An ode to my favourite film-maker - Satyajit Ray

"Satyajit Ray- A retrospective" - October 1st through 24th was the exclusive film festival hosted by the National Museum of Singapore.

Although as a Probashi bangalee (Brought up outside West Bengal), I had little opportunity to view Ray's films during my childhood years, I was always intrigued by the fact that his movies attracted audience cutting across all ages and nationalities. So what was so special about his films, I wondered!

India in Ray's vision
One can identify three major compositional periods in Ray's life.

The first period (1955-1964) was remarkable for its robust optimism. celebration of the human spirit and creative satisfaction. Ray was not only directing and scripting, but also scoring the music and taking charge of the cinematography. This period coincided with India's early days of independence and Nehru's flirtations with concepts revolving around the state.

The second period (1965-1977) saw India come under a dark spell. The war with China (1962) during Nehru's last years, Pakistan (1965), the growing unemployment coupled with the agrarian crises - all of this componded with the command-center of the Sanjay Gandhi era manifested well in Ray's films. Calcutta and most of West Bengal was gripped tightly under the leash of Naxalism. My father, who had graduated honors in Chemical engineering from Jadavpur University (one of the best colleges of India) struggled to get a job! Some of his batchmates prudently took the step overseas, but a majority of them resigned to the chaos presiding over. This was the time when Ray clearly projected a troubled vision for India. The Calcutta trilogy: Pratidwandi (The Adversary), Seemabaddha (Company Ltd) and Jana Aranya (The Middle man) were scripted and directed during this period.

The final period of Ray's fims (1977-1992) was arguably the hard-hitting ones. The theme was that of isolation, didactic and frank. Ghare Baire (Home and the World), based on a Tagore's novel is a diatribe against nationalism, the mix of religion and politics,political opportunism and dishonesty. Ganashatru (Enemy of the people), was an adaptation of Ibsen's play to bengali, addressed questions of capitalist corruption and manipulation of relegion, people, politics and environment. Through this movie, Ray the protagonist articulates well to mention that all narrowness is in the human mind. In the movie, Ray through his protagonist communicates to his grandchild - "Don't be a frog in the well". Rise against boundaries of caste, religion and hatred.

Ray was the product of the Anglo-Bengali encounter of the nineteenth century. His cultural, intellectual and ideological roots can be traced to what is known as the "Bengali Renaissance". When an interviewer called Akira Kurosawa "the master", he responded by saying "Not me, Ray is the master. Not to have seen his films is like living on earth and not seeing the Sun and the Moon"

Bow down in adulation and respect to this great film-maker.