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Rekha in ‘Umrao Jaan’. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
This year’s programme carries exceptional historical resonance. It commemorates 125 years of V. Shantaram while offering centenary tributes to Guru Dutt, Raj Khosla, Ritwik Ghatak, Bhupen Hazarika, P. Bhanumati, Salil Choudhury, and K. Vaikunth. The festival also marks 50 years of NFDC, underscoring its pivotal role in shaping modern Indian cinema. A dedicated showcase of Shyam Benegal’s Susman honours the visionary filmmaker’s enduring contribution to Indian cinema.
Muzaffar Ali’s Umrao Jaan has been restored from a preserved 35mm release print | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Launched by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in November 2016, the National Film Heritage Mission stands as one of India’s most ambitious preservation initiatives. Its mandate encompasses the preservation, conservation, digitisation, and restoration of India’s film heritage—including camera negatives, release prints, and rare archival materials sourced from rights-holders, collectors, and international institutions.
The Indian restored titles presented at IFFI 2025 exemplify the project’s rigor—frame-by-frame digital restoration and colour grading, often undertaken under the guidance of filmmakers, cinematographers, or their collaborators whenever possible.
Among the highlights is Ritwik Ghatak’s Subarnarekha, restored from the 35mm master positive in the NFDC–NFAI collection, with final colour grading supervised by cinematographer Avik Mukhopadhyay.
Muzaffar Ali’s Umrao Jaan has been restored from a preserved 35mm release print after the original negative deteriorated irreversibly; Ali personally supervised the grading to maintain the film’s distinctive chromatic elegance. His earlier milestone Gaman returns in a newly restored version, with missing footage reconstructed from a subtitled archival print.
Equally notable are the restorations of Kalpana Lajmi’s Rudaali and B.N. Reddi’s Malleswari—each restored while preserving textual and visual authenticity.
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The programme also celebrates classics such as Raj Khosla’s C.I.D, Guru Dutt’s Pyaasa, and V. Shantaram’s Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani, restored from surviving prints or dupe negatives after original materials were lost or compromised by decomposition. Modern-era films—including Ek Doctor Ki Maut, Ek Hota Vidushak, Kireedam (featuring Dadasaheb Phalke Awardee Mohanlal), and Musafir also feature in the lineup.
One of the programme’s rarest films is Baburao Painter’s Muraliwala (1927), one of the few surviving Indian silent films. It will be presented with a curated live musical accompaniment by composer Rahul Ranade, offering audiences a sensory experience reminiscent of early 20th-century film exhibition—in the presence of Baburao Painter’s two surviving daughters.
Films such as Ramesh Saigal’s Shaheed (1948) and Mani Ratnam’s Gitanjali further illustrate the breadth of eras and narrative traditions represented in this restoration slate, each title having posed unique technical and archival challenges. Together, these restorations showcased at IFFI 2025, celebrate the work of some of India’s most influential cinematic personalities and reaffirm India’s commitment to safeguarding its moving-image heritage.
Published – November 22, 2025 12:13 pm IST
