The NFDC–National Film Archive of India (NFDC–NFAI) will organise a four-day film festival, “GHATAK: A RETROSPECTIVE”, from October 22 to 25, 2026, at its auditorium on Law College Road, Pune. The retrospective will showcase 4K-restored feature films, rare 35mm prints, non-fiction documentaries, educational shorts and digitised fragments of incomplete works by iconic filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak. The festival offers film scholars, students and cinephiles an opportunity to explore the breadth of Ghatak’s cinematic contributions, including his directorial works and lesser-known projects across different creative roles.
The festival will open on October 22 with Chinnamul (1950), directed by Nemai Ghosh, in which Ghatak appeared as an actor. The film portrays the displacement of rural communities following Partition and offers an insight into an important phase of Ghatak’s early cinematic journey, before he emerged as a major directorial voice.
The programme brings together 4K-restored prints of Ghatak’s acclaimed feature films, including Nagarik (1952), Ajantrik (1958), Bari Theke Paliye (1959), Meghe Dhaka Tara (1960), Komal Gandhar (1961), Subarnarekha (1962), Titash Ekti Nadir Naam (1973) and Jukti Takko Aar Gappo (1974). It also features Musafir (1957), directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, for which Ghatak contributed to the screenplay, and Madhumati (1958), directed by Bimal Roy, for which he contributed to the story and screenplay. These Hindi films highlight the breadth of his creative contributions and place his work within the wider landscape of Indian cinema.
The retrospective also includes documentaries and short-form works such as Bihar Ke Darshaniya Sthan (1955), Fear (1965), Rendezvous (1965), Nagarik Sanrakshan/Civil Defence (1965), My Lenin (1970), Scientists of Tomorrow (1967), Puruliar Chhau (1970), Adivasiyon Ka Jeevan, Yeh Kyun (1970) and Durbar Gati Padma (1971). These works offer insights into Ghatak’s engagement with documentary filmmaking, cultural practices, public life and artistic expression beyond feature-length narratives.
Of particular archival significance are the incomplete works included in the programme: Rounger Golam, Bagalar Banga Darshan, Kato Ajanare (1959) and Ghatak’s incomplete biographical film on renowned sculptor Ramkinkar Baij. The retrospective will present surviving fragments of these incomplete and unrealised works, restored and digitised in 2K/4K under the National Film Heritage Mission (NFHM). Their public screening offers audiences a rare opportunity to encounter cinematic material that does not exist in the form of completed films. These fragments also underscore the role of film archives in preserving not only completed films but also incomplete and lesser-known works that contribute to a fuller understanding of a filmmaker’s creative journey.
The restoration of these films was undertaken under the National Film Heritage Mission, a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, dedicated to preserving the country’s audiovisual heritage. The meticulous 4K restorations drew upon original film elements preserved over several decades by NFDC–NFAI, along with valuable materials from the West Bengal State Film Archive. To ensure visual authenticity and fidelity to Ghatak’s original cinematic vision, the colour-grading process was supervised by National Award-winning cinematographer Shri Avik Mukhopadhyay, who lauded the restoration initiative.
For the detailed schedule, interested persons may write to nfaifilmcircle@nfdcindia.com or visit NFDC–NFAI’s social media platforms.
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