Standing ovation for Satyajit Ray’s restored movie in Cannes spreads pleasure in Bengal

(L-R) Margaret Bodde, Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, a visitor, Sharmila Tagore, Simi Garewal, Wes Anderson and company attend the “Highest 2 Lowest” purple carpet on the 78th annual Cannes Movie Pageant at Palais des Festivals on Could 19, 2025 in Cannes, France.
| Picture Credit score: Getty Photos

Bengal seems beaming with satisfaction because the restored model of Aranyer Din Ratri, one in all Satyajit Ray’s iconic works, obtained standing ovation on the Cannes Movie Pageant within the presence of two actors who have been a part of the 1970 movie, Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal.

The movie, based mostly on a narrative by the celebrated Bengali author Sunil Gangopadhyay, is about 4 Calcutta associates taking an unplanned break to the forests of present-day Jharkhand — the thought of such breaks being extra widespread immediately than again then — and within the course of making inward journeys.

For Goutam Krishna Deb, 78, a descendant of the well-known Raja Naba Krishna Deb household of Shobhabazar, the information of the nice and cozy response to the screening not solely introduced satisfaction but additionally reminiscences. “I keep in mind watching it at a cinema corridor in Hatibagan. It was successful again then and I used to be immediately captivated. Kaberi Bose’s efficiency significantly stood out. Though I couldn’t totally grasp the nuances as a younger viewer, watching it once more on TV later revealed new depths,” Mr. Deb stated.

“We should be grateful to Wes Anderson for recognising the movie’s worth. It’s really superb that an American filmmaker, unfamiliar with the movie’s authentic context, might respect its significance and take motion to protect it for future generations,” he stated.

His daughter Rajeshwari Mitra, a author, added: “It’s fantastic and unlucky on the similar time that an American filmmaker took the initiative to revive this masterpiece — why didn’t an Indian filmmaker consider preserving this cinematic heritage? However on second ideas, since a Westerner has promoted it, it acquired its due significance.”

For Murshidabad-based movie buff Maitrayee Paul, the revival of Aranyer Din Ratri at Cannes was nothing wanting a “proud, goosebump-inducing second”. “This isn’t only a movie, it’s a cornerstone of Bengali cinema, and to see it restored in 4K and celebrated on a world platform like Cannes feels deeply private. It reaffirms what we’ve at all times identified: that Satyajit Ray’s cinema isn’t simply regional, it’s common. It speaks to human nature, to silences, to delicate tensions — and watching international audiences get that’s extremely validating,” Ms. Paul, who works with the State Authorities, stated.

She additional stated: “As a millennial viewer who’s used to fast-paced narratives, social media reels, and overstimulated storytelling, Aranyer Din Ratri is like urgent pause on trendy life. The movie feels virtually like a quiet rebel towards every little thing we’re used to — but that’s precisely what makes it so highly effective.”

Dr Ariktam Chatterjee, an assistant professor at Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Authorities Faculty in Kolkata’s New City, stated: “The story is extra related than ever earlier than, significantly after we are interrogating the indicators and constructions of the Anthropocene intently. The intervention of civilisation inside a forest ecology, the metaphor of financial exploitation, the contrasted and layered therapy of sexuality and dominance — these are all related points. The revival is well timed and may resonate meaningfully with a brand new international viewership.”

Dr. Pinaki De, a member of Society for Preservation of Satyajit Ray Archive, stated: “We’re at all times excited every time a brand new restoration — of something, even paperwork and his signature — comes up. It is a chemical restoration and never a digital restoration — one thing that makes it very, very fascinating. I’ve seen just a few previews and I can inform you how good the restoration is, and Ray himself thought-about Aranyer Din Ratri as one in all his finest movies. The perfect half in regards to the restoration is the tonality — it’s a lesson for each cinematographer.”