From classic 'Do Beegha Zameen' to Irrfan Khan's iconic 'The Lunchbox'; Indian films that won big Awards at Cannes

When things are discussed about the biggest film festivals, Cannes is one of the most sought-after film festivals globally which is held annually at Cannes City, France giving every upcoming film from the world a platform to be premiered including documentaries. This year too, the French Riviera has come back with the year's most anticipated film festival as it kickstarted from today, 15th May 2024, and will run until 25th May 2024. Speaking in a nutshell, Cannes is a global film festival that ropes off films and documentaries from all around the world and recognizes the most worthy of them. Over the past years, the Indian film industry aka Bollywood has been able to make it's striking presence in the film festivals too. In fact there are many such Bollywood films that won awards at the prestigious Cannes. Let's look into some. 

Indian Films that won Awards at Cannes 

Neecha Nagar (1946)

Directed by Chetan Anand, it is a 1946 Indian drama that marked an Indian historical win at the Cannes Film Festival. The first Indian movie to win the the Grand Prix du Festival International du Films, it has made a grand opening to Indian cinema's acclamation on the global front. 

Do Bigha Zameen (1953)

Rated 8.3/10 on IMDb, Do Beegha Zameen is a 1953 Hindi drama film directed by Bimal Roy that revolved around the struggles of village people, mostly Indian agriculturers. It has earned the iconic accolade of Prix International Award, as the moving plot and it's poignant depiction have resonated with the French film festival. 

Boot Polish (1954)

Right after 1953, another Hindi drama that added the previous acclamation was Prakash Arora's directorial 'Boot Polish'. Charming the Cannes Film Festival, it secured a Special Jury Prize in the same year. The heartwarming narrative of two sibling orphans has left a profound impact on the viewers. 

Pather Panchali (1955)

It is the first non-Hindi film to make it's astonishing recognition debut at the Cannes. Pather Panchali is a 1955 classic Bengali drama written and directed by Satyajit Ray in his first directorial debut. With a heralding storyline and Satyajit Ray's moving storytelling, it has mesmerized Cannes dignitaries and won hearts as it has earned Best Human Document. 

Kharij (1982)

Mrinal Sen's directorial, Kharij is a 1982 Bengali drama film adapted from a 1974 novel under the same name. While exploring societal issues and human resilience, the one-of-a-kind narrative has captivated the audience as it has earned the iconic Jury Prize. 

Salaam Bombay (1988)

It is one of the most iconic yet underrated films of 1988. Salaam Bombay is a Mira Nair drama film that revolves around the daily lives of children living in the slums of Bombay. With numerous other recognition globally, the has earned the Caméra d'Or and Audience awards at the Cannes Film Festival. 

The Lunch Box (2013)

This Irrfan Khan starrer romantic drama has to be his best film so far as it has won hearts globally. Directed by Ritesh Batra, it has captivated the audience with its moving yet bitter-sweet story of love and longingness carried through two strangers by the help of love letters. The film has won the Grand d'Or award. 

- PTC PUNJABI