Satyajit Ray: The finest film maker.

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At Shantiniketan


1940-41, Discovering Oriental Art
In 1940, he joined Rabindranath Tagore's Vishva-Bharati University at Shantiniketan despite the initial reluctance. The desire to learn about Indian arts to be successful as a commercial artist, mother's wishes and the lure of Tagore, perhaps, were too strong to ignore. Tagore had been a close friend of his grandfather and father.
Trips to nearby villages for sketching exercises, were his first encounters with rural India for the city-bred Satyajit Ray.

During this period, he discovered the oriental art- Indian sculpture and miniature painting, Japanese woodcuts and Chinese landscapes... Till then, his exposure to art had been limited to only the western masters. He also undertook a long tour of places of artistic interests in India along with three friends. For the first time, he had begun to appreciate qualities of Indian art. The tour drew his attention to use of small details in Indian art to signify a bigger meaning. A quality that his films would later demonstrate.

Binode Behari Mukherjee, his art teacher at Shantiniketan, also demonstrated this quality in his work. He had an impressionable influence on Ray. About 30 years later, Ray would make a loving documentary on him - The Inner Eye, 1972.

At Shantiniketan too, Ray had found means to pursue his interest in music and films. A German Jew, professor of English, had a collection of western classical records. Ray would often listen to music at his cottage in the evenings. He also found books on cinema in the university library such as Paul Rotha's 'Film Till Now' and Raymond Spotiswoode's 'Grammar of the Film. Despite his great love for films the thought of becoming a filmmaker had not yet occurred.

Tagore died on August 7, 1941.

1942, Back to Calcutta
As the year 1942 was coming to an end, Ray missed the city life and his inability to see films at Shantiniketan. Soon he was making weekend trips to Calcutta, visiting his mother and cousin Bijoya, looking for bargains on books and gramophone records at flea markets and watching movies. He was also in love with cousin Bijoya who lived in the same joint-family house as his mother.

In the remote Shantiniketan, he also felt being out of touch with what was happening in Calcutta, India and the world. Mahatma Gandhi had launched Quit India movement against the British Empire, the war was at Calcutta's doorsteps, and he had missed Citizen Kane that played in Calcutta only for a few days.

In December 1942, Ray left Shantiniketan for good, the day Calcutta was bombed by Japanese for the first time


To be Continued

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Calcutta Film Society


1947, A Film Critic
The aftermath of the world war saw Calcutta filled with American GI's. The cinemas were showing the latest Hollywood productions. It provided Ray and his friends a feast of films.

In 1947, with a few friends like Bansi Chandra Gupta, Ray co-founded Calcutta's first film society. Battleship Potemkin was the first film they screened.

Soon, Ray started writing and publishing articles on cinema in newspapers and magazines, both English and Bengali. A collection of such articles, written during the period 1948 - 1971, was later published as 'Our Films, Their Films'.

Meanwhile, Ray had developed an another interest - writing screenplays for his own pleasure. He would take a story or novel for which a film had been announced, and would write a screenplay. He would then compare his screenplay with the finished film. Some times, he would even write a second version after seeing the film.

His friend Harisadhan Das Gupta had acquired rights for Tagore's Ghare Baire. Ray wrote the screenplay; Harisadhan Das Gupta was to direct it. The film was not made because Ray refused to make changes in the script as suggested by a doctor of venereal diseases who was a friend of the producer. Thirty-five years later when Ray made a film on the same novel, he thought it was a good fortune that film was not made. He found his old screenplay "an amateurish effort in Hollywood tradition".

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Encounter With Jean Renoir


1949, Encounter With Jean Renoir
Renoir had come to Calcutta to scout locations for The River. Ray walked into the hotel where Renoir was staying and sought a meeting. Soon Ray was accompanying Renoir on his trips in search of locations to outskirts of Calcutta during the weekends.

Seeing his enthusiasm and knowledge about cinema, Renoir asked him if he was thinking of becoming a filmmaker. To his own surprise, Ray said yes and gave Renoir a brief outline of Pather Panchali, which he had recently illustrated.

Ray had now married his cousin Bijoya in a simple ceremony of signing a register at Bombay. This was followed later with Brahmo ceremony in Calcutta. Bijoya shared his taste in films and music.

Renoir returned to Calcutta later to shoot the film. Renoir hired Ray's friend Bansi Chandra Gupta as an art director and Harisadhan Das Gupta as an assistant. Subrata Mitra, who would later become Ray's cinematographer, took stills.

