Film Heritage Foundation

13/06/2026

Applications to open on Monday, June 15, 2026!!

FHF’s next training workshop - Paper, Photo and Film Conservation Workshop 2026 - is coming up from August 20 - 22, 2026 in Mumbai in partnership with the NFSA - National Film and Sound Archive of Australia and the Centre for Australia - India Relations!

The workshop will be conducted by experts from the NFSA - Dr. Sophie Lewincamp, Head of Conservation & Collection Management; Dieter Schmid, Film Services Technician Lead; and James Campbell, Audiovisual Conservation Team Leader. Topics covered will include: film identification, cleaning and basic and complex repair; handling and documentation of paper and photographs, dry cleaning, complex mending, adhesives, humidification and flattening and preventive measures and storage.

Stay tuned—we’ll be sharing application details soon!

12/06/2026

FHF Library pick of the week - Ticket to Kerala: The Story of Malayalam Cinema by S.R. Praveen

Ticket to Kerala: The Story of Malayalam Cinema offers a fascinating account of the evolution of Malayalam cinema—from its uncertain beginnings and early struggles to its emergence as one of India’s most acclaimed film industries. The book charts the people, films, and movements that shaped a cinematic tradition renowned for its artistry, realism, and influence far beyond Kerala.

12/06/2026

Acclaimed filmmaker Bharathiraja who passed away on June 10, 2026 was responsible for changing the language of filmmaking in Tamil cinema. Aishani Biswas' piece in Outlook looks back at ten landmark films of the director. She writes, ""With a camera slung across his shoulder and a storyteller's instinct rooted firmly in the soil of Tamil Nadu, he took cinema out of the studio and into the fields, rivers, dusty roads and small towns where millions of people actually lived. His films spoke in local dialects. His characters looked imperfect. His heroes could be vulnerable, awkward, or even deeply flawed.”

Explore 10 iconic Bharathiraja films that transformed Tamil cinema, from 16 Vayathinile to Karuthamma. Discover how his realistic rural stories, bold themes on caste, love and social injustice, and unforgettable characters redefined Indian filmmaking and shaped generations of directors and actors.

11/06/2026

Over 70 years after its release, over 750 people queued up at Regal Cinema on a sultry evening in Mumbai to watch Bimal Roy’s classic “Do Bigha Zamin” (1953) restored by The Criterion Collection and Film Heritage Foundation. This just shows that great cinema is timeless. The film was presented by the family of Bimal Roy - Aparajita Roy Sinha, Joy Bimal Roy and grandson Nikhilesh Sinha.

Photos by Kanishka Ingle.

11/06/2026

A landmark of Indian neo-realism, Bimal Roy’s Do Bigha Zamin (1953) remains one of Indian cinema’s most powerful portrayals of poverty, displacement, and resilience. Nandini Ramanath in Scroll writes, "The reputation of Do Bigha Zamin as a leading example of realist cinema remains unchallenged. Seen in the present, Do Bigha Zamin stands out for its refusal to sugarcoat its themes of rural debt, forced displacement, insurmountable penury and the horrors of the big city.”

As a part of FHF’s weekly screenings, watch the 4K restored version of ‘Do Bigha Zamin’ today, June 11, 2026 at 06:30 pm at Regal Cinema, Mumbai. The film will be presented by the Bimal Roy family - Rinki Roy Bhattacharya, Aparajita Roy Sinha and Joy Bimal Roy.

Screening is open to public. Seating on a first-come, first-served basis. Gates will close at 06:30 pm. Latecomers will not be admitted.

Balraj Sahni’s Shambhu still walks among us – as the daily-wage earner, the construction site labourer and the gig worker.

11/06/2026

WATCH TODAY!

Watch the restored Bimal Roy classic 'Do Bigha Zamin' (1953) today, June 11, 2026 at 06:30 pm at Regal Cinema, Mumbai! The film will be presented by the Bimal Roy family - Rinki Roy Bhattacharya, Aparajita Roy Sinha and Joy Bimal Roy.

