Satyajit Ray, one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, is recognised for his use of self-effacing camera work and lighting, as well as for his keen eye for studying his characters social origins. His subject matter organically informs his style, which has a fundamentally humanist core and connects his collection of work. In addition to making films, Ray was also well-known for his writing, lyricism, periodical editing, illustrative work, calligraphy, and musical composition. Image: TwitterHe was born on May 2, 1921, in Kolkata, India, into a family of artists. Rays first job was at the British-owned advertising agency D J Keymer & Co. The advertising industry benefited from Satyajit Rays artistic abilities, which included the introduction of several fonts, including Bengali. He established the Calcutta Film Society in 1947 and premiered Battleship Potemkin by Sergei Eisenstein. Poster of the 1925 film Battleship Potemkin (Image: Twitter)Ray watched 100 movies on his six-month trip to Europe in 1950, including Vittorio De Sicas Bicycle Thieves, which had a big influence on him.Poster of Vittorio De Sicas Bicycle Thieves (Image: Twitter)Life and works of Satyajit RayUpon his return, Ray continued to pursue his love of writing for the cinema and contributed film scripts, articles, and Bengali short tales to Sandesh, a childrens publication started by his grandfather. Feluda, Topshe, Jatayu, Professor Shonku, and Tarini Khuro are just a few of the well-known characters created by Ray. Despite having financial challenges, Ray finished his first movie, Pather Panchali, in 1955, which helped to popularise Indian cinema around the world.A scene from Pather Panchali (Image: Twitter)A scene from Pather Panchali (Image: Twitter)At Cannes in 1956, Pather Panchali received several honours, including Best Human Documentary. The Apu Trilogy, Charulata, Parash Pathar, Ashani Sanket, Jalsaghar, Mahanagar, Ghare Baire, Jana Aranya, Hirak Rajar Deshe, and Agantuk are some of Rays other well-known movies. Ray received the French Presidents Legion of Honour in 1987, and the Academy Awards rewarded him with an Honorary Oscar in 1992.A scene from Charulata (Image: Twitter)In an old interview, Ray says that his films spoke for themselves and that he did not want to say much more about them. Jaya Bachchan recently gave a speech in Kolkata to mark the anniversary of Rays birth. A special showing of Rays sole Hindi film, Shatranj ke Khiladi, was presented by the Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute (SRFTI), which also featured the Satyajit Ray Memorial Talk and Borno Anonyo, a local indie band.Jaya Bachchan on Ray and MahanagarOn the occasion of Satyajit Rays 102nd birthday, Jaya Bachchan and Sandip Ray attended a celebration of the film Mahanagars 60th anniversary in Nandan. Bachchan made her debut in acting as the character Bani in this film. Jaya Bachchan with Anil Chatterjee in her first film, Mahanagar (Image: Twitter)During the occasion, she discussed how, despite having no acting experience, she had been chosen for the role and how Ray provided her complete freedom to play the character as she was comfortable. Bachchan also commended the film for depicting womens empowerment, describing it as a “very modern film.”
