NFAI receives collection of films by filmmaker duo Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukhthankar
The critically acclaimed duo has made various films over the years that have won multiple awards and recognition both in India and abroad
PUNE The National Film Archive of India, on Tuesday, received a large collection of films made by the celebrated filmmaker duo Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukhthankar. Sukthankar along with food columnist at Hindustan Times Chinmay Damle handed over the collection to Prakash Magdum, director NFAI.
The critically acclaimed duo has made various films over the years that have won multiple awards and recognition both in India and abroad. Bhave passed away last year after a brief illness.
Both of them significantly contributed to Marathi cinema with many noted short films, documentaries, TV shows and feature films. Be it Sumitra Bhave’s first short film Bai (1985) or the recent ones Kaasav (2017) and Dithee (2019), almost each film by the duo has won numerous national and international accolades. Their cherished filmography includes short films like Paani (1987), Mukti (1990), Chakori (1992), and highly admired films like Doghi (1995), Dahavi Fa (2002), Vastupurush (2002), Devrai (2004) and Astu (2016).
The collection received consists of 35mm prints of feature films Dahavi Fa (2002), Badha (2006), Ha Bharat Majha (2012) and short film Zid (2004). 16mm prints of feature film Zindagi Zindabad (1997) and short films Bai (1985), Paani (1987), and Laha (1994). A 16 mm film Kishan ka Udan Khatola made by another veteran filmmaker and film society activist Vijaya Mulay is also part of the collection.
The major chunk of the collection feature cassettes of films, in different magnetic media formats. The titles include duration wise six various versions of the short film Karta, a film based on the life of renowned Industrialist Shantanurao Kirloskar, feature films Zindagi Zindabad (1997), Devrai (2004), Ek Cup Chya (2009), and Mor Dekhne Jungle Mein (2010), short films Mukti (1990), Chakori (1992), Laha (1994), Zid (2004), Bewaqt Barish (2007), Mamta Ki Chhaon Mein, Ekalavya, Samvad and Sarashi, documentaries Parting with Pride, Gautam Chya Aaichi Shala and Pilgrims of light and TV show episodes of Katha Sarita (2011), Akherachi Ratra and Bhais Barabar. It also includes a series of short films on language education Natigoti, How shall I Address You and Adgula Madgula.
Expressing his gratitude towards NFAI, Sukthankar said, “NFAI has been part of our filmmaking journey and I am glad that these films would now be preserved at the facility. I hope the material would be digitised so that it can be accessible to the new generation.”
Earlier in 2014-15, the filmmaker duo had deposited 35mm prints of some of their films and in 2018, on Bhave’s 75th birthday, she donated original handwritten screenplays of ten of her films to NFAI.
“I am happy that this major collection of the National Award-winning director duo would be preserved at NFAI. I had discussed this with Bhave last year but unfortunately she passed away. Their filmography, covering many important subjects of the society is a valuable social documentation of the era. I am sure that this will be a valuable source of learning for students, researchers and budding filmmakers,” said Magdum.