The 31st Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) is turning the spotlight on one of Indian cinema’s most visionary storytellers, Ritwik Ghatak, marking his birth centenary with an exhibition, film screenings and conversations that revisit his timeless legacy.
Titled ‘Centenary Tribute Ritwik Ghatak: The Subaltern Voice’, the exhibition opened on November 7 at the Nandan Foyer, KIFF’s main venue, and will run through November 13.
Veteran actress Madhabi Mukherjee, who memorably starred in Ghatak’s ‘Subarnarekha’ (1965), inaugurated the event alongside Ghatak’s son Ritoban Ghatak and artist Subhaprasanna Bhattacharya.
The exhibition offers an intimate look at the artist’s creative world and personal reflections. Visitors can explore rare photographs, including one capturing a moment between Ghatak and Satyajit Ray, along with his handwritten letters, first-edition books, and even the original censorship certificate of Subarnarekha.
Vintage film booklets and posters evoke the spirit of a bygone cinematic era, while a poignant letter to his wife reveals Ghatak’s emotional candour during his teaching years at FTII Pune.
Ritoban Ghatak, speaking at the opening, said his father’s work continues to inspire new generations but still deserves deeper global recognition.
Madhabi Mukherjee reflected on her long association with the auteur, calling him “not just a filmmaker, but a thinker who could see the social and cultural tides of his time before others did.”
Alongside the exhibition, KIFF is screening Ghatak’s celebrated Partition trilogy: ‘Meghe Dhaka Tara’, ‘Komal Gandhar’ and Subarnarekha, restored classics that remain essential viewing for students of South Asian cinema.
Adding to the tribute, the festival will host a ‘Ritwik Ghatak Memorial Conversation’ with acclaimed filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan on November 12, followed by a felicitation ceremony on November 13 honouring those who worked with Ghatak: actors, students and technicians who helped shape his cinematic vision.
