Cannes 2025: Sharmila Tagore, Simi Garewal attend Satyajit Ray’s ‘Aranyer Din Ratri’ restoration screening with Wes Anderson

Margaret Bodde, Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, Sharmila Tagore, Simi Garewal, Wes Anderson and guests attend the ‘Aranyer Din Ratri’ red carpet at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Veteran actors Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal attended the screening of Satyajit Ray’s Aranyer Din Ratri at the Cannes Film Festival, where a newly restored 4K version of the film was showcased under the Cannes Classics section. Renowned filmmaker Wes Anderson, a longtime admirer of Ray’s work, introduced the screening and played a central role in the film’s six-year-long restoration.

Originally released in 1970, Aranyer Din Ratri (Days and Nights in the Forest) is one of Ray’s most acclaimed works. The restoration was presented by The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project, L’Immagine Ritrovata, and the Film Heritage Foundation, in collaboration with Janus Films and the Criterion Collection, with funding support from the Golden Globe Foundation.

Sharmila Tagore walked the red carpet wearing a green saree, accompanied by her daughter, Saba Ali Khan, who wore a bright yellow traditional outfit. Simi Garewal appeared in a white gown by Indian couture label Karleo.

Sharmila Tagore poses with daughter Saba Ali Khan ahead of the Cannes restoration premiere of ‘Aranyer Din Ratri’
| Photo Credit:
Instagram/ @sabapataudi

Wes Anderson, speaking before the screening to Variety, described Aranyer Din Ratri as a hidden treasure in Ray’s filmography. “Anything signed by Satyajit Ray must be cherished and preserved,” he said. “The nearly-forgotten Days and Nights in the Forest is a special gem… The great Soumitra Chatterjee: lost but searching. The great Sharmila Tagore: mysterious, cerebral, mesmerizing. From the master, another masterpiece.”

The film, based on a novel by Sunil Gangopadhyay, tells the story of four men from Calcutta who take a trip to the forests of Palamau in search of escape and leisure. Sharmila Tagore portrays Aparna, a poised and intellectual woman from the city, while Simi Garewal plays Duli, a spirited tribal woman. The film also features performances by Soumitra Chatterjee, Subhendu Chatterjee, Samit Bhanja, Robi Ghosh, and Aparna Sen.