Manthan is a 1976 film by Shyam Benegal featuring Smita Patil and Naseeruddin Shah, it will be screened again in 50 cities all over India after its debut at Cannes Film Festival in the year 2024.
On May 28th, the Film Heritage Foundation screened and premiered the restored film Manthan directed by Shyam Benegal at the Cannes Film Festival. The Film Heritage Foundation and Gujarat Co-Operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. have partnered with PVR-INOX Ltd. and Cinépolis India to make this classic available to audiences in over fifty cities through one hundred theaters throughout India on June 1 & 2, 2024 for public screening of this remarkable historical event.
This first ever crowd-funded movie was made possible through contributions of INR two each from half a million dairy farmers who wanted to tell how their lives have changed because of Dr Kurien’s white revolution which transformed India as a milk-deficient country into being the largest milk producer globally.
The cast included top actors like Girish Karnad, Naseeruddin Shah, Smita Patil, Dr. Mohan Agashe, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Anant Nag and Abha Dhulia. The camera work was done by Govind Nihalani while Vanraj Bhatia composed music in it.
According to Shivendra Singh Dungarpur-Film Heritage Foundation Director; “When we at Film Heritage Foundation restore films we do so with our ultimate viewership goal in mind. ‘Manthan’ is a film financed by five Lakh farmers for mass consumption –by them; hence we felt that they need to see the film again on big screen after restoration so that every person around can watch it”. So I am happy that many cities across India including Mumbai, New Delhi Kolkata Chennai as well as Dharwad Kakinada Nadiad Bhatinda Panipat and Kozhikode will have a chance to enjoy this beautifully restored film”.
Shyam Benegal reveals, “I was thrilled that the film ‘Manthan’ which had been restored premiered at Cannes Film Festival. However, I am more excited that we will be able to again watch the movie in theatres across India. Manthan will be my first restored movie going to the cinemas. At that time in 1976, when Manthan got into the theaters, it became an instant hit; farmers themselves came in droves all the way riding on carts from small towns and villages. As people flock back to cinema halls nationwide for its projection once more in June after 48 years, I pray that Indians would come to watch this movie.”
Naseeruddin Shah expressed, “Watching the rediscovered ‘Manthan’ at its premiere at Cannes Film Festival was a very emotional experience for me. I was overwhelmed by memories of almost fifty years ago when movies were a way of changing society and reduced to tears by the standing ovation at the end that was not only meant for me but also for this film which has stood more than any other test of time and also in admiration of its restoration. It is a big achievement that it shall be released across India in cinema houses and I pray that people will not miss watching a beautiful restored historical film on large screens. I am going to see the movie myself.”
Govind Nihalani says, “Because I have been part of restoring Manthan and watched what painstaking efforts Film Heritage Foundation made over many months to ensure as close as possible restoration to original work, I cannot wait for it to return on screen as it should be seen; then, I can watch my forty nine year old vision with Shyam resurrected.”
