New Delhi, May 20 – Veteran Indian cinema icons Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal attended the screening of Satyajit Ray’s 1970 Bengali masterpiece Aranyer Din Ratri (Days and Nights in the Forest) at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, held under the Cannes Classics section.
The celebrated film has been digitally restored in 4K and was presented at the prestigious festival with an introduction by acclaimed Hollywood filmmaker Wes Anderson, who championed its six-year-long restoration.
A Celebratory Red Carpet Moment
Sharmila Tagore made an elegant appearance in a green saree, accompanied by her daughter, jewellery designer Saba Pataudi, who wore a vibrant yellow ethnic outfit. Simi Garewal joined them in her signature white attire, donning a gown by Indian couture label Karleo.The trio was joined on the red carpet by Wes Anderson, a long-time admirer of Satyajit Ray’s work, who played a key role in the film’s restoration.
A Timeless Classic Reimagined
Originally released in 1970, Aranyer Din Ratri follows four urban men who retreat into the forests of Palamau (present-day Jharkhand) seeking a carefree escape. Their journey evolves into a deeper exploration of identity, alienation, and class divides. Sharmila Tagore plays the sophisticated city woman Aparna, while Simi Garewal portrays Duli, a tribal Santhal girl.The film also stars legendary actors Soumitra Chatterjee, Subhendu Chatterjee, Samit Bhanja, Robi Ghosh, and Aparna Sen. Based on the novel by Sunil Gangopadhyay, the movie remains a landmark in Indian cinematic storytelling.
Global Collaboration Behind the Restoration
The restoration of Aranyer Din Ratri was undertaken by The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project at L'Immagine Ritrovata, in partnership with the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF), Janus Films, and the Criterion Collection. Funding for the initiative came from the Golden Globe Foundation.Prominent figures present at the screening included producer Purnima Dutta, Margaret Bodde (Executive Director of The Film Foundation), and FHF founder Shivendra Singh Dungarpur.
Continued Legacy of Indian Classics at Cannes
This screening continues the trend of showcasing restored Indian classics at Cannes. Last year, the festival featured Shyam Benegal’s Manthan (1976), while Aribam Syam Sharma’s Ishanou (1990) and G Aravindan’s Thamp (1978) were included in previous editions under the Cannes Classics banner.The evening marked not only a celebration of cinematic legacy but also a testament to the enduring global appeal of Satyajit Ray’s storytelling.
