Celebrating a major cultural milestone for classic Indian cinema on the global screens, the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2025 is set to honour the legacy and ongoing impact of Bengali cinema through a landmark programme of films, tributes and retrospectives dedicated to the legendary Ritwik Ghatak — whose powerful portrayals of partition, displacement and identity redefined the language of Indian cinema.
Now in its 16th year, IFFM will take place from August 14 to 24 and will honour the centenary Ghatak, whose work is headlining the program.
To commemorate Ghatak’s 100th birth anniversary, the festival will screen restored versions of two of his seminal works ‘Titash Ekti Nadir Naam’ and ‘Meghe Dhaka Tara’ — films that played a pivotal role in shaping post-independence Indian cinema.
This provides a rare opportunity to the festival-goers to experience these masterpieces on the big screen.
Speaking to the media, IFFM Festival Director Mitu Bhowmik Lange, said, “This centenary celebration is not just a tribute; it’s a reminder of the kind of stories we must continue to tell.”
She emphasised that Ghatak’s influence remains deeply relevant in a world still contending with cultural fracture and questions of identity — cementing the follow-up question of ‘belongingness’.
But the spotlight on Bengali cinema at IFFM 2025 is not limited to retrospectives. A dynamic selection of nine contemporary films, from bold new voices and diasporic storytellers to veteran auteurs, underscores the region’s enduring creative vitality.
Among the highlights is Tanushree Das and Saumyananda Sahi co-directed ‘Baksho Bandi’ — a film that explores urban survival through the lens of a working-class woman facing an unexpected domestic crisis.
Also featured is the latest work from National Award-winning filmmaker Suman Ghosh — ‘Puratawn (The Ancient)’.
With a stellar cast including Sharmila Tagore and Rituparna Sengupta, the film reflects on memory, ageing and intergenerational relationships.
Promita Bhowmik’s ‘Ahana (The Light Within)’ offers a diligently curated feminist lens to the programme. Starring Sudipta Chakraborty and Joy Sengupta, the film centres on a young woman’s struggle for creative autonomy in a patriarchal society, mirroring the emotional intensity that characterises much of Ghatak’s oeuvre.
From Bangladesh, Maksud Hossain’s Saba and Nuhash Humayun’s genre-blending ‘Dui Shaw’ add regional diversity, while diaspora shorts such as ‘Elijah’ by Razid Season and ‘A Doll Made of Clay from Yoruba’ by Kokob Gebrehaweria further highlight the expanding global influence of South Asian cinematic narratives.
IFFM 2025 will also pay tribute to another cinematic titan, Guru Dutt, on his birth centenary, with special screenings of his classics ‘Pyaasa’ (1957) and ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’ (1959) — reinforcing the festival’s ongoing commitment to preserving and celebrating India’s film heritage.
With restored classics, socially resonant narratives and transnational collaborations, IFFM 2025 reaffirms the artistry, legacy and evolving language of one of India’s most influential cinematic traditions.