Ray too wanted to be part of the unit, but he was now an art director in an advertising agency, D.J. Keymer and was sent to London to work at the agency's head office.


To be continued

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'Bicycle Thieves' Effect


1950, 'Bicycle Thieves' Comfirms Ray's Belief in Realistic Cinema
A business trip to London in 1950 proved a turning point. Ray and wife travelled to London by ship, a journey that took 16 days. With him, he was carrying a notebook in which he had made some notes on making a film of Pather Panchali. He wanted the film to be shot on actual locations, no make-up with new faces. The reaction to this had been negative from his friends. Shooting on locations with unknown actors was thought be a totally unfeasible idea.

In this six-months long stay abroad, Ray saw about a hundred films including Vittorio De Sica's Bicycle Thieves.

Bicycle Thieves made a profound impression on Ray. Later, in the introduction of 'Our Films, Their Films', he wrote- "All through my stay in London, the lessons of Bicycle Thieves and neo-realist cinema stayed with me".

The film had reconfirmed his conviction that it was possible to make realistic cinema with an almost entirely amateur cast and shooting at actual locations.

He had completed his treatment of Pather Panchali on the return journey to India by a ship.

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Making of Pather Panchali

1950, Search for a Producer
On his return in late 1950, with absolutely no experience in movie-making, Ray collected a group of young men to work as technicians. Subrata Mitra was the cinematographer; he had been a still photographer and had to coaxed into taking up the assignment. Anil Choudhury became the Production Controller, Bansi Chandra Gupta the art director.

While looking for financial backers, he approached widow of Bibhuti Bhusan Banerjee, the writer of Pather Panchali for film rights. She admired Ray's illustrations for the book and works of his father and grandfather. She gave her oral assurance and retained her faith in Satyajit Ray despite a better financial offer.

To explain his concept for the film to the potential producers, Ray had a small note-book, filled with sketches, dialogue and the treatment. This script along with another sketchbook that illustrated the key dramatic moments of the film were greeted with curiosity by producers. While many of them were impressed, none came forward to produce the film. Later, Ray donated this script and the wash sketches to the Cinémathèque Française, Paris.

Many offered advise against shooting in outdoor locations as most films were made in studios at that time. He was told by many that rain sequences could not be shot in the actual rains but required a well equipped studio. At the earliest opportunity, Ray rushed out with a 16 mm camera to test-shoot monsoon rains.

About two years were spent in vain to find a producer. Meanwhile, undeterred Ray had begun assembling the cast and looking for locations.

1952, Cattle eat up the scene
Unable to find a producer, Ray decided that unless he could prove his bona fides by producing a few sequences of the film, he was not likely to find financial backing. He borrowed money against his insurance policy and from a few relatives and friends. The shooting was to be done on Sundays due to his job at D.J. Keymer.

On 27 October 1952, he set out to take the first shot. The scene was the famous 'discovery of train by Apu and his sister Durga in the field of Kaash flowers'. "One day's work with camera and actors taught me more than all the dozen books," Ray would write later.

The following Sunday when they returned to shoot, to their horror they discovered that the Kaash flowers had been feasted upon by a herd of cattle. He had to wait for the next season of flowers to complete the scene.

1952, Casting and locations
Meanwhile, efforts to find a backer and working on other production requirements and casting continued.

The cast was a mix of professional actors and a few with no prior experience in acting. Only Subir Banerjee who played Apu, Karuna Banerjee who played Apu's mother, and the villagers who played other smaller roles, had no prior experience of acting. The rest had either acted in films or theatre.

Chunibala Devi, an 80-year old, retired theatre actress was cast to play Indir Thakrun. Boral, a small village on the outskirts of Calcutta was to be the major location.

1952, Faith in realistic cinema gets stronger

A still from Bimal Roy's Do Bigha Jamin, 1953
During this time, Bimal Roy had made Do Bigha Jamin (Two Acres of Land), in India; The film had a few songs, shot largely on locations. It was about the struggle of a peasant family. The film was in the tradition of neo-realist cinema with natural acting (though using professional actors, including Balraj Sahni who pioneered natural acting in mainstream Indian films). The film won the Prix International at the Cannes Festival, 1954. Do Bigha Jamin and Kurosawa's Rashoman, further strengthened Satyajit Ray's faith in the kind of film he was making.

