The prestigious Cannes Film Festival witnessed a moment of pride for Indian cinema as filmmaker Shyam Benegal’s classic film “Manthan” was screened at the 77th edition of the festival. The film, released in 1976, is inspired by the milk cooperative movement led by Verghese Kurien, the visionary social entrepreneur who transformed India into the world’s largest producer of milk and dairy products.
The screening of “Manthan” at Cannes saw the presence of renowned actors like Naseeruddin Shah and Prateik Babbar, as well as the daughters of Verghese Kurien and Smita Patil. The film, which was entirely crowdfunded by 500,000 farmers, won two National Film Awards in 1977 and was India’s official entry to the 1976 Academy Awards.
To celebrate the Cannes premiere of “Manthan,” Amul India, known for its creative advertisements, created a special doodle featuring the iconic Amul girl as Smita Patil holding a glass of milk and bread and butter. The doodle read, “Humara makhan, humara manthan… Amul Toast of Cannes.”
The restored version of “Manthan” by the Film Heritage Foundation was showcased at Cannes, highlighting the film’s significant contribution to Indian cinema. The Cannes Film Festival, which began on May 14, will continue till May 25, showcasing the best of international cinema to a global audience.