National Film Archive of India (NFAI)

Overview

The National Film Archive of India (NFAI), now operating as NFDC-NFAI, is India's principal film archive. Established in 1964 and funded by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, NFAI is located in Pune, Maharashtra, adjacent to the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). Since 2022, NFAI operates under the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) following a government merger of film sector units.

NFAI holds over 9,000 Indian and foreign films in its collection, along with scripts, posters, stills, and film-related ephemera. The archive is the executing body for the National Film Heritage Mission (NFHM), the Indian government's flagship preservation initiative with a mandate to digitize, restore, and preserve the country's audiovisual heritage. In May 2026, NFDC-NFAI completed 4K restorations of all eight feature films by Ritwik Ghatak, presented in a retrospective at BFI Southbank London in partnership with the British Film Institute.

If you are a filmmaker, scholar, or student researching Indian cinema, NFAI provides access to films, documentation, and research facilities available nowhere else in the country. Visit the NFDC-NFAI website to explore the collection and plan a research visit.

Collection and Preservation

NFAI's collection spans the full breadth of Indian cinema, from the silent era to contemporary digital productions. The archive acquires films through voluntary deposits, purchases, and partnerships with production houses and private collectors. India does not mandate film deposit, so NFAI conducts active outreach to locate and acquire rare prints.

Collection highlights:

• Over 9,000 films including features, shorts, documentaries, and newsreels
• Films across Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, and other Indian languages
• Vintage cameras, including the Arriflex used by Satyajit Ray
• Film posters, lobby cards, stills, scripts, and press books
• A reference library with books, periodicals, and journals on Indian and world cinema

National Film Heritage Mission (NFHM):

NFHM is the Government of India's flagship preservation program executed by NFDC-NFAI. Key activities include:

• Condition assessment and digitization of vintage film prints
• 4K restoration of landmark Indian films
• Construction of climate-controlled preservation vaults (Phase II facilities operational in Pune)
• Training programs for film archivists and technicians

Recent restoration projects include the complete 4K restoration of Ritwik Ghatak's eight feature films (completed May 2026), with color grading supervised by National Award-winning cinematographer Avik Mukhopadhyay. The archive has also restored and acquired rare prints such as the 1954 Tamil film Ratha Kanneer, donated by an FTII research officer from a private collection.

Educational Role

NFAI is not a degree-granting institution. It functions as a research and educational resource that complements formal film training at FTII and other Indian film schools.

Film Appreciation Courses: NFAI conducts short-term courses introducing participants to film history, theory, and analysis. These courses are designed for students, teachers, journalists, and film enthusiasts who want a structured introduction to cinema studies.

Screening Programs: The archive organizes regular public screenings, retrospectives, and themed film series at its Pune facility. Screenings include restored classics, archival rarities, and curated programs spanning regional and national cinema.

Research Access: Scholars, film students, and researchers can access NFAI's collection by prior arrangement. The archive's reference library and viewing facilities support academic research on Indian cinema history, aesthetics, and industry development.

Training for Archivists: NFAI collaborates with UNESCO and international archives on capacity building in film preservation and restoration. In 2024, UNESCO Director Guilherme Canela visited NFDC-NFAI to discuss collaboration on an international conference on film digitization and restoration.

Related Institution: National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC)

The National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) in Mumbai is a separate but related institution under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Inaugurated in January 2019 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, NMIC was built at a cost of Rs 140.61 crore.

NMIC facilities:

• Gulshan Mahal: A restored 19th-century Victorian-Gothic heritage bungalow with 9 gallery sections covering the origin of cinema, silent era, advent of sound, studio era, World War II impact, creative resonance, new wave, and regional cinema
• Glass Building: A modern four-floor structure with galleries dedicated to Satyajit Ray (featuring his Academy Award), Gandhi and Cinema, Children's Film Studio (with chroma studio, stop-motion animation, and virtual makeover experiences), Technology and Creativity, and Cinema Across India
• Saturday screenings: Classic Indian films screened every Saturday at 4 PM. An INR 75 ticket includes museum access and a free return visit the next day

NMIC emphasizes media literacy, with interactive exhibits on editing, lighting, camera angles, and sound design. The museum is located at the Films Division Complex, Pedder Road, Mumbai. Visit nmicindia.com for current exhibits and screening schedules.

What Students Should Know

NFAI is a resource, not a school. Aspiring filmmakers studying at FTII benefit from direct proximity to the archive, and the Film Appreciation Courses are valuable for anyone seeking a structured understanding of Indian cinema history.

Access to the archive's film collection requires prior arrangement. Research visits should be planned in advance by contacting NFAI through the NFDC website. The archive periodically updates its public programming schedule and course offerings.

NFAI's significance extends beyond education. By preserving India's cinematic heritage under NFHM, the archive ensures that future filmmakers can study and draw from the full history of Indian filmmaking, from Dadasaheb Phalke's Raja Harishchandra (1913) to contemporary independent productions. The ongoing digitization program makes this heritage accessible to researchers worldwide.

See Also

For understanding the Indian film industry, see International Film Markets. To explore filmmaking terminology, visit the Filmmaker Glossary. For information on Indian film awards, see National Film Awards India.