Original negatives of Rajkumar Hirani's PK added to National Film Archive of India's collection

Rajkumar Hirani, one of the most prolific contemporary Hindi directors, recently handed over the original camera negatives of his superhit film PK (2014) to the National Film Archive of India (NFAI). 

The original negatives of other films of his such as Munna Bhai MBBS (2003), Lage Raho Munnabhai (2006) and 3 Idiots (2009) are at the NFAI. PK also happens to be one of the last few films to be shot on celluloid in India.

Hirani also handed over nearly 300 cans containing the initial rushes of PK and outtakes of another hugely popular Aamir Khan-starrer 3 Idiots (2009) to NFAI director Prakash Magdum.

"It was important to preserve the negative and I am very happy that it would be preserved in NFAI at Pune. It is the duty of a filmmaker to ensure that the films are preserved and I appeal to all filmmakers to support NFAI in this important cause (sic)," Hirani said in a statement published in India Today magazine.

Magdum said the NFAI is pleased to have added PK to its collection, especially because it was shot on celluloid. "The transition from celluloid to digital in terms of production of films in India happened during 2013-14. Therefore, it is all the more important to have this film for preservation," he said.

PK, which starred Aamir Khan and Anushka Sharma, was a satirical drama about blind faith. The film was a huge hit and went on to break box office records.