Archive · 22 Sep 2026
Restored Pakeezah Set for October Premiere in Lyon
Pakeezah is a famous Indian movie from 1972 starring Meena Kumari.
Shivendra Singh Dungarpur helped restore it so people can watch it clearly on a big screen again.
The original camera negative could not be found.
The restoration team used old prints and material kept in the National Film Archive of India.
They also studied pictures and information from the family of director Kamal Amrohi.
Restoring the film took about two years.
It will first be shown in Lyon, France, in October.
A London screening has already sold out.
The film will later be released in India, but its date has not been decided.
The 1972 Hindi classic Pakeezah has been restored after a two-year project led by Shivendra Singh Dungarpur.
The original camera negative was unavailable, so restoration relied on surviving print material and elements from the National Film Archive of India.
Researchers used film stills, an original booklet and memories from Kamal Amrohi’s family to reconstruct the film’s colours.
The restored film will premiere at Festival Lumière in Lyon, France, in October, followed by a sold-out London screening.
An Indian release is planned, but the Amrohi family has not yet announced a date.
- Who
- Shivendra Singh Dungarpur and the Film Heritage Foundation restored Kamal Amrohi’s Pakeezah, starring Meena Kumari.
- What
- A restored version of the 1972 Hindi classic Pakeezah will be presented to audiences.
- When
- The premiere is scheduled for October; the restoration work took two years.
- Where
- The restored film will premiere at Festival Lumière in Lyon, France, and will also screen at BFI IMAX in London.
- Why
- The restoration aims to preserve an important film and introduce it to newer generations on the big screen.
- Film
- Pakeezah, a 1972 Hindi classic directed by Kamal Amrohi
- Lead actor
- Meena Kumari
- Restoration lead
- Shivendra Singh Dungarpur
- Restoration period
- Two years
- Original negative
- The original camera negative was not available
- Premiere
- Festival Lumière in Lyon, France, in October
- India release
- The Amrohi family will decide the release date