A portrait of Satyajit Ray wearing a white Kurta and right-hand kept on his chin
A portrait of Satyajit Ray

Satyajit Ray (listenⓘ; 2 May 1921 – 23 April 1992) was an Indian filmmaker who worked prominently in Bengali cinema and who has often been regarded as one of the greatest directors of world cinema.[1] Ray was born in Calcutta (now Kolkata) to a Bengali family and started his career as a junior visualiser.[2] His meeting with French film director Jean Renoir, who had come to Calcutta in 1949 to shoot his film The River (1951), and his 1950 visit to London, where he saw Vittorio De Sica's Ladri di biciclette (Bicycle Thieves) (1948), inspired Ray to become a film-maker.[3][4] Ray made his directorial debut in 1955 with Pather Panchali and directed 36 films, comprising 29 feature films, five documentaries, and two short films.

Although Ray's work generally received critical acclaim,[5][6] his film Pather Panchali and Ashani Sanket (1973) were criticised for "exporting poverty" and "distorting India's image abroad".[5][7] His Apu Trilogy (1955–1959) appeared in Time's All-Time 100 Movies in 2005.[8] Aside from directing, Ray composed music and wrote screenplays for films, both his own and those by other directors.[9] Often credited as a fiction writer, illustrator, and calligrapher; Ray authored several short stories and novels in Bengali, most of which were aimed at children and adolescents.[10][11] Some of his short stories have been adapted into films by other directors, including his only son, Sandip Ray. Considered a cultural icon in India and acknowledged for his contribution to Indian cinema,[12] Ray has influenced several filmmakers around the world, including Wes Anderson, Martin Scorsese,[13][14] James Ivory,[15] François Truffaut,[16] Carlos Saura,[17] and Christopher Nolan.[18]

Ray intended to make various other films, including The Alien, whose early script is sometimes said to have inspired Steven Spielberg's 1982 film E.T.;[19][20] a documentary on Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar;[21] an adaptation of the ancient Indian epic, the Mahābhārata; and an adaptation of E. M. Forster's 1924 novel, A Passage to India. However, none had been started when he died in 1992.[22]

Ray received numerous awards at international film festivals and elsewhere, including several Indian National Film Awards and an honorary Academy Award at the 64th Academy Awards in 1992.[23] Ray was awarded India's highest award in cinema, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, in 1984 and India's highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna, in 1992.[24][25]

Key

Key
† Indicates a documentary ‡ Indicates a short film § Indicates a television film/series # Indicates an advertisement film

