The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2025 will pay homage to late National Award-winning filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak, marking the Padma Shri awardee’s 100th birth anniversary with a special retrospective.
As part of the centenary tribute, IFFM will spotlight Ghatak’s towering legacy as a director, screenwriter, actor, and playwright, acknowledging his profound impact on global cinema.
Ghatak, who worked alongside other eminent Bengali filmmakers such as Satyajit Ray, Tapan Sinha, and Mrinal Sen, earned reverence for his unflinching portrayals of social upheaval, partition trauma, and feminist themes.
Masterworks such as ‘Meghe Dhaka Tara’, ‘Subarnarekha’, and ‘Komal Gandhar’ continue to be hailed as cinematic milestones.
Reflecting on the tribute, IFFM Festival Director Mitu Bhowmik Lange remarked, “Ritwik Ghatak was a visionary far ahead of his time. His cinema dealt with trauma, displacement, and identity with such poetic depth and urgency that it resonates even more today.”
Lange added, “At IFFM, we believe it is our responsibility to bring global attention to icons like Ritwik Ghatak, whose work shaped the conscience of Indian filmmaking. This centenary celebration is not just a tribute, it’s a reminder of the kind of stories we must continue to tell.”
Widely regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers in Indian cinema, Ghatak received the Padma Shri in 1970. He earned several accolades throughout his career, reflecting his lasting impact on cinema.
These include the National Film Award’s Rajat Kamal for Best Story in 1974 for ‘Jukti Takko Aar Gappo’, and Best Director from the Bangladesh Cine Journalists’ Association for ‘Titash Ekti Nadir Naam’.
In addition to Ghatak, IFFM 2025 will also celebrate the centenary of Guru Dutt with dedicated screenings of his classic films ‘Pyaasa’ (1957) and ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’ (1959).
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