[2] She is known as The First Female Actress in Indian Cinema when she acted in film Mohini Bhasmasur in 1913 at that time when it was not considered an appropriate profession for girls from respectable families.
Her rather bold decision to raise her child single-handedly and to pursue a career in acting saw her being ostracised by her Brahmin community.
Around this time, Durgabai took up Dadasaheb Phalke on his offer to star in his next feature film, along with her daughter.
[8] In 1927 she acted in film Babanchi Bayko directed by Narayanrao D. Sarpotdar, starring K. Ghaneker, Koregonkar Durgabai, Varne Pandurang and Gondhaleker.
With the coming of sound in movies then in 1931 she acted in Gulami Janjir a social film, directed by Prafulla Chandra Ghosh and co-starred Takle, Rafiq Ghaznavi, Hyder Shah and Manohar Ghatwani.