PUNE: The National Film Archive of India (NFAI) has acquired its biggest ever collection of 16 mm films - 2,200 films - in one go from the Maharashtra State Institute for Audio-Visual Education.
As many of these films are more than 40 to 50 years old, they are in a fragile state and need to be repaired and preserved before they could be showcased to the world, said Prakash Magdum, Director, NFAI. The films comprise short films and documentaries depicting subjects covering history, music, education, economy, etc.
Films in the collection include those produced by Films Division and Children’s Film Society of India and Maharashtra State Government. There are several films commissioned and made abroad as well, depicting Japan, Canada, Russia and Norway’s culture.
“We have been previewing these films in a phased manner, to segregate them. The first priority will be the ones that are projectible,” said Magdum.
“After this, we will start with the preservation work. Given the large volume of films, there could be some important films in this collection. But it seems that most of these films, sadly, are in critical condition. We will make every effort to save and preserve them as much as possible,” said Magdum.
FILMS WITH PUNE CONNECTION
One of the rare films in this collection is on Raja Kelkar Museum in Pune made in 1950’s. The half-hour film depicts the collection of the museum in a detailed manner. Two of the films in the collection are about the first two ‘Five Year Plans’ namely, ‘Aajache Poona, Solapur, Ahmednagar’ and ‘Aajache Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur’.
An educational film ‘Savdhan’ on road safety also has visuals of streets of Pune and Mumbai including buses run by PMT.
INTERESTING FILMS IN THE NEW COLLECTION
- A film that has soundtrack of renowned Hindustani Classical singer Hirabai Barodekar and her sister Saraswati Rane along with Pakhwaj recital of Pandit Govindbuva Burhanpurkar.
- ‘Kavincha Kavi Keshavsut’ made on renowned poet KK Damle aka Keshavsut, written by PK Atre.
- Sangeet Bharat, rare film produced by V Shantaram chronicling cultural song and dance practice in Maharashtra.
- Two films on the life of Aurobindo produced by Tarachand Barjatya and directed by Phani Majumdar in the 1970s.
- Two films on ‘Writers and Poets of Gujarat’ (1987) featuring Umakant Joshi, Pannalal Patel, Balmukund Dave.
- A special film from National Film Board of Canada.