A Landmark Restoration Reaches the Festivals
The Film Heritage Foundation's 4K restoration of Kamal Amrohi's 1972 film 'Pakeezah' is set to make its world premiere at France's Festival Lumière in Lyon and the BFI London Film Festival, as announced by the foundation. The Lyon premiere will be led by Thierry Frémaux, head of the Cannes Film Festival and the Institut Lumière, while the London gala screening at the BFI IMAX will be presented by foundation director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur alongside Amrohi's children, Tajdar and Rukhsaar, and grandson Bilal Amrohi.
'Pakeezah', hailed by late film critic Derek Malcolm, is known for its legendary, production-plagued history that mirrors the high drama and heartbreak of its onscreen narrative. The restoration marks a significant achievement for the foundation and the Amrohi family.
Restoring a Damaged Classic
The restoration project took two years and was described by Dungarpur as one of the most challenging he has worked on. "When I went to inspect the original camera negative and saw that it had almost melted, my heart sank," he said in a statement. Other film elements were in poor condition, with faded colours, scratches and mould.
During their research, the foundation team discovered original film stills that proved invaluable to the restoration. Dungarpur also consulted Kamal Amrohi's children, Tajdar and Rukhsaar, who had visited the film's sets and had vivid memories of its making. "I couldn't have asked for a better showcase for the restored 'Pakeezah' than the Festival Lumiere in Lyon, the birthplace of cinema followed by a gala screening at the London Film Festival," Dungarpur said.
Rukhsaar Amrohi described the film as her father's "obsession, his dream, his oxygen that gave meaning to his life," adding that he "nurtured the film for over fifteen years like a child till it was fully matured and ready to be presented to the world."
The restoration was spearheaded by the foundation in association with the Amrohi family, with Bilal Amrohi credited as the "moving spirit" encouraging the family to support the project. Dungarpur expressed gratitude: "Restoring Pakeezah has been a long-held dream and I am so grateful to Bilal Amrohi for being the moving spirit and encouraging the family to support the restoration and bring the film back to life."
A Year of Festival Success
The 'Pakeezah' restoration caps a notable year for the Film Heritage Foundation on the international festival circuit. Over the past 12 months, the foundation has placed restored classics at major global festivals: Berlin (In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones), Cannes (Amma Ariyan), and Venice (English, August).
Family Memories and Legacy
Tajdar Amrohi recalled attending the grand premiere of the original film in 1972 at Maratha Mandir, where the film cans arrived in a palanquin. "I never imagined that I would be presenting the restored film with my family at the gala premiere in London fifty-four years later," he said. "I would like to thank Shivendra Singh Dungarpur and Film Heritage Foundation for restoring the film with so much passion and meticulous care and for bringing my father and his greatest work back to life so that new generations will see the unforgettable Meena Kumari and enjoy the beauty of the film."
'Pakeezah' was shot by acclaimed German cinematographer Josef Wirsching, with filming beginning in black-and-white in 1956 before shifting to Eastmancolor in 1958.
The restored film's journey from near-melted negatives to the screens of two prestigious festivals underscores the collaborative effort between the foundation and the Amrohi family to preserve a piece of cinematic history.