The visionary from Gujarat, Chandulal Jesangbhai Shah, established the Shri Ranjit Film Company in 1929 in partnership with his lady love Gauhar. The company was renamed to Ranjit Movietone with the arrival of sound in the cinemas.

"There are more stars in Ranjit than in the heaven," was the proud boast at Ranjit Movietone. During its peak, more than 300 artists were attached with the company. Big names like, K L Saigal, Motilal, Gauhar, Khursheed, E Billimoria etc were on its payroll.

Rajputani, its first film made in 1929 itself, was directed by Cahndulal Shah with Gohar and D Billimoria in the lead roles. Two years later, in 1931, Shah made the first talkie for Ranjit, Devi Devyani - a mythological starring Gohar, Bhagwandas and D Billimoria. During its productive years, Ranjit was known for its prolific filmmaking. In 1934 came the Jayant Desai directed Nadira with Madhuri and D Billimoria in the star roles, which created history at the box office. This was followed by yet another record-breaker, 1937, Toofani Toli by the same director with the same star cast. Then came films like Barrister's Wife, Tulsidas, Pardesi the last big hit of Ranjit. In 1953 Chandulal Shah directed his last film for Ranjit, Paapi, starring Raj Kapoor and Nargis.

A string of non-performers at the box-office saw the end of Ranjit in the mid-fifties, when the Life Insurance Corporation took over the studios to recover arrears due to it. And its founder, the legendary Sardar Chandulal Shah, devastated by losses at the stock exchange and the race course, died in near penury.

Forgotten.