Director Ritwik Ghatak's feature films, and an array of his short films is set to be restored in the 4K format. The National Film Development Corporation – National Film Archive of India (NFDC-NFAI), operating under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), has taken on this endeavor to commemorate the director's birth centenary.
The NFDC-NFAI has also joined hands with the British Film Institute (BFI) to present a month-long retrospective at the BFI Southbank, London, throughout June 2026.
National Award-winning cinematographer Avik Mukhopadhyay, who supervised the color grading process said, “I am really proud and enthralled to be part of Ghatak restoration as he is one of the most original filmmaker nationally and internationally. As a cinematographer, it offered me a scope to watch his beautiful craft closely. NFDC-NFAI's National Film Heritage Mission’s Ghatak restoration project is one of their most commendable works for the future generation of film enthusiasts and film lovers. I really thank the whole team for such a painstaking but wonderful effort.”
Meanwhile, Prakash Magdum, Managing Director, NFDC, said, “Ritwik Ghatak’s cinema remains one of the most powerful artistic reflections of India’s social and cultural history. Through this restoration initiative and our collaboration with the British Film Institute, we are committed to ensuring that his extraordinary body of work reaches newer generations of audiences across the world in the finest possible cinematic form. This retrospective is not only a tribute to Ghatak’s enduring legacy, but also a celebration of India’s rich film heritage on a global stage.”
BFI's retrospective will feature the newly restored feature films including Subarnarekha, Ajantrik, Bari Thekey Paliye, Komal Gandhar, Nagarik, Jukti Takko Aar Gappo, Meghe Dhaka Tara, and Titas Eikti Nadir Naam.
A showcast of Ritwik Ghatak’s FTII short films, including Fear, Rendezvous, and Nagarik Sanrakshan; documentary shorts such as Adivasiyon Ka Jeevan, Bihar Ke Darshaniya Sthan, Scientists of Tomorrow, Yeh Kyun, My Lenin, Puruliar Chhau, and Durbar Gati Padma; his incomplete work Ramkinkar Baij; films written by Ghatak including Musafir and Heerer Prajapati; along with Chinnamul, in which the legendary filmmaker appeared as an actor, will be featured in BFI's retrospective.