Shri. D.G. Phalke's Raja Harishchandra was India's first indigenous film, a silent movie with subtitles in Hindi and English, which released on May 3, 1913. So far India cinema has produced more than 30,000 feature films and thousands of short films as well as documentaries. In 1917 Bengal entered into film world with their first film Satyabadi Raja Harishchandra Mr. Nataraja Mudhaliar made the first south Indian film Keechaka Vadham in 1919.

The first Indian talkie was Alam Ara, directed by Ardesgir Irani, was released on 14 March 1931. Same year talkies from Bengal and south India also released. The first talkie from Bengali film Jamai Shasthi, Bhakta prahlad in Telugu and Kalidass in Tamil were also released in 1931.

The first talkie in Marathi Ayodhiyecha Raja in 1932, Narasinh Mehta( Gujarathi) in 1932, Dhruvakumar(Kannada) in 1934, Sita Bibaha(Oriya) in 1934,Sheila (Punjabi) in 1934, Joymati (Assamese) in 1935 and Balan(Malayalam) in 1938 were also released in thirties.

In forties couple of good films like Dr.Kotnis Ki amar Kahani (Shantharam),roti(Mehbbob), Neecha Nagar(Chetan Anand), Sikander(Sohrab Modi), Chandralekha(S.S. Vasan), Barsat and Aag(Rajkapoor) were released.

The turning point in Indian cinema happened in 1955 with Satyajit Ray's classic film Pather Panchali. In Hindi Do Bigha Zamin by Bimal Roy, Boot Polish, Shri-420 and Jagte Raho by Rajkapoor, Do aankhen Barah Haath by Shantharam and Mother India by Mehmood were highly distinguished films released in fifties.

K. Asif's Mughal-E-Azam released in the early sixties set a record in box-office. Rajkapoor's Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai, Dilip Kumar's Ganga Jumna, Gurudutt's Sahib Bibi our Gulam, Devanand's Guide, Hrishikesh Mukherji's Aashirwad and Bimal Roy's Bandini were notable films of sixties. The first National Award winner in Malayalam, Chemmeen by Ramu Kariat released in 1965.

The new wave of Indian cinema started with Mrinal Sen'sBhuvan Shome during the end of the decade. Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak and Mrinal Sen were the founders of the new Indian cinema. In Mumbai people like Basu Chatterji, Rajinder Singh Bedi, Mani Kaul, M.S. Sathyu and Shyam Bengal were responsible for creating a new trend in Hindi films. During this time Tapan Sinha and Tarun Majumdar in Kolkatha made valuable contributions to Indian cinema.

Seventies produced super hit films like Pakeeza by Kamal Amrohi, Bobby by Rajkapoor, Haathi mere Saathi by Devar, and Sholay by Ramesh Sippy. Samskara ( Kannada ) by Pattabhi Rama Reddy released in 1970 and Swayamvaram( Malayalam) by Adoor Gopalakrishnan released in 1972 were noted regional films from south India.

During the eighties, Syam Benegal made some good films like Manthan, Bhumika, Nishant, Junoon and Trikal. Praksh Jha's Damul, Aparna Sen's 36-Chowinghee Lane, Pradeep Kishan's Massey Saheb , Ketan Mehta's Mirch Masala, Gulzar's Ijaazat, Musafir Ali's Umrao jaan, Gautam Ghose's Paar and Nabayendu Ghosh's Trishagni were other notable contributions during this period. Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Aravindan consolidated their position in eighties with their films Elipathayam, Mukha Mukham, Anantha-ram, Esthappan, Pokkuveyil, Chidambram, and Oridath. Shaji N Karun's first film Piravi released in 1988 bagged many National and International Awards. In 1989 Ira Nair, the young woman director , won the Golden camera award at Cannes for her first film Salaam Bombay

During nineties Malayalam cinema produced some good films like Vidheyan by Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Bharatham by Sibi Malayil, Sargamby Hariharan, Kilukkam by Priyadarshan, Deivathinte Vikruthikal by Lenin Rajendran, Kadavu by M.T., Manichithrathazhu by Fazil, Swam by Shaji and Ponthanmada by T.V. Chandran.

Nineties also brought good films in other south Indian films like Anjali, Roja, Bombay by Mani Ratnam, Marupakkam and Nammavar by Seethumadhavan, Karuthamma by Bharathi Raja and Surigadu by Dasari Narayana Rao. From the Hindi side, good films like Roja, Hum Aap Ke Hai Kaun, Bombay, Kalapani, Raja Hindustani, Border, Avai Shanmughi, Kathapurushan, Lal Darja, Dushman, Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai, Pyar Kiya Tho Darna Kya, Dilse, Kuch Kuchu Kota Hai, Satya, Virasat, Chachi 420, Dulhe Raja, Dil to Pagal Hai released in nineties. Mani Ratnam's Dilse got into the top ten in London. Mira Nair's Kamasutra, Deepa Mehta's Fire, Godmother, and Earth 1947 were successful films in 1999. In 2000 we have seen many successful film like Vanaprastham, Kahona Pyar Ke, Refugee, Hum Dil De chuke Sanam, Daman, Narasiham, Dada Sahib, Mazha, Kochu Kochu Santhoshangal etc...

During 2003 couple of good films released in Malayalam like Nandanam,Manasinakkare,C.I.D Moosa,Nammal,Swapna Koodu,Balettan,Mesha Madhavan, etc...

For Malayalam cinema year 2004 was very bad due to dispute by film producers association and "AMMA"-Association of Malayalam Movie Artists. Due to this many films were released late.