Ritwik Ghatak’s films restored in 4K for London retrospective
Films by legendary filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak have been restored in 4K and are being showcased in a month-long retrospective in London.
The National Film Development Corporation–National Film Archive of India (NFDC-NFAI) has completed the restoration of Ghatak’s entire feature filmography. The restored films are being screened at BFI Southbank throughout June.
The season is titled “Revolutionary Cinema: The Passion of Ritwik Ghatak”. It has been curated by filmmaker and academic Sanghita Sen. The programme marks Ritwik Ghatak's birth centenary and highlights his contribution to world cinema.
Ghatak, born in 1925, is regarded as one of the most important figures of Bengali parallel cinema, alongside Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen. His films often deal with partition, displacement and the Bengal famine.
The restorations were made using original film materials preserved by NFDC-NFAI and the West Bengal State Film Archive. Colour grading was supervised by National Film Award-winning cinematographer Avik Mukhopadhyay.
The retrospective includes all eight restored feature films by Ghatak. These include the Partition Trilogy: “Meghe Dhaka Tara”, “Komal Gandhar”, and “Subarnarekha”. Other restored titles are “Nagarik”, “Ajantrik”, “Bari Thekey Paliye”, “Titas Ekti Nadir Naam”, and “Jukti Takko Aar Gappo”.Only five of these films were released in India during Ghatak’s lifetime, as he passed away in 1976.
The season also features three unfinished projects and 13 fiction and documentary shorts. It includes works written by or featuring Ghatak as an actor, such as “The Traveller”, “The Diamond Butterfly”, and “The Uprooted”.
A work-in-progress documentary titled “Ghatak Was Here”, directed by Sen, is also part of the programme.
The retrospective opened on June 2 with “A River Called Ritwik”. The event featured Sanghita Sen, filmmaker and author Nasreen Munni Kabir, and producer Adam Dawtrey. The session was hosted by academic Manishita Dass.
Cinematographer Avik Mukhopadhyay said the restoration work is a major achievement. He described it as an important effort for future generations of film lovers.
NFDC Managing Director Prakash Magdum said the retrospective will help introduce Ghatak’s work to global audiences. He also highlighted India’s archival achievements through this collaboration.
The programme aims to bring renewed international attention to Ghatak’s cinema and his legacy in world film history.
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