(L-R) Margaret Bodde, Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, a guest, Sharmila Tagore, Simi Garewal, Wes Anderson and guests attend the “Highest 2 Lowest” red carpet at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 19, 2025 in Cannes, France.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Bengal appears beaming with pride as the restored version of Aranyer Din Ratri, one of Satyajit Ray’s iconic works, received standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival in the presence of two actors who were part of the 1970 film, Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal.

The film, based on a story by the celebrated Bengali writer Sunil Gangopadhyay, is about four Calcutta friends taking an unplanned break to the forests of present-day Jharkhand — the idea of such breaks being more popular today than back then — and in the process making inward journeys.

For Goutam Krishna Deb, 78, a descendant of the famous Raja Naba Krishna Deb family of Shobhabazar, the news of the warm response to the screening not only brought pride but also memories. “I remember watching it at a cinema hall in Hatibagan. It was a hit back then and I was instantly captivated. Kaberi Bose’s performance particularly stood out. Although I couldn’t fully grasp the nuances as a young viewer, watching it again on TV later revealed new depths,” Mr. Deb said.

“We must be grateful to Wes Anderson for recognising the film’s value. It’s truly amazing that an American filmmaker, unfamiliar with the film’s original context, could appreciate its significance and take action to preserve it for future generations,” he said.

His daughter Rajeshwari Mitra, a writer, added: “It is wonderful and unfortunate at the same time that an American filmmaker took the initiative to restore this masterpiece — why didn’t an Indian filmmaker think of preserving this cinematic heritage? But on second thoughts, since a Westerner has promoted it, it got its due importance.”

For Murshidabad-based film buff Maitrayee Paul, the revival of Aranyer Din Ratri at Cannes was nothing short of a “proud, goosebump-inducing moment”. “This isn’t just a film, it’s a cornerstone of Bengali cinema, and to see it restored in 4K and celebrated on an international platform like Cannes feels deeply personal. It reaffirms what we’ve always known: that Satyajit Ray’s cinema isn’t just regional, it’s universal. It speaks to human nature, to silences, to subtle tensions — and watching global audiences get that is incredibly validating,” Ms. Paul, who works with the State Government, said.

She further said: “As a millennial viewer who is used to fast-paced narratives, social media reels, and overstimulated storytelling, Aranyer Din Ratri is like pressing pause on modern life. The film feels almost like a quiet rebellion against everything we’re used to — yet that’s exactly what makes it so powerful.”

Dr Ariktam Chatterjee, an assistant professor at Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Government College in Kolkata’s New Town, said: “The story is more relevant than ever before, particularly when we are interrogating the signs and structures of the Anthropocene closely. The intervention of civilisation within a forest ecology, the metaphor of economic exploitation, the contrasted and layered treatment of sexuality and dominance — these are all relevant issues. The revival is timely and should resonate meaningfully with a new global viewership.”

Dr. Pinaki De, a member of Society for Preservation of Satyajit Ray Archive, said: “We are always excited whenever a new restoration — of anything, even documents and his signature — comes up. This is a chemical restoration and not a digital restoration — something that makes it very, very interesting. I’ve seen a few previews and I can tell you how good the restoration is, and Ray himself considered Aranyer Din Ratri as one of his best films. The best part about the restoration is the tonality — it is a lesson for every cinematographer.”