On Dadasaheb Phalke’s 81st Memorial Day, his grandnephew Chandrashekhar Pusalkar recalled his dedication to Indian cinema, revealing that Phalke nearly lost his eyesight for his craft. Despite financial struggles, he pioneered filmmaking in India with Raja Harishchandra (1913). Later, he criticized the industry’s malpractices and commercialization. Lokmanya Tilak acknowledged his films’ role in spreading Indian culture and aiding the freedom movement.