Restored Mrinal Sen’s ‘Oka Oorie Katha’ premieres at Karlovy Vary film fest
Times of India | 5 July 2026
Kolkata: Mrinal Sen’s ‘Oka Oorie Katha’, an adaptation of Munshi Premchand’s ‘Kafan’, restored in 4K by NFDC-NFAI under the National Film Heritage Mission, had its world premiere at the 70th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival on Saturday. Sen’s powerful cinematic commentary on rural poverty and social injustice is part of the Out of the Past-KVIFF 60/80 section, which this year celebrates 60 editions of the festival .
‘Oka Oorie Katha’ will also be screened on Monday and Wednesday.
“This is a matter of immense pride for India and a testament to NFDC-NFAI’s sustained commitment to preserving the country’s cinematic heritage,” said Prakash Magdum, managing director, NFDC. “Every restored film represents an important cultural legacy for future generations and reflects India’s growing leadership in film preservation and restoration. Showcasing restored Indian classics at leading international film festivals enables global audiences to rediscover the richness and diversity of Indian cinema.”
Mamata Shankar, who acted in this Telugu film, which won the Special Jury Prize in 1978, told TOI her excitement about the Karlovy Vary screening matched her feelings ahead of a new film release. “Global cinema knows about Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen and Ritwik Ghatak. It is sad that despite Mrinal-da’s stature in world cinema, his works were relegated to the sidelines in recent times. I am grateful to NFDC for restoring his films and thank the present govt for paying the respect his films deserve,” Shankar said.
The news of the world premiere seemed to transport Shankar to the days of shooting for the film. Then 22, she had already acted in Sen’s ‘Mrigaya’. “I had some corns on my toes and as a result my gait had become a little urban in ‘Mrigaya’. Mrinal-da instructed that I would not wear slippers for shooting this film, despite the heat,” she said. Walking barefoot on barren, thorny land in in 47°C was not easy. She also recalled that she suffered a minor injury on her hand during the shooting. “We had no doctor on the set, when I cut my hand a little. Mrinal-da took personal care to ensure I got the right treatment,” she said.
Shankar also recalled a humorous “garlic” anecdote about a close-up shot with her co-star. “I kept backing away from him. Mrinal-da became visibly upset, which finally pushed me to complete the shot. Only afterward did I reveal that my hesitation was simply due to my co-star having consumed too much garlic!”
She discussed the challenge of working with four different dialect coaches to speak Telugu. “Each one had their own sense of the correct dialect. It got tricky when one coach used a specific mannerism and shut one eye while teaching how to say a dialogue. I picked up that mannerism. I repeated it while dubbing. My eye shut, I missed the dialogue and faulted while dubbing,” she recounted.
Shankar recalled that her performance had turned so convincing that elderly women in the village believed her character’s pregnancy was real. “They turned so affectionate and caring, with a grandmotherly approach, that they insist I avoided strenuous work to help in the shooting. This film is special and I am thankful to NFDC for restoring it,” she said.