Satyajit Ray: A Forgotten Beacon in Indian Cinema

-S Devasankar

Satyajit Ray is a name that is familiar to most Indians. Or is it? Mr. Ray is one of India’s most decorated filmmakers of all time. In fact, he can be credited with bringing Indian cinema to the limelight with his very first movie: Pather Panchali. Martin Scorsese, the director of movies like The Wolf of Wall Street, Taxi Driver and The Irishman said that Pather Panchali was one of the first Indian movies that he had watched, and one that inspired him to make movies. He said the movie was “made by an Indian, for Indians” showcasing the intricate details of life in India. This, he said, helped him realize what Cinema is meant to be. What a target audience is supposed to be, and what story telling is. Ray is also an inspiration for many other directors like Wes Anderson, Christopher Nolan and Quentin Tarantino, who have, on several occasions, said this publicly.

Ray was not just a director, he was also a screenwriter, lyricist, author, essayist, calligrapher, magazine editor, music composer and much more. He was truly a jack of all trades. His works are still read and cherished by readers all over the world, especially ones like the Tales of Feluda, Professor Shanku, etc.

That being said, it is quite unfortunate that today, the man and his works have been forgotten. While people are aware that such a person existed, and that he was a director, they do not know of the extent of his contribution to Indian, or rather the world cinema, and to other forms of art, other than filmmaking.

But why is it so? Why is it that such a legend has been forgotten by the majority with the passing of time? The answer lies in the question. The passing of time. As time passed, cinema evolved. New movies came into existence, and the masterpieces by Satyajit Ray faded into the background.

Even then, they never ceased to exist. The works by Mr. Ray is well known among film enthusiasts, and they still try to promote the movies, especially the Apu Trilogy (viz. Pather Panchali, Aparajito and Apur Sansar).

Ray made sure to leave an impact on the world before he left it and the medium he chose for that was cinema. For his contributions to cinema, and his portrayal of India in the global stage, he was awarded an Honorary Academy in 1992.

This is not to understate his achievements in other fields of work that he engaged in. Ray excelled in all the fields he tried out, even leaving his marks in the fields of Magazine editing and calligraphy.

Ray can be considered as the best filmmaker India has produced till date, and it’s rather unfortunate that while many parts of the world remember his legacy, India has forgotten it.

Recently, an anthology titled RAY was released, based on 4 of Satyajit Ray’s short stories, namely Bipin Chowdhury’r Smritibhrom, Bahurupi, Barin Bhowmik-er Byaram, and Spotlight. Also, his first ever movie, in fact the entire Apu Trilogy has been renewed and is available in a leading OTT platform. Hopefully, these help to bring this legendary filmmaker, the man who told the story of India through a visual medium throughout the world for the first time, back to the forefront, and help get the recognition he deserves from the Indian audience.