggest achievement — I cannot forget the day I got the offer to distribute the film. I was very excited to be a part of the project as it was the first Bhojpuri film.”

The octogenarian distributor is, however, disappointed over the present state of Bhojpuri cinema. He said: “The Bhojpuri films today are not like the old movies. Most of them are copies of Hindi films and lack the essence of Bhojpuri soil. There is too much emphasis on vulgarity in today’s films. I don’t feel like distributing these films. The orientation of the directors have changed completely. How can you show women in bikini, and that too in villages? It is not possible. Today’s Bhojpuri cinema has corrupted the mind of the youngsters.”