National award winning filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani’s blockbuster ‘PK’ (2014) – one of the last few films to be shot on celluloid in Indian cinema – has entered the National Film Archives of India (NFAI) collection, top officials said on Tuesday.
Hirani called on NFAI Director Prakash Magdum and handed over the original camera negative of ‘PK’, a socio-political satire centred around an alien who’s stranded on Earth played by Aamir Khan.
The NFAI shared a pic of Rajkumar Hirani handing over the negative with a caption that read, “Rajkumar Hirani’s ‘PK’ now in #NFAI Collection!
NFAI is delighted to announce a major addition of the original camera negative of PK in its collection. @hirani.rajkumar today handed over the original camera negative of his 2014 film PK to Prakash Magdum, Director NFAI in Mumbai.
PK (2014) a popular satirical drama happens to be one of the last few films to be shot on celluloid in India. Apart from the original camera negative, about 300 cans consisting of rushes of PK and outtakes of 3 Idiots film were also handed over for preservation. A huge paper material consisting of posters, lobby cards and photographs of films directed by Hirani would also be handed over to NFAI.
The original negatives of his earlier films like Munnabhai MBBS (2003), Lage Raho Munnabhai (2006) and 3 Idiots (2009) are already being preserved at NFAI.
It is wonderful to add PK in our collection especially because it was shot on celluloid. The transition from celluloid to digital in terms of the production of films in India happened during 2013-14. Therefore, it is all the more important to have this film for preservation.”
Directed, edited and written by Hirani and co-produced with Vidhu Vinod Chopra, ‘PK’ is also one of the last few films shot on celluloid in the country as film production transited to the digital format from 2013-2014 onwards.
Besides the original camera negative, Hirani also handed over around 300 cans consisting of rushes of the film. The out-takes of his earlier blockbuster, ‘3 Idiots’, were also handed over to the NFAI for preservation.
A lot of paper material comprising posters, lobby cards and photographs of the films directed by Hirani will also be handed over to the NFAI.
Prior to this, the original negatives of Hirani’s earlier mega-films like ‘Munnabhai MBBS’ (2003), ‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’ (2006) and ‘3 Idiots’ (2009) are also preserved at the NFAI, Magdum revealed.
“We are happy to continue our association with Hirani. His earlier acclaimed films are also being preserved at the NFAI. It is wonderful to add ‘PK’ to our collection, especially because it was one of the last few films to be shot on celluloid,” said Magdum.
Expressing his pleasure at the NFAI plans to preserve ‘PK’ for posterity, Hirani said it is the duty of a filmmaker to ensure that the films are kept for future generations, as he appealed to all filmmakers to support the NFAI in this important cause.
An alumnus of FTII, Pune, Nagpur-born Hirani, 58, is among the major contemporary Indian filmmakers who has carved a niche for himself with his distinct filmography, tackling ticklish social subjects in a light-hearted manner and providing a new perspective to the extant issues.