Ghatak’s classics to headline Bengali film showcase at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne

The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2025 is set to honour the profound legacy and dynamic present of Bengali cinema with a powerful showcase of films, tributes, and retrospectives—marking a major cultural milestone for Indian cinema on the global stage.

This 16th edition of IFFM will be held from August 14 to 24, with a centenary tribute to the legendary Ritwik Ghatak headlining its programming. Ghatak's evocative portrayals of partition, displacement and identity redefined the language of Indian filmmaking. 

To commemorate his 100th birth anniversary, IFFM will screen restored versions of two of his seminal works—"Titash Ekti Nadir Naam" and "Meghe Dhaka Tara"—offering rare big-screen access to classics that shaped post-independence cinema.

Ghatak, a Padma Shri awardee and recipient of multiple National Awards, remains one of India's most celebrated auteurs. "This centenary celebration is not just a tribute—it's a reminder of the kind of stories we must continue to tell," said IFFM Festival Director Mitu Bhowmik Lange. Ghatak's influence, she noted, remains vital in an era still grappling with cultural rupture and personal identity.

Bengali cinema's strong presence at IFFM 2025 doesn't stop at retrospection. A diverse line-up of nine films—spanning fresh independent voices, diaspora narratives, and celebrated veterans—testifies to the region's enduring storytelling brilliance.

Among the contemporary features, "Baksho Bandi", co-directed by Tanushree Das and Saumyananda Sahi and starring Tillotama Shome, explores themes of urban survival through the story of a working-class woman facing a sudden domestic crisis. 

Meanwhile, "Puratawn (The Ancient)" marks the return of National Award-winning filmmaker Suman Ghosh. With a powerhouse cast including Sharmila Tagore and Rituparna Sengupta, the film meditates on memory, ageing, and intergenerational bonds.

Promita Bhowmik's "Ahana (The Light Within)" brings a sharp feminist lens to the lineup. Featuring Sudipta Chakraborty and Joy Sengupta, the film centres on a young woman's struggle for creative freedom in a patriarchal society—echoing the emotional urgency found in much of Ghatak's work.

From Bangladesh, Maksud Hossain's "Saba" and Nuhash Humayun's genre-defying "Dui Shaw" add regional depth, while diaspora shorts such as "Elijah" by Razid Season and "A Doll Made of Clay from Yoruba" by Kokob Gebrehaweria speak to the expanding global presence of South Asian voices.

IFFM 2025 will also honour Guru Dutt on his birth centenary with special screenings of "Pyaasa" (1957) and "Kaagaz Ke Phool" (1959), reaffirming the festival's commitment to preserving India's cinematic heritage.

With restored classics, socially resonant narratives, and cross-border collaborations, the 2025 edition affirms the language, legacy, and innovation of one of India's richest film traditions.

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