Mahesh Babu's 'Athadu' and Aamir Khan's '3 Idiots' restored as Indian cinema expands its global digital reach

Highlights

• Prasad Corp completes 8K restorations of major Indian titles
• Films from Vidhu Vinod Chopra Productions included in the project
• Restoration work also extends to classic Hollywood films

Restoring Indian cinema for a new era

Chennai-based Prasad Corp has completed 8K restorations of several notable Indian films, bringing older titles into sharper focus for modern audiences.

Among the restored works are Athadu (2005), starring Mahesh Babu, and 3 Idiots (2009), featuring Aamir Khan. The project also includes a catalogue of films from Vidhu Vinod Chopra Productions such as Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003), Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006), 1942: A Love Story (1994) and Mission Kashmir (2000).

Inside the 8K restoration process

Abhishek Prasad, director and CTO of the company, said the restoration involved detailed, frame-by-frame repair while preserving the original texture of the films.

He noted that maintaining the natural grain structure was central to the process, ensuring the films retain their original look while meeting present-day viewing standards. The aim, he said, is to keep these works visually relevant for years to come, whether in cinemas, on streaming platforms or in archival formats yet to emerge.

Bridging classics with digital distribution

According to Prasad, restoration also allows older films to be integrated into today’s global digital ecosystem. By upgrading image quality, such projects help classic cinema reach wider audiences across platforms.

The company has also undertaken similar work on Hollywood titles including My Fair Lady (1964) and West Side Story (1961), reflecting a broader effort to preserve film heritage across industries.

Preservation still a wider challenge

Filmmaker Kunal Kapoor, who oversaw the 4K restoration of Awara (1961), has previously described restoration as a creative process shaped by experience and instinct. The project was carried out under the National Film Development Corporation and the National Film Archive of India as part of the National Film Heritage Mission launched in 2015.

Kapoor has also pointed to a larger issue, noting that preservation has not always been a priority. While restoration efforts are growing, he suggested that safeguarding cinematic history requires sustained attention and commitment.