Directed by Ray

List of films directed by Satyajit Ray[i][ii][iii][iv][v][vi][vii][viii]
Year Original title International release title Language(s) Producer Music Screenplay Writer Other
1955 Pather Panchali A Song of the Little Road Bengali Yes
1956 Aparajito The Unvanquished Yes Yes
1958 Parash Pathar The Philosopher's Stone Yes Dialogue
Jalsaghar The Music Room Yes Yes Distributor
1959 Apur Sansar The World of Apu Yes Yes Distributor
1960 Devi The Goddess Yes Yes Distributor
1961 Teen Kanya
 • The Postmaster
 • Monihara
 • Samapti 		Three Daughters / Two Daughters[A]
 • The Postmaster
 • The Lost Jewels
 • The Conclusion 		Yes Yes Yes Distributor
Rabindranath Tagore † Rabindranath Tagore English Yes Yes Narrator
1962 Kanchenjungha Kanchanjangha Bengali Yes Yes Yes
Abhijan The Expedition Yes Yes
1963 Mahanagar The Big City Yes Yes
1964 Charulata The Lonely Wife Yes Yes
Two ‡ Two No spoken language Yes Yes
1965 Kapurush-O-Mahapurush
 • Kapurush
 • Mahapurush
 • The Coward
 • The Holy Man 		Bengali Yes Yes
1966 Nayak The Hero Yes Yes Yes
1967 Chiriyakhana The Zoo Yes Yes Lyricist
1969 Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne The Adventures of Goopy and Bagha Yes Yes  • Costume designer
 • Lyricist
1970 Aranyer Din Ratri Days and Nights in the Forest Yes Yes
Pratidwandi The Adversary Yes Yes
1971 Seemabaddha Company Limited Yes Yes Yes
Sikkim † Sikkim English Yes Yes Yes  • Narrator
 • Sound designer
1972 The Inner Eye † The Inner Eye Bengali Yes Yes Yes  • Narrator
 • Sound designer
1973 Ashani Sanket Distant Thunder Yes Yes
1974 Sonar Kella[B] The Fortress Yes Yes Yes
1975 Jana Aranya The Middleman Yes Yes Yes
1976 Bala † Bala English Yes Yes Yes Narrator
1977 Shatranj Ke Khilari The Chess Players  • Hindi
 • Urdu
 • English 		Yes Yes Yes Dialogue
1979 Joi Baba Felunath[C] The Elephant God Bengali Yes Yes Yes
1980 Hirak Rajar Deshe The Kingdom of Diamonds Yes Yes Yes  • Art director
 • Costume designer
 • Lyricist
Pikoo[D] § Pikoo's Day Yes Yes Yes
1981 Sadgati Deliverance Hindi Yes Yes Dialogue
1984 Ghare Baire The Home and The World Bengali Yes Yes
1987 Sukumar Ray † Sukumar Ray Yes Yes Yes
1990 Ganashatru An Enemy of the People Yes Yes
Shakha Proshakha The Branches of the Tree Yes Yes Yes Yes Distributor
1991 Agantuk[E] The Stranger Yes Yes Yes

Contributed to by Ray

List of films contributed to by Satyajit Ray[i][ii][iii][iv][v][vi][vii][viii]
Year Original title Language(s) Director Composer Screenplay Writer Other
1948 A Perfect Day † English Harisadhan Dasgupta Yes
1951 The River  • Bengali
 • English 		Jean Renoir Assistant director[F]
1960 Our Children will Know Each Other Better † English Harisadhan Dasgupta Yes
1960 The Tidal Bore † English Vijaya Mulay Narrator
1961 The Story of Tata Steel # English Harisadhan Dasgupta Yes
1963 Creative Artists of India: Satyajit Ray † English B.D. Garga Yes Narrator
1965 Shakespeare Wallah English James Ivory Yes
1967 Glimpses of West Bengal English Bansi Chandragupta Yes
1967 Quest for Health # English Harisadhan Dasgupta Yes
1969 House that Never Dies English Tony Meyer Yes
1970 Baksa Badal Bengali Nityananda Datta Yes Yes
1970 Gangasagar Mela Bengali Bansi Chandragupta Yes
1973 Max Mueller English Jorn Thiel Yes Narrator
1974 Darjeeling: Himalayan Fantasy English Bansi Chandragupta Yes
1978 The Brave Do Not Die † English Harisadhan Dasgupta Yes
1983 Phatik Chand (film) Bengali Sandip Ray Yes Yes Yes
1983 The Music of Satyajit Ray † English Utpalendu Chakrabarty Yes Illustrator
1985–86 Satyajit Ray Presents I § Bengali Sandip Ray Yes Yes Yes
1986–87 Satyajit Ray Presents II§ Bengali Sandip Ray Yes Yes Yes
1986 Kissa Kathmandu Ka[28] § Hindi Sandip Ray Yes
1991 Goopy Bagha Phire Elo Bengali Sandip Ray Yes Yes Lyricist
1994 Uttoran Bengali Sandip Ray Yes Yes
1995 Target Bengali Sandip Ray Yes Yes
1996 Baksho Rahashya[G] Bengali Sandip Ray Yes
1996–97 Feluda 30 § Bengali Sandip Ray Yes
1998 Parvaz-e zanbur Tajik  • Boung-hun Min
 • Jamshed Usmonov 		Yes[H]
1999 Satyajiter Gappo § Bengali Sandip Ray Yes
2000 Dr. Munshir Diary § Bengali Sandip Ray Yes
2001 Satyajiter Priyo Galpo § Bengali Sandip Ray Yes
2001 Eker Pithe Dui § Bengali Sandip Ray Yes
2003 Bombaiyer Bombete[I] Bengali Sandip Ray Yes
2006 Bankubabur Bandhu[J] Bengali Kaushik Sen Yes
2007 The Darjeeling Limited English Wes Anderson Yes[K]
2007 Kailashey Kelenkari[L] Bengali Sandip Ray Yes
2008 Tintorettor Jishu[M] Bengali Sandip Ray Yes
2010 Gorosthaney Sabdhan[N] Bengali Sandip Ray Yes
2011 Royal Bengal Rahashya[O] Bengali Sandip Ray Yes
2011 Some Maana[30] ‡ Kannada Abhishek Iyengar Yes
2012 Jekhane Bhooter Bhoy[P] Bengali Sandip Ray Yes
2013 Bombay Talkies[Q][31] Hindi Dibakar Banerjee Yes
2014 Goopi Gawaiya Bagha Bajaiya[32] Hindi Shilpa Ranade Yes
2014 Chaar[R] Bengali Sandip Ray Yes
2014 Badshahi Angti[S] Bengali Sandip Ray Yes
2016 Double Feluda[T] Bengali Sandip Ray Yes
2017 Anukul‡ Bengali Sujoy Ghosh Yes
2019 Professor Shonku O El Dorado[U] Bengali Sandip Ray Yes
2020 Feluda Pherot[V] Bengali Srijit Mukherjee Yes

