New Delhi, May 21 – Renowned filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s celebrated 1970 Bengali film Aranyer Din Ratri received a standing ovation during its special 4K restored screening at the Cannes Film Festival 2025 under the prestigious 'Classics' section. The event, held on Monday evening, was attended by veteran actresses Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal, both of whom were part of the film’s original cast.
As per agency report, the audience at Cannes rose in unison to applaud the timeless cinematic work, reaffirming Ray's lasting global influence. Jewellery designer Saba Pataudi, daughter of Sharmila Tagore, shared a video of the emotional moment on her Instagram, capturing the theatre's enthusiastic response. In her caption, she referred to the moment as “a beautiful celebration of life” and congratulated the team that made the restoration and screening possible.
Saba also posted pictures alongside her mother, Simi Garewal, and acclaimed Hollywood filmmaker Wes Anderson, who presented the gala screening. Anderson is widely known to be a devoted admirer of Ray’s work.
The 4K restoration of Aranyer Din Ratri (translated in English as Days and Nights in the Forest) was a collaborative effort led by Martin Scorsese’s The Film Foundation, in association with Shivendra Singh Dungarpur’s Film Heritage Foundation, Janus Films, and The Criterion Collection.
The film delves into themes of alienation, class, and modernity, following four urban men who venture into the forests of Palamau (now in Jharkhand) on a holiday, only to encounter a transformative journey of self-discovery.
Sharmila Tagore’s presence at Cannes marked her return to the festival, having previously served on the gala jury in 2009. Notably, her earlier collaboration with Ray, the 1960 film Devi, was once a contender for the Palme d'Or, the festival’s highest honor.
The powerful response at Cannes 2025 reaffirms Aranyer Din Ratri’s enduring legacy as a masterpiece of Indian cinema and Satyajit Ray’s towering influence on global filmmaking.
