Kolkata: The National Film Archive of India (NFAI) has started the Satyajit Ray documentary restoration work on Sukumar Ray, ‘sonar kella’ and ‘Hirak Rajar Deshe’ after getting the original negative from the state government.
The work is now being carried out priority in the year of the Hundred Grand Aleur as part of the National Heritage Mission.
Children Ray Sandip Ray Glad Restoration has begun.
“While the Academy has restored several films, there is no recovery from the works ever done.
I am happy that NFAs have taken the project, “Ray said.
Two months ago, Director of Nfai Prakash Magdum came to Kolkata and met the officials from the country I & CA department.
The government of Bengal is a manufacturer of both ‘sonar kella’ (1974) and ‘Hirak Rajar Deshe’ (1980).
In 1987, he also produced ‘Ray Sukumar’ documentary which Ray was made to his father.
“Because we know the government of Bengal is a manufacturer, we approach them for real negative.
The government responded positively and I also visited the vault where negatives were stored.
In October, these three negative were sent throughout us at Pune, “said Magdum.
4K negative scanning has been done.
According to Magdum, this negative condition is ‘okay’.
Sandip Ray has also shown the basis of ‘sonar kella’ gradation.
“They have done a good job of removing spots and scratches.
We have also given the original subtitle sheet from ‘sonar kella’ for nfai, “he said.
Restoration will now start that will take at least two months to complete.
“We expect more work by Ray’s birthday on May 2,” he added.
During his visit, Magdum also approached the producer of ‘Pratidwandi’ for a negative original camera.
“We met Purnima Dutta in his office.
I was very surprised that he had kept negative in decent conditions in his own detention for more than 50 years.
I was very grateful to him to entrust NFAI to recover ray films that were very important.
Negatives have been scanned by Arri-based Scanner in Munich State-of-the-Art.
Now each frame must be returned individually.
One second that we watch is equivalent to 24 frames from the film scanned, “he explained.
The NFAI has also approached the country to restore several short films and documentaries produced by them.
Magdum came in a 1952 film called ‘Pasher Bari’ directed by Sudhir Mukherjee with music by Salil Chowdhury in this vault.
“Apparently, ‘padosan’ter insiration by this to a certain extent.
This film is partly in nitrate.
Having nitrate as a base was removed in the 1950s.
We will keep now apart from that scanning.
We arrange for this which will be transferred from Kolkata to Pune, “he said.