When Durgabai Kamat made history as Indian Cinema’s first heroine

Before Durgabai Kamat stepped into films, no Indian women appeared on screen. Acting in cinema was seen as taboo and morally questionable for women. All female characters in Raja Harishchandra (1913), India’s first feature film, were played by men in drag. Durgabai’s decision to act marked a revolutionary moment, challenging deep-rooted conservative attitudes.

Dadasaheb Phalke, who struggled to convince any woman to act, finally persuaded Durgabai to play the goddess Parvati in Mohini Bhasmasur. The film is considered India’s first film to feature a female actor in a proper role, and it was released just months after Raja Harishchandra.

Durgabai’s daughter, Kamlabai Gokhale, joined her on screen in Mohini Bhasmasur, becoming India’s first female child actress. Together, they opened doors for women in cinema and set a precedent that acting could be an honorable profession for Indian women.

Before appearing in films, Durgabai was active in Marathi theatre, which was itself progressive for the time. Her experience on stage made her more comfortable taking the pioneering step into movies when most women hesitated.

Though Durgabai Kamat only acted in a handful of films, her courage had an outsized influence on Indian cinema. By normalizing the idea of women on screen, she made it possible for later generations—from Devika Rani in the 1930s to contemporary stars—to enter the industry. Today, she is remembered as a trailblazer whose name is linked to the birth of Indian film heroines.