Film Heritage Foundation has restored Kamal Amrohi’s epic 'Pakeezah' in 4K, bringing the long-delayed Meena Kumari film back to cinemas. The new version premieres in Lyon and screens at the BFI London Film Festival on 18 October.
01Summary
- 01'Pakeezah' opened at Bombay’s Maratha Mandir cinema on 3 February 1972 with military bands outside and police holding back crowds.
- 02Meena Kumari died on 31 March 1972, weeks after the film’s release.
- 03The 4K restoration was carried out by Film Heritage Foundation with the Amrohi family.
- 04The restored film has its world premiere at Festival Lumière in Lyon on Wednesday and screens at the BFI London Film Festival’s BFI Imax on 18 October.
- 05Shivendra Singh Dungarpur will introduce the London screening with Tajdar Amrohi, Rukhsar Amrohi and Bilal Amrohi.
02Why it matters
The restoration revives a major Indian film that had a troubled production and a storied release, making it newly accessible to audiences. For readers, it shows how classic cinema can be preserved and seen again on the big screen.
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