The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI 2025) will spotlight India&rsquo;s rich cinematic legacy with the screening of 18 newly restored classics under the National Film Heritage Mission (NFHM), curated by the NFDC&ndash;National Film Archive of India (NFAI) as part of the Indian Panorama Special Package.
Spanning Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali and Marathi cinema, the restored titles reflect a wide spectrum of artistic expression, each revived through meticulous frame-by-frame digital restoration and colour grading. 
The selections have been curated with adherence to archival standards and, where possible, under the supervision of filmmakers or their collaborators.
This year&rsquo;s programme carries notable historical significance. 
It commemorates 125 years of V. Shantaram while marking centenary tributes to Guru Dutt, Raj Khosla, Ritwik Ghatak, Bhupen Hazarika, P. Bhanumati, Salil Choudhury and K. Vaikunth. 
The festival also celebrates 50 years of NFDC&rsquo;s contributions to Indian cinema. 
A special showcase of Shyam Benegal&rsquo;s Susman honours the filmmaker&rsquo;s enduring legacy.
The National Film Heritage Mission, launched in November 2016 by the Ministry of Information &amp; Broadcasting, is among India&rsquo;s largest preservation initiatives. 
It focuses on preserving, conserving, digitising and restoring India&rsquo;s film heritage, from camera negatives and prints to rare archival materials held by rights-holders, collectors and international film institutions.
Among the highlights is Ritwik Ghatak&rsquo;s Subarnarekha, restored from a 35mm master positive, with final grading supervised by cinematographer Avik Mukhopadhyay. 
Muzaffar Ali&rsquo;s&nbsp;Umrao Jaan has been revived from a preserved release print after the original negative deteriorated; Ali personally guided the restoration to maintain the film&rsquo;s visual aesthetic. 
His earlier classic Gaman appears in a reconstructed version with missing scenes restored from an archival subtitled print.
Also featured are restorations of Kalpana Lajmi&rsquo;s Rudaali and B.N. Reddi&rsquo;s&nbsp;Malleswari, each restored with an emphasis on preserving original visual and textual elements. 
Classics such as Raj Khosla&rsquo;s C.I.D., Guru Dutt&rsquo;s Pyaasa, and V. Shantaram&rsquo;s Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani return to the screen after restoration from surviving prints or dupe negatives.
The lineup extends to modern-era titles including Ek Doctor Ki Maut, Ek Hota Vidushak, Kireedam and Musafir.
Among the rarest offerings is Baburao Painter&rsquo;s Muraliwala (1927), one of the few surviving Indian silent films. 
It will be presented with a live musical score curated by composer Rahul Ranade, in the presence of Painter&rsquo;s two surviving daughters.
Films such as Ramesh Saigal&rsquo;s Shaheed (1948) and Mani Ratnam&rsquo;s Gitanjali further highlight the diversity of the restoration slate, each representing unique archival and technical challenges.
Together, the restored films showcased at IFFI 2025 reaffirm India&rsquo;s commitment to preserving its cinematic heritage and ensuring that historically and culturally significant works continue to resonate with future generations.
&mdash;IANS

Restored Indian classic film stills showcased on-stage

Iconic Indian films return in restored form as IFFI 2025 unveils its classics showcase

IFFI To Showcase 18 Restored Film Classics

Iconic Indian films return in restored form as IFFI 2025 unveils its classics showcase

November 22, 2025 | 16:34 IST