Ritwik Ghatak honoured with centenary showcase at Kolkata Int’l Film Festival
The 31st Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) is paying tribute to legendary filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak on his birth centenary with a special exhibition and screenings of three of his most acclaimed works.
Born on November 4, 1925, and passing away at the age of 50 in 1976, Ghatak remains one of India's most influential filmmakers and writers, celebrated for his films "Meghe Dhaka Tara", "Komal Gandhar", "Subarnarekha", "A River Called Titas", and "The Cloud-Capped Star".
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The exhibition, titled "Centenary Tribute Ritwik Ghatak: The Subaltern Voice", opened on November 7 at the Nandan Foyer — KIFF's main festival venue — and will continue until November 13. It was inaugurated by veteran actress Madhabi Mukherjee, who played the lead in Ghatak's "Subarnarekha" (1965), alongside his son Ritoban Ghatak and artist Subhaprasanna Bhattacharya.
The exhibition offers an intimate glimpse into Ghatak's creative and personal life. On display are rare photographs, including one of him with fellow cinematic icon Satyajit Ray, original handwritten letters, first-edition books authored by Ghatak, and the original censorship certificate of "Subarnarekha". Visitors can also see vintage film booklets once distributed during commercial Bengali film releases — a nostalgic reminder of cinema's golden era.
In one deeply personal letter featured in the exhibition, Ghatak writes candidly to his wife about his struggles and isolation during his time at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune.
Speaking at the inauguration, Ritoban Ghatak reflected on his father's enduring legacy, noting that "his father was yet to get the recognition he deserves in the world," urging more research and discussion into his life and work. Madhabi Mukherjee, visibly moved, described Ghatak as "much more than a filmmaker, a thinker who projected the socio-political and cultural changes in his times and beforehand."
In addition to the exhibition, KIFF is screening Ghatak's landmark trilogy on Partition and displacement — "Meghe Dhaka Tara", "Komal Gandhar", and "Subarnarekha" — as part of its official programme.
The festival will also host a "Ritwik Ghatak Memorial Conversation" featuring acclaimed filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan on November 12. A special felicitation ceremony honouring actors, students, and technicians who worked with Ghatak will follow on November 13.
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