The Director is the only person who knows what the film is about!

----Satyajit Ray

Ray's Childhood... 

Satyajit Ray, the only child of famous Sukumar Ray and the grandson of famous personality in the literary field Mr. Upendra Kishore Roychoudhury was born on 2nd May, 1921 in Calcutta. He was the last glorious representative of the renaissance of the Bengal and one of the legendary personalities in the world. In the world of film, the "Academy of Motion pictures of New - York" has awarded him with the prize "OSCAR".

(Ray's Childhood)

Ray's childhood was not very easy. He lost his father in his infancy after which he was brought up by his mother Suprabha Ray’s love, care and caution. After completing his graduation from the Calcutta University he went to Santiniketan and learnt painting and drawing under Binodbehari and Nandalal Bose. In 1943, he joined a service in a British advertising agency as a layout artist. His visual art, design and close involvement of cinematic are found a proper manifestation during his working life. Then he had a chance to contact with famous Renoir and his attraction for films brought a great change in his life.

Ray's Achievements...

In 1955 "Pather Panchali" the first film of Satyajit Ray was released and his name was shot into eminence. He was the recipient of twelve different awards for the film from 1955-1966. Since then the best feature films and documentaries like “Aparajita”, “Apur Sansar”, “Charulata”, "Gupi Gyne Baga Byne", “Paraspathar”, “Kanchanjangha”, “Jalsaghar”, “Asani Sanket”,“Ganasatru”,“Ghare Baire”, “Agantuk”, released and all was showered upon him honoured distinction at home and abroad. He won Padma Sri, Padmabishushan, Bharat Ratna, Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Nehru Prize, Magsaysay, the honorary OSCAR etc in the cinematic world.

(Ray and his extraordinary vision)

Ray, a Literary Genius ...

Satyajit Ray was a man of versatile genius. His genius was not only bounded in film making but also it was radiated in literature for children and adult, calligraphy, choreography, acting etc. In creations “Professor Shanku”, “Feluda” etc which are thriller novels remains the immortal characters even today, Ray has shown his true dynamism through his literary genius in his literary works and also in his films. He made a significant contribution to children's literature in Bengali. Most of his fiction was written for teen age children and his detective stories and novels were particularly popular with them.

(Ray's creation - Feluda)

In 1961, Ray revived “Sandesh”, which is a children's magazine founded by his grandfather, to which he continued to contribute illustrations, verses and stories throughout his life. Ray's stories were modest and entertaining and the subjects included adventure, detective stories, fantasy, science fiction and even horror. Ray wrote numerous short stories, articles, and novels in Bengali.

(Ray's creation Sandesh)

(Ray, a Literary Genius)

Satyajit Ray was an all time favorite of the children and adult both and that passion still exists even today and will remain forever. Therefore, more than a film maker he was a blessing of the almighty to the human generation and an inspiration which still continues today, who made us know about life in its actual reality!

Ray has shown his literary genius through his masterpieces like “Apu Trilogy” which included Pather Panchali, Aparajito and Apur Sansar, based on a novel “The World of Apu” by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay. Even a film named “Charulata” was also known as The Lonely Wife, based on a story by Rabindranath Tagore, Nastanirh (The broken Nest) and more...

(Apu Trilogy)

(Charulata)

Satyajit Ray through his masterpieces both in film and literature has shown the world, what it takes to be a genius and gave enormous inspiration to aspiring literary persons and creative thinkers all over the world.

Literature in Films...

As we can now understand, Literature has always played an extensive role in the cinematic world where literary source such as short story, novel or poem got adapted into films which can involve even adapting the same literary work in the same genre or medium, just for different purposes, in many different ways such as to work with a smaller cast, in a smaller venue or on the road, or for a different demographic group such as adapting a story for children.

But, one must have the burning passion and inclination for studying literature and perhaps have the know how to adapt them into films while keeping the element of fact in it's own place without even harming a bit. Then perhaps one can justify the essence of literature in films. The fact remains that one must learn the process of relating literature into films while working it out in reality.

Last phase of Ray's life...

Ray was a man of outstanding personality. After a prolonged illness he breathed his last on 23rd April, 1992 leaving the world into the vast abyss of grief and bereavement. But he will live in the minds of the Indian for his great contributions to the cinematic world and literary literary world likewise.

(Ray receiving the Honorary Oscars)

For the Aspiring Minds.....

The following are some of the prominent Premiere Schools and Institutes of National and International repute for studying Literature,Art, Film, Dance, Designing, Photography, Acting and more… these are the ideal training places for the ideal brains or the aspiring artist’s of any sort may be a Film maker, Dancer, Designer, Art director, Photographer, or a Script writer.
1. Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.
2. Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute of India, Kolkata.
3. Viswa Bharati University, West Bengal.
4. National Institute of Fashion Technology/ Designing.
5. MICA, Ahmedabad.
6. MAAC, Mumbai.
7. Kala Academy, Goa.
8. Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata.
9. Hyderabad Central University, Hyderabad.
10. JNTU, Hyderabad.
11. Jamia Milia Islamia University, Delhi.
12. NID, Delhi
13. Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata.
14. National School of Drama, Delhi.
15. St Xavier’s College, Mumbai....and more...

Note: The above mentioned list does not attempt to justify any sort of rankings as these institutes are all premiere ones with their own excellence in performance.

To conclude, Ray was indeed a Prodigy in art!

I personally feel, Art is life…life is an Art! It’s just an effort followed by one's perspective, that does the rest!

AW:(Samrat Biswas)