### "Manthan" to be Released Nationwide on June 1 and 2

After a successful world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival 2024, the restored classic film "Manthan" (1976) by Shyam Benegal, revived by the Film Heritage Foundation, will be released across 50 cities and 100 theaters in India on June 1 and 2. The Film Heritage Foundation, in collaboration with the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Limited, PVR-INOX Limited, and Cinepolis, will present this iconic film.

Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, the founder of the Film Heritage Foundation, shared that "Manthan" is a fictional depiction inspired by Dr. Verghese Kurien, the father of the White Revolution, and the extraordinary beginnings of a dairy cooperative movement that transformed India from a milk-deficient country to the world's largest milk producer. Notably, "Manthan" is also India's first crowd-funded film, with five lakh dairy farmers each contributing Rs. 2 for its production. The film features an impressive cast including Girish Karnad, Naseeruddin Shah, Smita Patil, Dr. Mohan Agashe, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Anant Nag, and Abha Dhulia. The cinematography was done by renowned cinematographer and director Govind Nihalani, with music composed by the esteemed Vanraj Bhatia.

Dungarpur emphasized, “When the Film Heritage Foundation revives a film, the ultimate goal is to bring it back to the public, for whom it was originally made. Funded by 500,000 farmers, "Manthan" is a film made by the people, for the people. We knew it was essential to bring this inspiring film to as wide an audience as possible by showcasing the restored version on the big screen. I am delighted that audiences from major metros like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Chennai to smaller towns such as Dharwad, Kakinada, Nadiad, Bhatinda, Panipat, and Kozhikode will have the chance to see this beautifully restored film.”

Director Shyam Benegal expressed his joy at the enthusiastic reception "Manthan" received at its world premiere in Cannes and his greater happiness that the restored film will be released in theaters across India. He recalled the film’s original release in 1976, which was a massive success as farmers traveled from small towns and villages in large numbers to see it. He hopes that 48 years later, audiences across India will once again come to theaters to watch the restored film.

Actor Naseeruddin Shah shared that watching the restored "Manthan" at its Cannes premiere was an emotional experience, bringing back memories from nearly fifty years ago when cinema was a medium of change. He was moved to tears by the standing ovation, which was not just for him but for a film that has stood the test of time and the beauty of its restoration. He expressed his excitement for the film’s release in theaters across India and his intention to watch it again on the big screen.

Govind Nihalani, the film’s cinematographer, praised the meticulous efforts by the Film Heritage Foundation in ensuring that the restoration stayed true to the original work. He eagerly looks forward to seeing "Manthan" on the big screen, as it was originally envisioned.

The Film Heritage Foundation, established in 2014 in Mumbai, is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, conservation, and restoration of films. The foundation also works to raise awareness of cinema as a language among the general public and develops interdisciplinary programs. It is the only NGO in India working in the field of film preservation, holding a growing collection of about 700 films on celluloid and over 200,000 film-related memorabilia.

Since 2015, the Film Heritage Foundation has been a member of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) and has garnered an international reputation for excellence. The foundation has restored several forgotten gems of Indian cinema, including Govindan Aravindan's "Kummatty" and "Thamp̄" and Aribam Syam Sharma's "Ishanou." These restored films have been showcased at festivals, museums, and universities worldwide. Their most recent restorations, "Thamp̄", "Ishanou", and "Manthan", were selected for red-carpet world premieres at Cannes Film Festival in 2022, 2023, and 2024 respectively.

The foundation also conducts annual film preservation workshops across India in association with FIAF, which have set a template for FIAF's global training and outreach program. These workshops have had a significant impact, training nearly 400 participants over the years and fostering a movement for film preservation in India and the subcontinent, creating a global community of film archivists.