Are you preparing for UPSC, State PSC, or other competitive exams that test your knowledge of Indian cinema? You’ve landed on the right page!
In this third part of our Cinema GK UPSC MCQs series, we bring you another set of 10 real or pattern-based questions that will boost your preparation and sharpen your memory.
Let’s begin today’s quiz on cinema GK UPSC practice questions with detailed answers and explanations to help you retain the facts better.
Don’t forget to check out the FAQs and Further Reading section at the end!
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Missed Part 2?
Explore the earlier questions asked in UPSC & PSC exams here: 👉 Read Part 2 Now!
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Are you ready to test your cinema knowledge? The set of cinema GK UPSC practice questions given below is based on the questions asked in the UPSC exams. Solve all 10 questions and know how strong your preparation is.
✅ Quick Tip Before You Begin
📝 Take a moment to note your answers separately—you’ll find detailed explanations after the MCQs to help you learn faster and smarter. Don’t just guess—try to recall what you’ve read or watched!
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Table of Contents
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MCQs – Cinema GK UPSC Practice (Set 3)
📝 Update (Fact Correction):
An earlier version of this post mentioned Pather Panchali as an answer to Question 1. The correct answer is the Marathi film Shyamchi Aai (1953), directed by Pralhad Keshav Atre, which received the first National Film Award for Best Feature Film (then known as the President’s Gold Medal for the All India Best Feature Film) in 1954.
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1. Which film won the first National Film Award for Best Feature Film (then known as the President’s Gold Medal for the All India Best Feature Film)?
A. Do Bigha Zamin
B. Pather Panchali
C. Shyamchi Aai
D. Awara
✅ Correct Answer: C. Shyamchi Aai 📘 Explanation: The first National Film Awards were presented in 1954 to honor films released in 1953. The President’s Gold Medal for the All India Best Feature Film, now known as the National Film Award for Best Feature Film, was awarded to Shyamchi Aai, a Marathi film directed by Pralhad Keshav Atre. The film is based on Sane Guruji’s autobiographical novel of the same name, depicting the bond between a mother and her son with deep moral and emotional values.
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2. Who was the music director of the classic Hindi film Guide (1965)?
A. S.D. Burman
B. R.D. Burman
C. Shankar-Jaikishan
D. Naushad
✅ Correct Answer: A. S.D. Burman
📝 Explanation: The music of Guide was composed by S.D. Burman and is remembered for its timeless melodies like “Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna Hai.”
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3. Which Indian film was the first to be nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars?
A. Mother India
B. Salaam Bombay!
C. Lagaan
D. The Lunchbox
✅ Correct Answer: A. Mother India
📝 Explanation: Mother India (1957) was India’s first official Oscar nomination in 1958. It narrowly lost to the Italian film Nights of Cabiria.
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4. Who directed the film Ankur (1974), a landmark in parallel cinema?
A. Shyam Benegal
B. Govind Nihalani
C. Mrinal Sen
D. Mani Kaul
✅ Correct Answer: A. Shyam Benegal
📝 Explanation: Ankur marked Shyam Benegal’s directorial debut and was a pioneer in India’s new wave or parallel cinema movement.
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5. The first Indian talkie film was released in
A. 1929
B. 1931
C. 1935
D. 1940
✅ Correct Answer: B. 1931
📝 Explanation: Alam Ara (1931) was India’s first full-length sound film and is considered a landmark in the history of Indian cinema.
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6. Who played the lead role in the film Satyakam (1969)?
A. Amitabh Bachchan
B. Dharmendra
C. Rajesh Khanna
D. Sanjeev Kumar
✅ Correct Answer: B. Dharmendra
📝 Explanation: Dharmendra delivered one of his finest performances in Satyakam, directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee.
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7. Which film is known as India’s first full-length feature film?
A. Raja Harishchandra
B. Alam Ara
C. Sant Tukaram
D. Bhakta Prahlad
✅ Correct Answer: A. Raja Harishchandra
📝 Explanation: Directed by Dadasaheb Phalke in 1913, Raja Harishchandra is the first Indian feature film.
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8. The movie Charulata is based on a short story by which famous author?
A. Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
B. Munshi Premchand
C. Rabindranath Tagore
D. Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
✅ Correct Answer: C. Rabindranath Tagore
📝 Explanation: Charulata (1964), directed by Satyajit Ray, is based on Tagore’s short story “Nashtanirh.”
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9. Which Indian documentary won an Oscar in 2023?
A. Writing with Fire
B. All That Breathes
C. The Elephant Whisperers
D. Period. End of Sentence
✅ Correct Answer: C. The Elephant Whisperers
📝 Explanation: This Tamil-language documentary short won Best Documentary Short Subject at the 95th Academy Awards.
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10. Who among the following was not a lyricist?
A. Sahir Ludhianvi
B. Majrooh Sultanpuri
C. Kavi Pradeep
D. Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
✅ Correct Answer: D. Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
📝 Explanation: Abbas was primarily a screenwriter and director, known for films like Saat Hindustani and Dharti Ke Lal
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Summary Table: Question–Answer
| Q. No. | Topic | Correct Answer | Key Insight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Film Awards | Shyamchi Aai | First winner of the President’s Gold Medal (1954), awarded to the Marathi film Shyamchi Aai. |
| 2 | Film Music | S.D. Burman | Guide (1965) is known for some of S.D. Burman’s most celebrated compositions. |
| 3 | Oscars | Mother India | India’s first Oscar nominee (1958) in the Best Foreign Language Film category. |
| 4 | Parallel Cinema | Shyam Benegal | Ankur (1974) launched the New Wave movement and marked Benegal’s directorial debut. |
| 5 | Talkies | 1931 | Alam Ara, India’s first talkie, was released in 1931. |
| 6 | Classic Hindi Cinema | Dharmendra | Satyakam (1969) features one of Dharmendra’s most critically acclaimed performances. |
| 7 | Film History | Raja Harishchandra | Dadasaheb Phalke’s 1913 silent film is India’s first full-length feature. |
| 8 | Literary Adaptations | Rabindranath Tagore | Charulata is based on Tagore’s “Nashtanirh,” adapted by Satyajit Ray. |
| 9 | Documentary Films | The Elephant Whisperers | Won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short (2023). |
| 10 | Film Personalities | Khwaja Ahmad Abbas | Abbas was a noted screenwriter and director—not a lyricist. |
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Further Reading:
Here are some trusted sources to explore and validate your knowledge:
- Film Awards – National Film Awards (DFF India)
- Oscars.org – Academy Awards Official Site
- NFDC India – Film Heritage Project
🗒️ Editor’s Note:
For accuracy, please note that the first National Film Award for Best Feature Film was won by the Marathi classic Shyamchi Aai (1953), directed by Pralhad Keshav Atre, not Pather Panchali.
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FAQs About Cinema GK UPSC Practice Questions
Q1: Are these questions taken directly from UPSC papers?
These are either from actual exams or closely modeled on the patterns used in UPSC and PSC Cinema GK segments.
Q2: How often should I practice such questions?
You can practice 10–15 questions weekly with revisions. Consistency is more important than quantity.
Q3: Where can I find Hindi versions of these questions?
Each post in this series is published in both English and Hindi. Visit the Hindi version via the link in the post or menu.
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Hope you enjoyed reading this post. If you did, please read our next post on Cinema GK UPSC Practice questions from Real Exams in Part 4.
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