Sharmila Tagore at Cannes: ‘Simi and I are the only survivors’

Veteran actors Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal along with acclaimed filmmaker Wes Anderson, attended the screening of ‘Aranyer Din Ratri’ at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival. The 1970 Bengali classic by Satyajit Ray, showcased in the ‘Cannes Classics’ section at the 78th edition of the fest, returned to the limelight in a newly restored 4K version.

A long-time admirer of Ray’s work, Wes introduced the film ahead of its screening. ‘Aranyer Din Ratri’, based on the novel by renowned Bengali author Sunil Gangopadhyay, stars an ensemble cast featuring Soumitra Chatterjee, Subhendu Chatterjee, Kaberi Bose, Samit Bhanja, Rabi Ghosh and Aparna Sen, along with Sharmila and Simi.

The restoration was made possible through the efforts of Martin Scorsese’s ‘Film Foundation’ in collaboration with Shivendra Singh Dungarpur’s ‘Film Heritage Foundation’, breathing new life into this cinematic gem.

“Everybody else has passed on. So, I will see my old friends on the screen and relive those lovely moments,” said Sharmila, calling Simi and herself the only survivors from the 1970 film. Simi echoed the sentiment and said the recognition at Cannes reaffirms that ‘classics won’t be forgotten’.

On the red carpet, Sharmila looked elegant in a green saree, accompanied by her daughter, jewellery designer Saba Ali Khan, who wore a vibrant yellow ethnic outfit. Simi chose a white gown by the Indian couture label ‘Karleo’, staying true to her signature style. Sharmila has been to Cannes several times. Ray’s 1960 film ‘Devi’ with Sharmila was nominated for the Palme d'Or in 1962. Sharmila was also a part of the Cannes jury in 2009.

“Anything signed by Satyajit Ray must be cherished and preserved,” Wes said.Satyajit Ray’s ‘Aranyer Din Ratri’ premiered at Cannes