Wes Anderson joins Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal at Cannes for restored Aranyer Din Ratri premiere

The red carpet at the 78th Cannes Film Festival lit up in vintage elegance as legendary actresses Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal made a grand appearance alongside filmmaker Wes Anderson for the 4K restoration screening of Aranyer Din Ratri (English title: Days and Nights in the Forest), Satyajit Ray¡¯s 1970 cult classic.

Veteran actors Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal attended the screening of Aranyer Din ratri, directed by the legendary Oscar winning director Satyajit Ray at the 78th iconic annual Cannes Film Festival. Aranyer Dinratri is being screened under the Cannes classic section. pic.twitter.com/jHbRLkXwQ2

¡ª Sourav || ???? (@Sourav_3294) May 20, 2025

Dressed in a regal green saree, Sharmila Tagore served timeless queen energy as she walked the carpet with her daughter, jewellery designer Saba Ali Khan, who wore a sunshine-yellow traditional ensemble. Simi Garewal, in true Simi fashion, showed up in head-to-toe white, this time in a sleek Karleo gown that screamed "eternal diva."

Incredible! ??#SharmilaTagore arrives at Cannes with daughter #SabaAliKhan.#Trending pic.twitter.com/Z2GEwUASRw

¡ª Filmfare (@filmfare) May 19, 2025

Wes Anderson introduced the screening of Aranyer Din Ratri under the Cannes Classics

Wes Anderson, the king of symmetrical shots and vintage vibes, led the six-year restoration journey for the film and introduced the screening under the Cannes Classics section. A known Ray devotee, Wes described the film as a hidden treasure¡ªraw, real, and modern despite its 1970 birth year. According to him, it unpacks the messy beauty of caste, class, and gender tensions with the precision only Ray could pull off. He could not stop gushing about Sharmila¡¯s performance, calling her cerebral and mesmerising, and even described Soumitra Chatterjee¡¯s role as ¡°a man lost but still searching.¡± Film bro praise at its finest.

Backed by The Film Foundation's World Cinema Project, Janus Films, Criterion Collection, and Film Heritage Foundation (FHF), the restoration was carried out at L¡¯Immagine Ritrovata, thanks to support from the Golden Globe Foundation. This was not just a film screening, it was a cinematic resurrection.

Aranyer Din Ratri is based on what?

For the uninitiated: Aranyer Din Ratri is based on a novel by Sunil Gangopadhyay and follows four city slickers who retreat to the forests of Palamau in search of a carefree escape, only to get a crash course in self-reflection. Sharmila plays the elegant, enigmatic Aparna, while Simi takes on the bold role of Duli, a tribal Santhal girl.

Satyajit Ray's masterpiece Aranyer Din Ratri has received 4K restoration, will have its world premiere at 78th Cannes Film Festival.Celebrated filmmaker & admirer of Ray¡¯s work,Wes Anderson,along with Sharmila Tagore,will be presenting the film at Cannes.Rabi ghosh,what an actor! pic.twitter.com/fjyFrXNWIx

¡ª Mad-???? (@Mads00108) May 12, 2025

Cannes has seen glitter and glam before, but this trio brought intellect, nostalgia, and a masterclass in cultural cinema to the global stage. Bollywood walked, so Bengali cinema could saunter in French sunlight.