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SATYAJIT RAY - A Rare Phenomenon (Did You Know - 4)

21 Oct, 2008 | Articles on Cinema / Did You Know!

Some facts about one of the greatest film-maker of all time, all over the world.

“SATYAJIT RAY” – the name needs no introduction to everyone who loves cinema. But still I would like to introduce our younger generation of teenagers who may have only heard this name and are not familiar with the amazing qualities of the rare phenomenon called Satyajit Ray.

Born in 1921, he had an impressive personality with a height of 6.4 ft. and he made his first movie “Pather Panchali” in 1955 in a very limited budget. The movie finds its place in the 100 best movies ever made in the world of cinema all over the globe. In his early days before becoming a film-maker he worked in an Advertising Agency as a Creative Visualizer / Graphic Designer. He did advertisements, book covers and many other creatives for the agency for more than 12 years.

Possibly the first ever person who worked in almost every department associated with film-making, be it story board writing, script writing, dialogue writing, costume-designing, camerawork, editing, directing and even music direction and background music. For many of his films he did the music himself. He made 29 films and 10 documentaries and short films in his career.

Ray himself said, that he was greatly inspired by the famous Italian movie “The Bicycle Thief” and the film was one of the reasons of him becoming a film-maker. It is also believed that the Steven Spielberg’s famous movie “E.T” was based on a character developed and even designed by Satyajit Ray in one of his short stories.

Apart from movies he was very fond of working and writing for children. He wrote several short stories especially with the central character of a child. His character of “Prof. Shonku” and his adventures are still very famous in the print circle. His short stories are full of super-natural stuff, mysteries and small pleasures of life. They are equally enjoyable for people from all walks of life ire-respective of any age factor. He also revived “Sandesh”, a children’s magazine founded by his grandfather, to which he contributed illustrations, verses and stories throughout his life.

For elder readers he is famous for his detective series featuring “Feluda”. Not only children but even old people are very fond of this series and it is still the bestseller detective series of Penguin publishers, India. Few films in Bengali are also based on some famous detective adventures of Feluda.

His movies are often criticized to be based on poverty and poor people. The younger generation may find his movies too slow and grim. But you need to have a burning desire, understanding and passion for cinema to understand Satyajit Ray and his movies.

He is the only Indian who has been awarded The Academy Award (OSCAR) for Lifetime Achievement in recognition of his rare mastery of the art of motion pictures.

Unfortunately, Ray had suffered another heart attack and was confined to the hospital bed when the award was announced. He received the award from his sickbed in Calcutta, through a special live satellite-television event.

Interestingly, after this great achievement, the Indian Government’s also honored Satyajit Ray with the Bharat Ratna, the ultimate honour for any Indian.This great soul, Satyajit Ray died on April 23, 1992, but he still lives in his movies with us and will remain in our hearts always.

HIS BLESSINGS

Tags : 100 Best Movies of All Time, Bharat Ratna, Feluda, Italian Movies, Lifetime Achievement, Oscar, Pather Panchali, Prof. Shonku, Sandesh, Satyajit Ray, The Bicycle Thief, World of Ray

21 Oct 2008 / Comment ( 2 )

Amit Joshi

submitted on 04 July 2011

Satyajit Ray is considered on top position in Indian Cinema, still why he didn\'t make that kind of movies which are not only critically acclaimed both by critics and normal audience. Now a days We don\'t see people discussing about his movies, none of his films telecast on TV. Why...

1. Does cinema shouldn\'t reach maximum no. of audience, as we never see him (satyajit ray ) making movies like hrisikesh mukherjee, basu chatterji or bimal roy, I am talking about movies which people understand and like..even today Hirani makes movies which touches our heart and we learnt lots of things. I think U understand what I am trying to ask..........even people who are big fan & have depth knowledge of cinema talks about all cult classics of bollywood & hollywood....gives refrences for script writing of various movies.......but nobody says "Go and watch Satyajit ray cinema and u can learn a lots from there".

2. Or you will say..........My friend true cinema is not all about being commercial and giving hit (by manipulating script, creating unrealistic drama & putting songs in that)

I just want to know even after not being very famous (in terms of giving hit movies ) among Indian audience why
Satyajit Ray is considered the Legend...........I am asking all for my own knowledge.......don\'t take it other way.

Bobby Sing

submitted on 11 Jul,2011

Dear Amit,

Its strange that you quoted that nobody says "Go and watch Satyajit ray cinema and u can learn a lots from there".

I think if there is nobody saying that around you then you might be interacting or learning with some different kind of people who just believe me watching or enjoying the last few decades of cinema.....and are not actually related to the Cinema in totality.

ITs not there fault because almost 75% or may be 90% of the people know Satyajit Ray or associate Satyajit Ray with only "Pather Panchali". And when they eagerly go for watching it they get bored.....For all of them who couldnt sit through Pather Panchali till the end, I would like to say that,

"Satyajit Ray is not only the Satyajit people know from "Pather Panchali" and if one thinks that he made all his movies on poverty or on such dark themes then you are just behaving childish without even researching on his entire repertoire.".

So my only answer would be first get to see some lesser famous or more movies of Satyajit Ray.......If not sure then I would tell you to start with "Paras Pathar".

And to be precise its a comedy and a very intelligent and unexpected comedy where an Old man finds a Paras Pathar with which whatever he touches turns into GOLD. I hope you must be surprised listening about this because when I first got heard of it, I was immesely surprised too.

So just see if you can watch this as soon as possible and then come back with your views right here.

Till then Cheers and Happy watching Satyajit Da.

HIS BLESSINGS.

SATYAJIT RAY - A Rare Phenomenon (Did You Know - 4)

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