Mumbai: The world premiere of the 4K restored version of acclaimed filmmaker Mrinal Sen’s Telugu classic Oka Oorie Katha (1977) is currently underway at Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, in the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, which is being held from 3 to 11 July 2026.
The restored film is scheduled for screening at the festival on 4 July, 6 July and 8 July 2026. The selection of Oka Oorie Katha for its world premiere in a newly restored 4K version by the National Film Development Corporation – National Film Archive of India (NFDC-NFAI), under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, marks another significant milestone for Indian film heritage on the international stage. Recognised as one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious film festivals, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival has long served as a distinguished platform for showcasing landmark works of world cinema.
The film has been meticulously restored in 4K resolution from a 35mm release print preserved in the NFDC-NFAI collection as part of the organisation’s ongoing efforts under the National Film Heritage Mission to conserve, restore and promote India’s invaluable cinematic heritage using internationally accepted archival standards. The restoration enables contemporary audiences to experience the film with enhanced visual quality while preserving its original artistic integrity.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Prakash Magdum, Managing Director, National Film Development Corporation, said “The world premiere of the restored Oka Oorie Katha at the prestigious Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is a matter of immense pride for India and a testament to NFDC-NFAI’s sustained commitment to preserving the country’s cinematic heritage. 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”
Directed by the legendary filmmaker Mrinal Sen, Oka Oorie Katha is a powerful adaptation of Munshi Premchand’s celebrated short story Kafan. The film is widely acclaimed for its portrayal of poverty, social inequality and human resilience, and remains one of the defining works in Indian cinema.
Kunal Sen, son of the legendary filmmaker, said, “My father would often start finding faults with his own films a few years after it was made. I have never heard him loosing his love for this film. It was challenging for him to make a film in a language he did not know, and being a regional language film, it wasn’t widely screened in India. My father would have been very happy to see it being restored by the National Film Archive of India, and being screened in a Film Festival he loved.”
The world premiere of Oka Oorie Katha at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival marks another significant achievement for NFDC-NFAI’s film restoration initiatives, further strengthening India’s presence on the global film heritage landscape and reaffirming the country’s commitment to preserving and celebrating its rich cinematic legacy.
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