MUMBAI: To give a nostalgic feel to film buffs of how silent films were screened in tents a century ago, the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) that is to get under way from Sunday, will screen some rare classics of the silent era at the state-run multiplex Nandan.

It is here that a makeshift camp has been made to recreate the environment in which films used to be screened once upon a time. The camp will accommodate around 200 people.

Named after one of India‘s first filmmakers, the Hiralal Sen Mancha will screen 15 black and white classics during the week-long carnival to celebrate the completion of 100 years of Indian cinema.

This Sunday, India‘s first full-length feature film released in 1913, Dadasaheb Phalke‘s Raja Harishchandra, will be shown. Based on the mythological story of King Harishchandra, the film will be shown in the DVD format.

Phalke‘s film Kalia Mardan, which presents the story of how a young Lord Krishna wins over a giant serpent will also be screened.

Jyotiprasad Agarwala‘s Joymati (1933) will take viewers back to 17th century Assam to tell the painful story of a medieval princess who is tortured and killed by the evil prime minister for refusing to betray her husband.

Kalipada Das‘ 1931 film Jamai Babu, a comedy remembered for having rare visuals of Howrah Bridge, Victoria Memorial and the sprawling Maidan in the heart of the city.

Besides, classics from the legendary New Theatres studio founded by the Dada Saheb Phalke awardee BN Sircar, Chandidas, Dhoop Chhaon and Mukti will also be shown.

Altogether 189 films from 60 countries will be screened at twelve venues during the eight-day KIFF.