Toronto International Film Festival: Raj Kapoor's Awara To Be Screened To Celebrate His Birth Centenary

A 4K restored version of Raj Kapoor's 1951 classic Awara will be screened at the 49th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 13, the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) announced on Monday.

The black-and-white classic, also starring Nargis and Raj Kapoor's father Prithviraj Kapoor, will have its world premiere at the prestigious gala under the TIFF Classics section to celebrate the filmmaker's 100th birth anniversary.

The NFDC shared the news on its official X page.

"Get ready for a cinematic milestone! The world premiere of the 4K restoration of Raj Kapoor's timeless classic Awara is set to take place at the @TIFF_NET 2024, under the prestigious TIFF Classics section.

"Awara is one of several iconic Raj Kapoor films being restored to honor his centenary in December 2024. Catch the screening at TIFF on 13th September 2024 and witness the legacy of Indian cinema in stunning 4K!" the corporation said in a series of posts.

Awara, also produced and directed by Raj Kapoor, was restored by the National Film Archive of India (NFAI).

The color grading has been expertly supervised by Raj Kapoor's nephew and Shashi Kapoor's son Kunal Kapoor, adding a modern touch while preserving the film's essence, the NFDC said in an Instagram post.

This project is part of the National Film Heritage Mission and is proudly funded by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India.

Awara follows the story of a poor young man called Raj (played by Raj Kapoor) who joins a criminal gang to feed his mother. He, however, decides to mend his ways after he falls for the privileged Rita (Nargis).

The film, also starring Leela Chitnis and K. N. Singh, competed for the Palme d'Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1951.

Raj Kapoor, regarded as the Showman of Indian Cinema, was born on December 14, 1924.

TIFF will run through September 5 to September 15.