The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2025 will pay a special tribute to iconic filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak, marking the centenary of his birth. Widely regarded as one of India’s greatest cinematic visionaries, Ghatak’s work—deeply rooted in themes of partition, displacement, and identity—continues to inspire generations of filmmakers and scholars worldwide.
Best known for films such as Meghe Dhaka Tara, Subarnarekha, and Komal Gandhar, Ghatak’s radical storytelling and visual grammar helped reshape Indian cinema. Though underappreciated in his lifetime, his legacy has only grown in stature over the decades.
IFFM 2025 will host a dedicated retrospective of Ghatak’s landmark films alongside curated panel discussions and academic sessions aimed at introducing his work to newer global audiences. Festival Director Mitu Bhowmik Lange remarked, “Ritwik Ghatak was a visionary whose cinema addressed trauma, identity, and resilience with unmatched poetic intensity. This centenary tribute is not just a celebration but a call to rediscover his relevance today.”
Adding to the significance of this year’s festival, Bollywood actor Aamir Khan will lead the Independence Day flag-hoisting ceremony on August 15—an annual highlight of IFFM and a cherished tradition for the Indian diaspora in Australia.
The tribute to Ghatak will be one of the marquee events of IFFM 2025, uniting film lovers, historians, and creators in honouring a filmmaker who redefined Indian cinema’s voice.
