Mumbai, May 14 -- In the early days of Indian cinema, films, awards, and fame were big. But most of the time,only male actors and directors were praised. They became stars, while women stayed behind the scenes.But here's something many don't know -the first Indian woman to win the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's biggest film honour, wasDevika Rani.

A Talented Woman with Big Dreams

Devika Rani was born in 1908 in a rich and educated Bengali family. She loved art and acting from a young age. She went to London to study acting and design. There, she metHimanshu Rai, a filmmaker. They got married and worked together in many films.

A Bold Start withKarma

Devika Rani acted inKarma(1933), one of India's early talkie films. The movie had a fo...