Hyderabad, May 19 -- 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, actin...