Amitabh Bachchan Reveals Smita Patil's Manthan To Have World Premiere At Cannes 2024

Renowned filmmaker Shyam Benegal's classic 1976 film Manthan is receiving a grand revival as it heads to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. The news was shared by Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan on his Instagram, where he expressed his pride in the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) for their continuous efforts in preserving India's cinematic legacy.

Amitabh Bachchan's Instagram post unveiled the restored poster of Manthan, featuring the late actress Smita Patil. In his caption, Bachchan lauded the Film Heritage Foundation's commitment to showcasing India's cinematic gems on a global platform. Manthan, known for its compelling performances and impactful narrative, is set to make waves once again.

In a long post accompanying the poster of Manthan, featuring the late Smita Patil, Big B wrote, "So proud that Film Heritage Foundation will be at the Cannes Film Festival for the third year in a row with another world premiere of a remarkable restoration - Shyam Benegal’s film “Manthan” that had compelling performances from an exceptional cast including Smita Patil. Just amazing the work that Film Heritage Foundation does to preserve, restore and showcase the best of India’s film heritage to the world."

Manthan draws inspiration from the groundbreaking milk cooperative movement spearheaded by Verghese Kurien, known for transforming India into the world's leading milk producer through 'Operation Flood' and creating the iconic brand Amul. With Smita Patil leading the cast, the film captures the essence of this revolutionary era in India's agricultural landscape.

This marks the third consecutive year that the Film Heritage Foundation is making its mark at Cannes, following the successful restoration of G Aravindan's Thampu in 2022 and Aribam Syam Sharma's Ishanou in the previous year. These efforts underscore FHF's dedication to preserving India's diverse cinematic heritage.

Manthan holds the distinction of being one of India's first crowdfunded films, with 500,000 farmers contributing Rs 2 each to support its production. The film received critical acclaim, winning two National Film Awards in 1977 for Best Feature Film in Hindi and Best Screenplay for Vijay Tendulkar. It also represented India at the 1976 Academy Awards.

The film's title song, Mero Gaam Katha Parey, sung by Preeti Sagar, became synonymous with Amul's television commercials, showcasing the enduring cultural impact of Manthan.