First in Film, TV and entertainment

• First Film to be exhibited in India on 7 July 1896, with the Lumiere Brothers' Cinematography, unveiling six silent short films at the Watson's Hotel in Bombay, viz., Entry of Cinematography, The Sea Bath, Arrival of a Train, A Demolition, Ladies & Soldiers on Wheels and Leaving the Factory.
• First silent film to be made in India: Raja Harishchandra, 1913 by Dadasaheb Phalke.
• First Tamil silent film: Keechaka Vadham (1918), produced and directed by R. Nataraja Mudaliar.
• First actress of Indian cinema: Durgabai Kamat in Mohini Bhasmasur (1913), second movie of Phalke
• First Bengali film maker: Hiralal Sen
• First Bengali talkie: Dena Paona (1931)
• Dadasaheb Phalke Award: Devika Rani (1969)
• First Government award for films: Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards(1937)
• First Punjabi film made in the city: Kolkata
• First Indian filmmaker to get Bharat Ratna: Satyajit Ray (1992)
• Sound film: Alam Ara (1931) directed by Ardeshir Irani, 1931, First Talkie actress: Zubeida
• Colour film: Kisan Kanya (1937), directed by Moti B. Gidvani.
• Film to be banned: Neel Akasher Neechey, (1959) (Directed by-Mrinal Sen) .
• Cinemascope film: Kaagaz Ke Phool(Directed by -Gurudutt) (1959)
• Oscar for Lifetime Achievement: Satyajit Ray (1992)
• Film to attract International critical attention: Pather Panchali, (1955) won eleven awards.
• Oscar winner: Bhanu Athaiya for Best Costume Design for Gandhi (film) in 1982
• Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film: Mother India, 1957
• Music director to win an Oscar and first double Oscar winner-Mr. A. R. Rahman for Slumdog Millionaire, 22 February 2009.
• Sound engineer to win an Oscar: Resul Pookutty for Slumdog Millionaire, 22 February 2009
• Palme d'Or at 1946 Cannes Film Festival: Neecha Nagar, directed by Chetan Anand
• National Film Award for cinema: Shyamchi Aai, 1954
• Colorized film: Mughal-e-Azam in 2004 (the original black-and-white version was released in 1960)
• Sponsored TV serial: Hum Log, started on 7 July 1984, was also the first soap opera of India, ran for 156 episodes
• Guinness Book of World Records in the category, Fewest actors in a narrative film: Yaadein (1964) directed and acted by Sunil Dutt
• Actor to enact 10 roles: Kamal Haasan
• Actress to enact 10 roles = Priyanka Chopra plays 12 different characters in Bollywood film-"What's Your Raashee?"
• 3-D film: My Dear Kuttichathan, a Malayalam film, produced in 1984, dubbed in Hindi as Chhota Chetan.
• 70 mm film: Around the World, a Hindi film, starring Raj Kapoor and Rajshree in 1967
• Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters) - Director: Mrinal Sen (1985); Actor: Sivaji Ganesan (1995); Actress: Sharmila Tagore(2004)
• Hindi film screened at the United Nations: Lage Raho Munna Bhai, 10 November 2006,directed by Rajkumar Hirani
• First Bhojpuri feature film to be featured in the Indian Panorama section at the International Film Festival of India: Deswa (2011)
• First music record was recorded by Gauhar Jaan singing a khayal in Raag Jogiya, recorded on 2 November 1902, by Fred Gaisberg, assistant to Emile Berliner, the father of Gramophone record.