Panaji: Imagine watching the world’s oldest restored film on the big screen, while an ensemble plays the background score live. A theatre-full of film enthusiasts were treated to this unique experience on Wednesday at Iffi.
Of the Dadasaheb Phalke-made 1919 silent-era film ‘Kaliya Mardan’, only 4,441 feet of the original 6,000 feet survive. The film was restored by the National Film Archive of India. But the film still needed a background score, which, to the delight of the audience, was filled in with live music.
It helped that the ensemble, Borno Anonyo, led by Satyaki Banerjee, came from the tradition of Bengali Baul singers shaped by the Bhakti influence. With the film portraying the heroics of a young Lord Krishna, the musicians breathed life into the film.
“The film was from the Swadeshi era and we learned that when Lord Krishna defeats the snake demon in the film, the audience would chant Vande Mataram,” Banerjee said. “So we decided to play the Vande Mataram tune during the scene.”
The film was restored from a 35mm dupe negative preserved by the National Film Archive of India. None of the nitrate elements of the film existed and it showed deterioration, including scratches, stains, and dust.