Location: Southeast corner of the Maidan.
Time to visit: 10 A.M.-5.30 P.M.
Admission Fee: Varies for movies.
How to go: All buses going to Rabindra Sadan can bring you here. The nearest Metro station is “Rabindra Sadan" which is about a five minute walk.
Photography / Video charges: Strictly prohibited.
Nearest Railway Station: Howrah.
Nearest Metro Station: Rabindra Sadan
Nearest International Airport: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.
Time required for sight-seeing: 2 hours.


Keeping in line to the cinema craze of the city, the Department of Information & Cultural Affairs, Government of West Bengal, decided to build a state-of-the-art cinematic complex at Calcutta. Thus on 2nd September, 1985, Nandan was born.

Nandan was patronized by film maestro Satyajit Ray. Film enthusiasts will find the Satyajit Ray Archive at Nandan to be a great source of information on Ray. The archive provides fascinating insights in to the mind of this wonderful film director. On display at the archive are some of Rays' most memorable films, scripts and commentaries made by him.

For students of Film studies, Nandan can be an exciting place for carrying out cinematic research. The well-stocked library has rare collections of cinematic books and journals which provide significant insight into the fascinating world of cinema - its past, present and future.

Film Festivals and Retrospectives are a regular feature at Nandan. Come November and the city eagerly awaits the launch of the Calcutta Film Festival when a plethora of moving pictures from all over the world, hits Nandan. The Calcutta Film Festival is an integral part of the city's vibrant cultural milieu. The Calcutta Film Festival has carved a niche of its own, in the non-competitive film festivals and attracts participants from far away nations like Ecuador and Venezuela.

There is no denying the depth and subtlety with which the Calcutta Film Festival defines the city's cultural interests and its everlasting love for quality movies. Though time and circumstances has made Mumbai the center of India's film industry, Calcutta still remains the center of Indian cineastes.

You might as well ask - What is it that makes the Calcutta Film Festival so unique in the International calendar of festivals? More than anything else it is the ambience. Whether you are a film buff or a culture freak or even a gossip buff, you would do well to sip a cup of freshly brewed cappuccino and walk through the lobby to hear stimulating conversations on what is happening in the far corners of the globe.

Many movie enthusiasts who come to see movies during the Calcutta Film Festival are previleged to view the section called the Retrospectives which showcase the films of great maestros of yesteryears. The Bangla Academy, which is located at the end of the Nandan campus, showcases short fiction films that represent rare experimental works from different corners of the world.


In the recent past, renowned film directors like Antonio Urano, Hannah Fischer, Luis Alberto Restrepo, Roland Reber, Zoltan Paul and Amir Sahab Razavian have showcased their path breaking films at Nandan.

Workshops and seminars on films are held regularly at Nandan.

A visit to Nandan is a great way to feel the pulse of this vibrant city and to get a sense of the cultural waves that are brewing in this captivating city.

Special Event / Annual Event

The Calcutta Film Festival is held every year in the month of November.

Nearby Tourist Attractions

Maidan, Park Street, Esplanade, Victoria Memorial, Birla Planetarium.

Nearby places to eat

The Chowringhee-Park Street-Esplanade stretch is by far the most happening place in Calcutta and a wide variety of restaurants are located here where you can truly indulge in mouthwatering Bengali, Mughlai, Chinese, Italian and continental spread. A visit to Tangra which is Calcutta's version of Chinatown is especially recommended which is an exclusive Chinese bastion in Calcutta and lots of authentic Chinese restaurants are available here. The Chinese delicacies available at Tangra is lip smacking good.

As far as traditional Bengali dishes are concerned, Peerless Inn and Oh! Calcutta are great options. Aminia, Rahmania and Shiraz are fabled for their Mughlai spread. Mainland China, Marco Polo, Chung Wah and Golden Dragon offer delicious Chinese cuisine. Drop in at Domino's at Russel Street and Pizza Hut at Camac Street for Italian delicacies.

Celebrity restaurants like Indian Cricket icon Saurav Ganguly's signature restaurant-Saurav's- The Food Pavilion is a top draw.

Barista, Café Coffee Day and Flury's are irresistible as far as beverages are concerned. A visit to Flury's is highly recommended which is one of Calcutta's most enduring Raj era restaurants. The ambience is very British and the service is of a very high standard.

Nearby shopping venues

Calcutta is a shopper's delight. The Park Street-Esplanade stretch has all kinds of shops selling everything from Tibetan Thangkas to Ray Ban goggles. The stretch from The Oberoi Grand located in Esplanade to Park Street is one of the most fashionable places to shop. The flea market is especially very popular with tourists. Baluchuri sarees and Vishnupur clay idols vie for attention alongside up market brands like Nike, Addidas, Westside and Pantaloons.

For handloom and handicraft items, The Cottage Industries Emporium at Chowringhee is well worth a visit. You could also explore New Market, Vardaan Market at Camac Street, Central Cottage Industries Emporium at 7, J. L. Nehru Road, Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan at 24, Chittaranjan Avenue, Priyadarshini at 14/C, Lindsay Street and Manjusha at 8/2 Jagamohan Mullick Lane, Barabazar. All of them offer a fabulous shopping experience.