India’s first female superstar who ruled cinema without speaking a word

Today, when audiences discuss gender transformation roles in films, very few realise that Indian cinema experimented with it more than 100 years ago

Hyderabad: Before Bollywood became a world of superstars, dance numbers, and glamorous heroines, Indian cinema had a secret that many movie lovers still do not know.

The first popular female star of Indian cinema was actually a man.

Yes, decades before modern cinema took shape, Anna Salunke shocked audiences by playing female characters on screen during the silent film era. His story remains one of the most surprising chapters in Indian cinema history.

The Twist Nobody Expected in Early Indian Cinema

The year was 1913. Legendary filmmaker Dadasaheb Phalke was preparing Raja Harishchandra, India’s first full-length feature film. But there was one major problem.

No women were willing to act in movies.

During that time, acting in films was considered socially unacceptable for women. Phalke struggled to find actresses for female roles. That is when Anna Salunke entered the picture.

Salunke reportedly worked at a restaurant before entering cinema. His slim appearance and expressive face caught Phalke’s attention. Soon, he was selected to play Queen Taramati in Raja Harishchandra.

Audiences watching the film had no idea that the graceful queen on screen was actually a male actor.

The Man Who Became Indian Cinema’s First Screen Queen

Anna Salunke’s performance became a sensation in silent cinema. Since movies had no dialogues then, actors had to rely completely on facial expressions and body language. Salunke mastered both effortlessly.

His popularity grew rapidly, and he soon became one of the most talked-about stars of that generation.

The biggest surprise came with Lanka Dahan in 1917. In the film, Salunke reportedly played both Lord Rama and Sita, becoming one of Indian cinema’s earliest actors to perform dual roles.

Famous Movies of Anna Salunke

Anna Salunke acted in several important silent films that helped shape early Indian cinema:

• Raja Harishchandra (1913)
• Satyavadi Raja Harishchandra (1917)
• Lanka Dahan (1917)
• Kaliya Mardan (1919)
• Satyanarayan (1922)
• Buddhadev (1923)
• Bhakta Prahlad (1926)
• Nala Damayanti (1927)

Today, when audiences discuss gender transformation roles in films, very few realise that Indian cinema experimented with it more than 100 years ago.

Anna Salunke was not just an actor. He became a symbol of cinema’s fearless beginnings, a man who unknowingly created history by becoming Indian cinema’s first unforgettable heroine.

Before Bollywood had glamorous actresses, there was Anna Salunke, the silent era star who fooled an entire nation with the power of performance.