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The title of the film Teen Kanya means three daughters (or girls), however the international version of the film is titled Two Daughters. Though the feature film has three different stories, only two of them were included for the international release—The Postmaster and Samapti[26]
  2. ^ Based on a novel: Sonar Kella by Ray.
  3. ^ Based on a novel: Joi Baba Felunath by Ray.
  4. ^ Based on a short story named Pikoor Diary (Pikoo's Diary), written by Ray for one of his books, Pikoor Diary O Onyanyo (Pikoo's Diary and Other Stories).
  5. ^ Based on a short story named Atithi (The Guest) by Ray.
  6. ^ Unaccredited role[27]
  7. ^ Based on a short story named Baksho Rahashya by Ray.
  8. ^ Featured music
  9. ^ Based on a novel named Bombaiyer Bombete by Ray.
  10. ^ Based on a science fiction short story named Bankubabur Bandhu by Ray.
  11. ^ Reused five of Ray's previous compositions from the films; Teen Kanya (1961), Charulata (1964), Shakespeare Wallah (1965), Baksa Badal (1970) and Joi Baba Felunath (1979)[29]
  12. ^ Based on a novel: Kailashey Kelenkari by Ray.
  13. ^ Based on a short story named Tintorettor Jishu by Ray.
  14. ^ Based on a novel: Gorosthaney Sabdhan by Ray.
  15. ^ Based on a novel: Royal Bengal Rahashya by Ray.
  16. ^ Based on two short stories named Brown Saheber Bari and Anath Babur Bhoy by Ray.
  17. ^ Based on a short story named Patol Babu, Film Star by Ray.
  18. ^ Based on two short stories named Kagtarua and Dui Bondhu by Ray.
  19. ^ Based on a novel: Badshahi Angti by Ray.
  20. ^ Based on two stories: Samaddarer Chabi and Golokdham Rahasya by Ray.
  21. ^ Based on a story Nakur Babu O El Dorado by Ray.
  22. ^ Based on a story Chinnomostar Obishaap by Ray.

