Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah found himself overwhelmed with emotion as he attended the screening of his 1976 film Manthan at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. Reflecting on this profound experience, Shah remembered his co-stars Girish Karnad, Smita Patil, and Amrish Puri, and called it a “terribly emotional experience” in an interview with Brut India.
Naseeruddin Shah described the experience of walking the red carpet at Cannes as “unreal.” He remarked, “It felt unreal to me. I have always seen the red carpet ceremony either on video or in photographs. I have seen all these lovely ladies parading themselves in their gorgeous costumes. I never dreamt I’d be a part of that one day. So, my wife and I decided to keep it as simple as possible.”
The screening was particularly poignant for Shah as it brought back memories of his late friends and co-stars. “Girish was a friend and my teacher. He was the director of FTII. Smita was a dear friend and so was Amrish. None of them are there any longer,” he said. The absence of these cherished colleagues made the event even more moving for Shah.
Shah expressed immense pride in Manthan, a film he holds dear to his heart. “I felt very proud, prouder of this film than I have ever felt. I’ve always treasured this film very dearly to my heart,” he shared. The actor found the film’s enduring relevance remarkable, stating, “I find that the film has really stood the test of time.”
Directed by Shyam Benegal, Manthan was inspired by the pioneering milk cooperative movement led by Verghese Kurien, set against the backdrop of India’s White Revolution. The film was notably crowdfunded by 500,000 farmers who each donated ₹2. The ensemble cast included Naseeruddin Shah, Girish Karnad, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Smita Patil, Mohan Agashe, Anant Nag, and Amrish Puri.
The screening of Manthan at Cannes took place on Friday evening and was attended by Naseeruddin Shah, his wife Ratna Pathak Shah, and other notable guests including Prateik Babbar, Smita Patil’s son, Verghese Kurien’s daughter Nirmala Kurien, and Smita Patil’s sisters Anita Patil Deshmukh and Manya Patil Seth. The event was a testament to the film’s lasting impact and the enduring legacy of its contributors.
Sources By Agencies