Restored in 4K by the Criterion Collection and Janus Films in collaboration with Film Heritage Foundation at L’Immagine Ritrovata and Resillion, in association with the Bimal Roy family. The film was restored using the best surviving elements: the 35 mm picture negative and the 35 mm sound negative deposited by the Bimal Roy family and preserved at the NFDC – National Film Archive of India and a 35 mm combined dupe negative from 1954-1955 preserved at the British Film Institute (BFI).

This screening is a part of FHF's weekly screening and open to public. Seating on a first-come, first-served basis. Gates will close at 06:30 pm. Latecomers will not be admitted.

10/06/2026

FHF’s next training workshop - Paper, Photo and Film Conservation Workshop 2026 - is coming up from August 20 - 22, 2026 in Mumbai in partnership with the NFSA - National Film and Sound Archive of Australia and the Centre for Australia - India Relations!

The workshop will be conducted by experts from the NFSA - Dr. Sophie Lewincamp, Head of Conservation & Collection Management; Dieter Schmid, Film Services Technician Lead; and James Campbell, Audiovisual Conservation Team Leader. Topics covered will include: film identification, cleaning and basic and complex repair; handling and documentation of paper and photographs, dry cleaning, complex mending, adhesives, humidification and flattening and preventive measures and storage.

Applications open on June 15, 2026. Watch this space for more details!

10/06/2026

Indian cinema bid farewell to one of the most influential filmmakers of Tamil cinema - renowned filmmaker Bharathiraja - who passed away on June 10, 2026. B. Kolappan in The Hindu writes, "His debut film, 16 Vayathinile, starring Sridevi, Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, broke new ground in Tamil cinema... With films such as Tik Tik Tik, Niram Maaratha Pookal, Nizhalgal and Sigappu Rojakkal, Bharathiraja demonstrated remarkable versatility, venturing beyond rural drama while retaining his distinctive narrative."

Renowned Tamil film director Bharathiraja, a transformative figure in Indian cinema, sadly passed away in Chennai at 84.

09/06/2026

Watch the restored Bimal Roy classic 'Do Bigha Zamin' (1953) on June 11, 2026 at 06:30 pm at Regal Cinema, Mumbai! The film will be presented by the Bimal Roy family - Rinki Roy Bhattacharya, Aparajita Roy Sinha and Joy Bimal Roy.

Bimal Roy (1909-1966) was a highly acclaimed Indian film director, known for his realistic and socially conscious films. He is considered one of the most important figures in the history of Hindi cinema, particularly for his contributions to the Golden Age of Indian cinema in the 1950s and ‘60s.

Born into a landholding family in East Bengal, present-day Bangladesh, Roy initially faced financial hardship after his father's death. He moved to Kolkata and began his film career as a publicity photographer, eventually becoming an assistant cameraman at New Theatres Studios. At New Theatres, he worked on several notable films, including “Mukti” and “Devdas”, and gained recognition as a talented cinematographer. He directed his first film, “Udayer Pathey” (1944), a departure from the escapist Bengali cinema of the time, which became a commercial success.

Bimal Roy moved to Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1950, following the decline of the Calcutta film industry. In Bombay, he started his own production company under which banner he released his Hindi directorial debut “Do Bigha Zamin”, considered India’s first neo-realist film, which went on to win the International Prize at the Cannes Film Festival 1954 and the Prize for Social Progress at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival besides national awards. He went on to direct several critically acclaimed and commercially successful films including: “Parineeta” (1953), “Biraj Bahu” (1954), “Devdas” (1955), “Madhumati” (1958); “Sujata” (1959) and “Bandini” (1963).

Bimal Roy is remembered for his realistic and socially conscious storytelling, his ability to portray human emotions, and his mastery of cinematic technique. Roy's films continue to be admired and studied for their artistic and social relevance. He passed away in 1966 at the age of 56, leaving behind a rich cinematic legacy.

Photo courtesy- The Bimal Roy family.