Pather Panchali was to be shot in sequence as Ray had realized that he would be learning as they went along. He had to discover for himself, "how to catch the hushed stillness of dusk in a Bengali village when the wind drops and turns the ponds into sheets of glass, dappled by the leaves of Saluki and Shale, and the smoke from the ovens settles in wispy trails over the landscape and the plaintive blows on conch shells from homes far and near are joined by the chorus of crickets which rises as the light falls, until all one sees are the stars in the sky, and the stars that blink and swirl in the thickets."

1953, A producer at last

Ray filming Pather Panchali
©Bansi Chandragupta
He found a producer, Ana Dutta, who provided some funds with a promise of more after seeing the results and releasing his latest film. Ray took one month's leave without pay to shoot a few more sequences.

The shooting began in the village. Ray recalls this period as a great learning experience. The film appeared to be shaping up well. It was not long before the funds ran out. The producer's latest film had been a box-office disaster so he was unable to provide any more finances. However, since the arrangements had already been made for shoot, some of Ray's wife, Bijoya's jewelry was pawned and shooting continued for a few days more.

Ray was back to work at Kaymer. The footage was later edited to about 4000 ft. Ray approached many producers with the edited footage and was turned down.
Ray's production manager, Anil Choudhury suggested approaching Dr. B. C. Roy, the Chief Minister of West Bengal for help. The government agreed to fund. On September 8, 1953, a son and the only child, Sandip was born.

1954, Shooting resumes after a long break

Ray rehearsing 80-year old Chunibala Devi
©Bansi Chandragupta
After a break of almost a year, the shooting resumed in the early part of 1954. The funding from the government meant that the money would come in installments. Before each installment, the accounts had to be submitted and cleared by the government. This would often take up to a month.

Later, Ray would describe it as a miracle that while making the film, "One, Apu's voice did not break. Two, Durga did not grow up. Three, Indir Thakrun did not die."

In the autumn of 1954, Monroe Wheeler, a director of Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), New York was in Calcutta for putting together some Indian highlights for an exhibition. In a chance meeting, Ray showed some stills of Pather Panchali. Wheeler offered to hold a world premier at MOMA.

About six months later, John Huston had come to India in search of locations for 'The man who would be King'. He had been asked by Monroe Wheeler to check the progress of the film. After seeing about 15-20 minute long silent rough-cut, John Huston gave rave reviews to Wheeler. The film was scheduled to premier at MOMA.

1955, Breakneck post-production
Ray wanted Pandit Ravi Shankar, renowned Sitar maestro, to compose music for the film. Ravi Shankar, due to his tight touring schedule, was able to see only about half of the film and recorded the music in a non-stop session of about eleven hours. "It was a marathon session and left us exhausted but happy, because most of the music sounded wonderful", Ray would write in 'My Years with Apu', many years later. Due to shortage of time, however, Ravi Shankar could not provide music for a few sequences. Subrata Mitra, Ray's cinematographer, devised music for the sweetmeat seller as he goes peddling his sweets. Mitra also played sitar for a sequence.

To meet the MOMA deadline, Ray and his editor worked ten days and nights continuously in the final stage of post-production. The first print of Pather Panchali came out at night before it was to be dispatched. There was no time or money for the subtitles.

Weeks after the scheduled screening at MOMA, a letter came form MOMA describing at length how well the film had been received by the audience.

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Triumph of Pather Panchali


1955, A huge success
A few months later, on August 26, 1955, Pather Panchali was finally released in Calcutta. Using his advertising experience, ray had designed five billboards including a full-sized 8ftX20ft. one. It had Apu and Durga running in vast landscape of dark monsoon clouds with Pather Panchali being the only legend. The film did only moderately well in the first two weeks. By third week however, the word spread and it was running packed at three cinema houses. The cinema house, however, had only booked for six weeks. It was then shown in another chain for seven more weeks. It was a box-office success.

Ray and his crew were feted at numerous functions. Dr. B.C. Roy, who had seen the film earlier, organised a screening for Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India who was on a visit to Calcutta. Nehru was moved by the film and ensured that Pather Panchali was entered in the Cannes Films festival, 1956, despite a move by some to oppose the entry.

The screening at Cannes took place on one of the festival holidays at midnight. As result, most of the jury members did not turn up. On the insistence of a few film critics and Ray's friends, Lindsay Anderson and Andre Bazin among them, another screening was held with the full jury. The film won the special jury prize for "the Best Human Document". Pather Panchali went on to win a dozen odd prizes at home and film festivals abroad, including Best Actress for Chunibala for her role as Indir Thakrun at Manila.

