Five restored documentary classics from the National Film Development Corporation–National Film Archive of India (NFDC-NFAI) collection were showcased at the 19th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF 2026) under the special non-competition section "NFAI Presents – Restored Classics." All selected films have been restored under the National Film Heritage Mission (NFHM), the Government of India's flagship initiative dedicated to preserving and restoring the nation's cinematic legacy.
The curated package, screened on Wednesday evening, featured five landmark documentaries produced by the erstwhile Films Division that chronicle India's cultural, artistic and social heritage. Three documentaries focus on iconic personalities: "Mahatma: Life of Gandhi 1869–1948 (Part I)" directed by Vithalbhai K. Jhaveri (1968), "Begum Akhtar" directed by N.K. Issar (1971), and "Ravi Shankar" directed by Pramod Pati (1970). The other two documentaries include "Portrait of a City" directed by Chidananda Dasgupta (1961) about Calcutta, and "Our Original Inhabitants" directed by Jagat Murari (1953) about India's diverse tribal communities.
Shri Prakash Magdum, Managing Director of NFDC, emphasized during a sidelines session that film preservation ensures cinematic history remains accessible to newer audiences and future generations, noting that many leading international film festivals now feature dedicated sections for restored classics. The screenings highlight the enduring significance of the Films Division archives, one of the world's richest repositories of documentary and non-fiction cinema, and reinforce NFDC-NFAI's commitment to safeguarding India's audiovisual heritage through state-of-the-art restoration that preserves original cinematic character while making it accessible to contemporary audiences.