'Chhoti Si Mulaqat' and 'Maachis' reels rescued from scrap heaps
Recently, the original reels of Chhoti Si Mulaqat and Maachis were rescued from a scrap heap after Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, director of the Film Heritage Foundation got a call regarding the matter. Before, the original reel of the 1962 film Baat Ek Raat Ki was rescued from a scrap dealer. These are being found in scrap heaps where these are sold for silver extraction.
Dungarpur's take on the restoration process
Dungarpur spoke about the difficulties faced in the process of restoration. He said, "While finding and collecting films is challenging enough, the monumental task is storing them in proper conditions, preserving and restoring them so that they continue to have a life." He stated that many production houses discarded costumes and props too. He added, "We also found documentaries that had been discarded."
Trivia about the rescued reels
Chhoti Si Mulaqat is a 1967 romantic drama directed by Alo Sircar. It marked Bengal's matinee idol Uttam Kumar's Hindi debut and was cast opposite Vyjyanthimala. It was a remake of the 1954 Bengali film named Agnipariksha starring the iconic pair of Kumar and Suchitra Sen. Maachis (1996) was directed by Gulzar. It was a political thriller starring Om Puri and Tabu, among others.