The recognition persuaded him to take the plunge. He decided to give up advertising and turn to film making as a full time career. And thus began a long and illustrious career. His first film, Pather Panchali had established Satyajit Ray as a world-class director.

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charulata New York Times review
Movie Review
The Lonely Wife (1964)
September 11, 1965
Film Festival: Ray's 'Charulata' Given:Simple Story Makes Exquisite Movie
HOWARD THOMPSON.
Published: September 11, 1965

NOBODY but Satyajit Ray could have made "Charulata."

Indeed, had not the distinguished Indian moviemaker been represented in the New York Film Festival, as he was last night at Philharmonic Hall, the current international event would be sadly lacking. To put it baldly, as the Ray camera could never do, the picture is an artistic masterpiece, impeccably performed, but diluted in impact and power by a stately, inchworm pace that accentuates a plot as old and familiar as the hills.

The Indian import was preceded yesterday by a showing of "Camille Without Camelias," a 1952 film directed by Michelangelo Antonioni. But Mr. Ray's festival contribution was obviously the main event of the evening.

Produced by R. D. Bansal, it comes to us laden with prizes from overseas. This time the man who made the memorable "Apu" trilogy is delineating an emotional marital triangle that develops in a comfortable Bengali household. Not only has the director fashioned a scenario from a story by Rabindranath Tagore, but also Mr. Ray has composed a tremulous musical score, with two vocal interludes for good measure.

What happens on the screen? Actually, very little. Husband, a liberal newspaper publisher, neglects pretty young wife. Wife is attracted to husband's young cousin, a dashing derelict. He nobly departs just in time, and the couple begin again—yes, older and wiser. That's it. It takes nearly two hours. As do all Ray films, it moves like a majestic snail.

As usual, Mr. Ray has composed the picture in the most literal sense of the word—and exquisitely. He has made the most of beautiful young Madhabi Mukherjee, who gives a lustrously affecting and almost mind-readable performance as the yearning heroine.

In a sense, the very opening shot—Miss Mukherjee's hands darting a needle into an embroidery hoop—keys all that follows. Arranging every single camera frame to convey nuance, mood or tension, Mr. Ray has photographically embroidered a steady flow of quiet images with precise, striking acuity. One montage—when the day-dreaming wife, in a garden swing, rocks to and fro like a pendulum—is unforgettable. And the final shot in the film—a stop-motion close-up of two hands—is a memorable period to Mr. Ray's structure.

But it remains a long, long trail a-winding over familiar dramatic terrain, India or no India. And even with Miss Mukherjee ably supported by Sailen Mukherjee (no relation) and Soumitra Chatterjee, "Charulata" is not top-notch Ray. But, again, nobody else could have made it.

Mr. Antonioni's early film, "Camille Without Camelias," gives clear promise of the Italian director's personalized camera style in such later, major works as "L'Avventura," and "La Notte." With a hopeful young actress at the center of his story, Mr. Antonioni details the background of a money-minded movie studio, which he appraises with knowing irony.

The film is particularly effective in its photography of the Cinecittá Studio and as a wintry panorama of Rome.


http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/revi...BF66838E679EDE

[P_R]

oru singathOda life historyE TA...innum padikkalai..oru ukkAndhu end to end padichchirrEn

Soumitra Chatterjee gets Dadasaheb Phalke it seems

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P_R thanks seekkiram padinga

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A Film a Year


1956-1981, Impressive oeuvre
The success of Pather Panchali gave Ray total control over his subsequent films; in his numerous functions—writer, director, casting director, composer (since 1961). Two sequels based on the novel (Aparajito, The Unvanquished, 1956; Apur Sansar, The World of Apu, 1959) completed the acclaimed 'The Apu Trilogy'.

Aparajito, his second film, was about his young protagonist's journey towards freedom from his mother's protection and love. The film won the Golden Lion in Venice.

What followed was a long career as a world-class filmmaker. Until 1981, he would make a feature length film every year.

His later films included - Parash Pathar (The Philosopher's Stone, 1958), Jalsaghar (The Music Room, 1958), Devi (The Goddess, 1960), Teen Kanya (Two Daughters, 1961), Kanchenjungha, (1962), Charulata (The Lonely Wife, 1964), Pratidwandi (The Adversary 1970), Shantranj Ke Khilari (The Chess Players, 1977), and Ghare-Baire (Home and the World, 1984).