References

  1. ^ "Sight and Sound Poll 1992: Critics". California Institute of Technology. Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  2. ^ Robinson 1989, pp. 56–58.
  3. ^ Robinson 1989, pp. 42–44.
  4. ^ Robinson 1989, p. 48.
  5. ^ a b Malcolm, Derek (2 May 2002). "The universe in his backyard". Guardian.co.uk. London. Archived from the original on 15 January 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  6. ^ Swagrow, Michael (28 September 1994). "An art wedded to truth". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 31 May 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  7. ^ Ganguly 2010, pp. 6–7.
  8. ^ Schickel, Richard (12 February 2005). "Time 100: The Apu Trilogy". Time. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  9. ^ Robinson 1989, pp. 352–364.
  10. ^ "Books written by Satyajit Ray". satyajitray.org. Archived from the original on 30 March 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  11. ^ Robinson 1989, pp. 296–305.
  12. ^ Tankha, Madhur (1 December 2007). "Returning to the classics of Ray". The Hindu. New Delhi. Archived from the original on 26 April 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  13. ^ "Scorsese's secret inspiration". ShortList. Archived from the original on 10 March 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  14. ^ "Martin Scorsese hits DC, hangs with the Hachet". The GW Hatchet. 4 March 2002. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  15. ^ "Ivory, James (1928–)". Screenonline. Archived from the original on 30 December 2006. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  16. ^ "The 'World' of Satyajit Ray legacy of India's premier film maker on display". Daily News (New York). 5 May 1995. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  17. ^ "Satyajit Ray is this Spanish director's inspiration". CNN-IBN. 11 March 2008. Archived from the original on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  18. ^ "Christopher Nolan: I think Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali is an extraordinary piece of work". Indian Express. Indian Express. 1 April 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  19. ^ Robinson 1989, pp. 287–295.
  20. ^ "Close encounters with native E.T. finally real". The Times of India. Kolkata. 5 April 2003. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  21. ^ Dutta, Indrani (13 December 2012). "Satyajit had planned documentary on Pandit Ravi Shankar". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  22. ^ Robinson 1989, pp. 284–286.
  23. ^ "The 64th Academy Awards (1992)". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 30 March 1992. Archived from the original on 23 September 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  24. ^ "Dadasaheb Phalke Award past recipients". Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived from the original on 26 May 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  25. ^ "List of recipients of Bharat Ratna" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs (India). Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  26. ^ "Teen Kanya (Three Daughters / Two Daughters)". satyajitray.org. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  27. ^ Robinson 1989, p. 68.
  28. ^ Ray 2004, p. x.
  29. ^ "The Darjeeling Limited Soundtrack". iTunes Store. 25 September 2007. Archived from the original on 22 June 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  30. ^ Thimmaiah, Bhavya (15 June 2012). "Chinwag with...Abhishek Iyengar". Bangalore Mirror. Bangalore. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  31. ^ Banerjee, Soumyadipta (4 February 2013). "Dibakar Banerjee to make a film on Ray's short story". Mumbai Mirror. Mumbai. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  32. ^ Rao, Ch Sushil (13 November 2013). "'Gopi Gawaiya Bagha Bajaiya' inaugural film of 18th ICFFI". The Times of India. Hyderabad. Archived from the original on 14 November 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
Filmography, contributions and credits
  1. ^ a b Satyajit Ray filmography @ satyajitray.org
  2. ^ a b "Satyajit Ray > Filmography". satyajitray.ucsc.edu. Archived from the original on 6 May 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  3. ^ a b "Satyajit Ray > Filmography". satyajitray.org.uk. Archived from the original on 30 March 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  4. ^ a b "Satyajit Ray > Filmography". AllMovie. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  5. ^ a b Satyajit Ray filmography @ satyajitrayworld.com
  6. ^ a b "Satyajit Ray > Filmography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2015. Archived from the original on 31 May 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  7. ^ a b "Satyajit Ray > Rotten Tomatoes Celebrity Profile". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 20 November 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  8. ^ a b "Satyajit Ray > Filmography". Yahoo! Movies. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
Bibliography

External links

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