The thunderous applause, the standing ovation, and the pride she felt to be at the receiving end of it all. It’s a precious memory that Sharmila Tagore will keep close to her heart for a long time. “There was a standing ovation for a few minutes. People just clapped and clapped and clapped. We were getting tired of standing,” laughs Tagore, who returned only a few days ago from the special screening of Aranyer Din Ratri (1970) at the 78th Cannes Film Festival. 

On May 20, a restored 4K version of late Satyajit Ray’s masterpiece was screened as part of the Cannes Classics section. Tagore and Simi Garewal, who had featured in the gem alongside late Soumitra Chatterjee, attended the event with noted American filmmaker Wes Anderson. Mention Anderson, who led Aranyer Din Ratri’s restoration and presented it at the film gala, and Tagore heaps praise on him. “He was so respectful about Satyajit Ray, interested in and well-informed about his films. He was curious to know what Soumitra and Ray were like. I felt silly because I was not as well-informed [about his latest movies] as he was about ours. I have seen The Grand Budapest Hotel [2014], but not Asteroid City [2023], or I would have asked him about it.”