Ray’s Classic Restored

A deceptively simple tale of four city-bred youth leaving behind the concrete jungle and slumming with a vengeance amidst the forests of Palamau in what was then Bihar turned out to be one of the finest films directed by Satyajit Ray- Aranyer Din Ratri [Days and Nights of Forest]. When it was released 56 years ago, people made a beeline for the theatres in Kolkata, while critics were almost at a loss for words in its praise.

The journey of four middle-class men of Kolkata (Calcutta) becomes a process of self-discovery as they encounter the complexities of their personalities and the lives of local villagers. Asim struggles with his vanity, Sanjoy faces moral conflicts, Hari has a brief affair with a tribal woman, and Shekhar, the most naïve, grows through his experiences. A six-year restoration process spearheaded by filmmaker Wes Anderson has culminated in the masterpiece being showcased at Cannes Classics this year.

The release of its restored version at the Bunuel theatre, Cannes drew a full house. It was a clear pointer to the fact that class is permanent, as restored films struggle for a big audience.

The audience reaction after Ray’s timeless work was screened at the classic section left no one in any doubt about the French cinephiles’ admiration. Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal were at the festival as resplendent survivors of the cast of the film.

Under Ray’s direction, the film became an allegory and a sharp comment. Everything came together so beautifully.

A short break from the citified life became a tryst of self-realisation, found expression on the screen. As the four young men and two beautiful women of almost the same age played a memory game in which the name of the Congress stalwart Atulya Ghosh and a choice had to be made between “Helen of Bombay” and “Helen of Troy’ it seemed to inject seriousness and levity.

Simi, usually at home in the role of a chic society lady who was chosen by Ray to play Duli, a devil may care tribal girl. Sharmila, on the other hand, who had started her film career in Ray’s Apur Sansar and conquered dizzy heights in Bombay films thereafter, charmed the audience as an introspective young lady haunted by the memories of her late mother, who was burnt, and later the passing of her brother.

The film got the kiss of life from Martin Scorsese’s Film Foundation and Shivendra Singh Dungarpur Film Heritage Foundation. With fresh subtitles, it took six years of coordination between various stakeholders.

Simi recalled the film being shot in a forest sans electricity and phones. But the film crew, which included Soumitra Chatterjee making a style statement in dark glasses, was unfazed.

Everyone was aware that they were part of the making of a classic in celluloid, participating in which happened to be an opportunity of a lifetime.

Working with one of the greatest directors of the world was an honour. It was all the more so as the great man carried his fame lightly.

It was a take on the man-woman relationship in the backdrop of the forests. It has not gone stale to date.

It brought back memories of an era when cinema was seen in theatres. People sat comfortably in their seats in the dark as the lines blurred between make-believe and reality.

[Contributed by Tirthankar Mitra]

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Frontier
Vol 57, No. 51, June 15 - 21, 2025