The 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival holds special significance for actor Prateik Babbar as it will feature a screening of his mother, Smita Patil’s, iconic film ‘Manthan.’ Directed by Shyam Benegal, the film is set to be showcased under the Cannes Classic section, making it the only Indian film to receive this honor this year.
The actor looks dapper as he attends the film’s screening .
The prestigious screening was attended by the film’s star Naseeruddin Shah, its producers, and Film Heritage Foundation’s Shivendra Singh Dungarpur. ‘Manthan’ will be screened on May 17.
‘Manthan,’ which features Naseeruddin Shah and the late Smita Patil, celebrates the pioneering milk cooperative movement led by Verghese Kurien. The film, inspired by ‘Operation Flood,’ highlights how India transformed from a milk-deficient country to the world’s largest milk producer, establishing the billion-dollar brand Amul.
Originally released in 1976, ‘Manthan’ won two National Film Awards in 1977: Best Feature Film in Hindi and Best Screenplay for Vijay Tendulkar. It was also India’s official entry to the 1976 Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film.
Reflecting on this milestone, director Shyam Benegal expressed his delight at the film’s restoration. “Manthan is a film that is very close to my heart as it was funded by 500,000 farmers and was instrumental in the growth of an extraordinary cooperative movement,” Benegal stated. “It will remind the world of the power of cinema as a vehicle of change and also the legacy of Verghese Kurien, the Father of the White Revolution.”
Naseeruddin Shah, who started his acting career with ‘Nishant’ and ‘Manthan,’ recalled the film’s profound impact. “Manthan was a runaway success when it was released almost 50 years ago and it is a film that is remembered even today. I lived in the hut, learned to make cow dung cakes and milk a buffalo to get the physicality of the character,” Shah shared. He praised the Film Heritage Foundation for their meticulous restoration, allowing the film to be presented at Cannes in its rejuvenated form.
Amitabh Bachchan also expressed his pride on social media. Taking to X, he wrote, “So proud that Film Heritage Foundation will be at the Cannes Film Festival for the third year in a row with another world premiere of a remarkable restoration – Shyam Benegal’s film ‘Manthan’ that had compelling performances from an exceptional cast including Smita Patil. Just amazing the work that Film Heritage Foundation does to preserve, restore and showcase the best of India’s film heritage to the world.”
The Film Heritage Foundation, presenting at Cannes for the third consecutive year, has previously premiered ‘Thamp’ (2022) and ‘Ishanou’ (2023). Their commitment to restoring and showcasing Indian cinema is bringing the nation’s rich film heritage to global audiences, celebrating works that continue to inspire and resonate.
