Daijiworld Media Network – Venice

Venice, Sep 5: Seven decades after its release, Bimal Roy’s iconic 1953 film Do Bigha Zamin returned to the global stage with its world premiere in the prestigious Classics section of the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday, September 4. The restored 4K version of the landmark work drew an emotional response, reaffirming its timeless relevance.

The screening became a family celebration as 21 members of Roy’s family, spanning three generations and led by his children Riniki Roy Bhattacharya, Aparajita Roy Sinha, and Joy Bimal Roy, travelled from across the world to attend the event.

The restoration project, carried out over three years by Criterion Collection, Janus Films, and Film Heritage Foundation, involved painstaking work on the original negatives preserved at the National Film Archive of India, which had been severely damaged. Missing portions, including the opening credits and final reel, were reconstructed with the help of a 35mm duplicate preserved at the British Film Institute.

Blending music, melodrama, and stark realism, Do Bigha Zamin narrates the struggles of displaced farmers against the forces of urbanisation, themes that remain sharply relevant even today. Film scholar Amrit Gangar recalled how Bimal Roy’s meticulous direction extended to small symbolic gestures, including instructing Balraj Sahni to wipe his feet before entering a zamindar’s haveli during rehearsals.

Adapted from Tagore’s poem Dui Bigha Zomi by Salil Choudhary, the film is regarded as a milestone of Indian neo-realism. Its Venice premiere in restored form reaffirms Roy’s place among the greats of world cinema, with his vision of humanity and justice resonating across generations.