Kolkata: The Society for the Preservation of Satyajit Ray Archives will screen the restored print of ‘Pratidwandi’ at Nandan on May 1, a day before the maestro’s birth anniversary. The cult film, restored in 4K by the National Film Archive of India, was showcased in the Cannes Classics section in 2022. The screening, courtesy producer Purnima Dutta and the NFAI, will be preceded by a conversation with actor Dhritiman Chaterji, who made his debut in the film. He will be joined by Tinu Anand, who assisted Ray on the project.Prasad Ranjan Ray, president of the Society for the Preservation of Satyajit Ray Archives, will watch the restored film for the first time on Friday. “The film’s ending is important. The film ends on a positive note for the hero, Dhritiman. It also focuses on the small district town like Balurghat and places it in the centre. The hero received the job offer from Balurghat earlier, but he delayed it a little.”The screening of this Ray classic is significant not only for its cinematic legacy but also for its portrayal of unemployment. In the run-up to the 2026 Assembly election, unemployment and the migration of young adults from Kolkata have emerged as key issues. Watching ‘Pratidwandi’ today underscores how deeply these problems affected Bengal even in the 1970s. “Most have almost forgotten about the 1970s. There was the Naxal movement on one side. There was unemployment and the rise of the Yuva Congress. People didn’t get interviews, and those who did were heckled. It is important to show people this reality of the 70s even now. Manik-da made three films on Kolkata. Watching them together will bring forth these themes,” Ray said.
