Published: 12:42 AM, 23 April 2026
Satyajit Ray: A Doyen in The World of Bengali Films
Every year I write about Satyajit Ray the moment Pohela Boishakh is celebrated. The two noted Bengali icons, Rabindranath Tagore and Satyajit Ray were within a span of some days and some time. In the undivided Bengal, there were several erudite Bengali families, who were instrumental Bengali language and culture to glorious heights.
Hence in concurrence to the deck of my column, I am trying to focus upon legendary Satyajit Ray, the doyen of Bengali films and literature. Hope my respected readers might be aware of the date of demise of Ray as well as his birth anniversary. That is why I am not throwing light about the above.
As the global situation is in the midst of utmost turmoil, I should be pertinent of my part to evaluate the impact of Satyajit Ray’s films in our political and social life. My respected readers might wonder why did I say so. This is because Ray was such a dynamic personality, which is always beyond our comprehensive level.
As political and social life are closely intertwined, hence I try my level best to evaluate legendary Satyajit Ray’s films from social and political paraphernalia. Till date four months have elapsed of new English calendar year 2026. It was from the end of February 2026; we evinced from close quarters the havocking Gulf War. It is a known fact who were instrumental behind the turmoil.
Satyajit Ray passed away in the year 1992 on April 23. Around those periods of time in our political and social history, there were Gulf War. Ray’s films opened our mind and eyes, about profound humanistic and intellectual counterpoint to counteract heinous geo-political turbulence across the globe. In the same manner, which took place during those periods of time, same reciprocation took place on February 2026. Key global superpowers who have made upper outreach to dominate global social and political proceedings. On account of the above reason key political forces like US, Israel and Iran were involved in a vicious fracas which badly dismantled our economic backbone.
Satyajit Ray’s life cycle was so much in deep turmoil, which is beyond our comprehension level. Having lost his father, the ever-talented Sukumar Ray, at a tender age of two and half years. But his family tree was such an enormous one, he could not feel the vacuum due to the lost of his father. Being the only child of parents, but starting from erudite mother, paternal uncle, auntie, maternal uncle, auntie plus various other closer and cordial relatives who provided relevant support and encouragement to him.
Satyajit Ray was known to the public as a multifaceted personality. He was not only a film maker, but rather an erudite author, painter and music composure of the highest order. Plus, Satyajit Ray was also a prolific writer.
Pathetic part to be noted, that his longevity was very poor. He was just seventy years of age at the time of his demise. Though his ardent admirers could not accept his sad demise. But harsh truth should have been admitted. He himself followed the path of his father and other close relatives.
In order to make this interesting attractive, let me state the films directed by him as well as the names of books written by him. Thus the films directed by legendary Satyajit Ray are stated as such, Apu trilogy(Pather Panchali (1955), Aparajita(1956), Apur Sansar( 1959), Jalsaghar( 1958), Devi(1960), Kanchenjunga( 1962), Mahanagar(1963), Charulata( 1964), Nayak( 1966), Gopy Gayan Bagha Byne( 1969), Aranyer Din Ratri (1970), Shatranj Ki Khilari(1977) and finally Ghare Bahire (1984). Satyajit Ray in his short longevity has directed a total of 36 films. Among all the films directed by Satyajit Ray, 29 are feature films. Rest are short films and other reputed films like Ganashatru, Shakha Prasakha and finally Agantuk.
The actors worked with this maestro, are Soumitra Chatterjee, Utpal Dutta, Mamata Shankar, N.Viswanathan, Anil Chatterjee, Chabi Biswas, Pahari Sanyal, Basanta Chowdhury, Rabi Ghosh, Tapen Chatterjee, Jahar Ray, Aparna Sen, Harindranath Chatterjee, Syed Jafri, Simi Grewal, Samit Bhanja, Dipankar De, Uttam Kumar, Subhendu Chatterjee, Haradhan Bannerjee etc various other reputed artists of those days.
Books written by Satyajit Ray are stated as such, Sonar Kella, Professor Shonku, The complete adventures of Feluda, Feludar Goendagiri, Shonku Samagra, Jokhon Choto Chilum etc. Other films directed by Satyajit Ray are stated as such, Chiriyakhana and Nayak. Others are stated as such, Seemabaddha, Charulata, Sonar Kella, Joi Baba Felunath etc.
Awards and accolades upon Satyajit Ray. These are Oscar Award, Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Padma Shri, Padma Bhusan, Doctorate of Letters, Desikottam, Golden Lion Honorary Award etc.
Writing about Satyajit Ray is indeed a tough task for me. Still, I have tried to throw some light in my column. It was both Rabindranath Tagore and Satyajit Ray who were instrumental in upgrading the cultural mobility of the Bengalis of both in both India and Bangladesh. I have coined my deck as Satyajit Ray, the doyen in the world of Bengali films. To be more introspective I feel he was a gem above at par. Being a novelist, painter, musician etc I feel that it is a tough proposition for me to evaluate. His voracious reading on all subjects in both Bengali and English acted as a cakewalk towards success. Despite facing hurdles faced in the prime of his life.
Sujayendra Das is a columnist
based in Calcutta, India.
