This year, ‘Manthan’, the third film in Shyam Bengal’s rural trilogy was screened in the Cannes Classics section to great acclaim. Interestingly, the other two films in Bengal’s rural trilogy (Ankur and Nishant) had also been screened in the Competition category of the Festival De Cannes in the 70s. ”’Manthan’ was also released in May across India in over 100 theatres and many young people in the audience were struck by its cinematic beauty, its message of social inclusivity, and the fact that 500,000 farmers had financed its production,” says producer Anand Pandit.The veteran maker believes re-releasing classics can not only familiarise the young with their own cinematic legacy but also bring back into prominence films that deserve to be re-watched on the big screen. “In recent times, I have witnessed the euphoria in theatres when Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic films including ‘Don’ was screened. Audiences were dancing in the aisles to ‘Khaike paan Banaras wala’ and many of these youth were not even born when the film was released in 1978,” remarks Pandit and also recalls the palpable awe in theatres when films of Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand were screened some time back.On the trend of releasing relatively new films like ‘Rockstar’ and ‘Jab We Met’, he says, “I think it is a wonderful idea to bring back recent hits which the audiences have loved. It gives the young a chance to relive the memories of their favourite films and benefits the box office as well. Many times, films like ‘Kaagaz ke Phool’ and ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro’ that we now recognize as classics did not do too well in their time and it would be wonderful if such cult hits were screened once again. These classics will help a new generation of cinephiles to deepen their appreciation of the art of filmmaking and understand the cultural and societal influences that shaped these masterpieces.”Pandit also believes that thought-provoking films should be screened on occasions like International Youth Day (August 12) and adds, “Films like ‘Shri-420’ taught the post-independence generation to adhere to honesty and demonstrated what the consequences of losing personal integrity could be. More recently, films like ‘Lakshya’, ’12th Fail’, and many others have inspired the young to set goals and achieve them against all odds. I feel, that bringing back such films on the big screen will be a very positive step, and as a producer and a cinema aficionado, I am committed to preserving and promoting India’s glorious cinematic heritage.”
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