Satyajit Ray's 1970's 'Pratidwandi' to be screened at Cannes Film Festival

kolkata: Satyajit Ray's 101st birth anniversary brings happiness to cine lovers across the world. 'Pratidwandi', the first part of the 'Calcutta Trilogy' which Ray made 52 years ago, will be screened in Cannes Classics Section this year. The good news doesn't end here. The audience would be able to watch the restored print of the 1970 film starring Dhritiman Chatterjee, Krishna Bose, Debraj Ray and others. 'Pratidwandi' has been restored by the National Film Heritage Mission.

'Pratidwandi' was produced by Priya Films. They had also produced 'Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne' and 'Aranyer Din Ratri.'

Naturally, both Purnima Dutta and his son, Arijit Dutta, the owner of Priya Cinema are on cloud nine. When asked if they would go to Cannes for the screening of the Ray film, Arijit who is presently in Sikkim told Millennium Post, "It's absolutely my mother's call. I have a shooting in Kolkata around that time."

Ray's 'Calcutta Trilogy's continued with 'Seemabaddha' (1971) and 'Jana Aranya' (1976).

"Maa kept us far away from the glitz inspite of Raj Kapoor staying on our terrace," he said.

Based on the novel by Sunil Gangopadhyay, 'Pratidwandi' narrates the journey of Siddhartha (Dhritiman) an educated middle-class Bengali man, who is caught up in the middle of a social unrest.

Corruption and unemployment are widespread, and Siddhartha cannot align himself with either his revolutionary activist brother or his ambitious sister.

'Pratidwandi' went onto win three National Awards including the Best Direction in 1971 and a nomination for the Gold Hugo Award, at the Chicago International Film Festival, 1971.

Though Purnima Dutta couldn't be reached for comment, she posted on social media about the film.

Meanwhile, Malayalam master G Aravindan's 1978 restored film 'Thampu' will also be screened in Cannes Classics 2022.

This is for the first time two films from India are being screened in this section ever since it was introduced in 2004. Earlier, 'Pather Panchali', 'Khandhar,' 'Guide', 'Kalpana', 'Guide' and 'Titas Ekti Nadir Naam' have been premiered in this section. Cannes Film Festival will take place from May 17 to May 25.