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Serious Tribute to Satyajit Ray- Birth Centenary
- Thread starterkomaalrani
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xforum send by Sukumar Ray ( father of Satyajit Ray ) on his birth on 2.5.1921
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Satyajit Ray, an Indian filmmaker and among the dozen or so great masters of world cinema, is known for his humanistic approach to cinema.They are about things that make up the human race – relationships, emotions, struggle, conflicts, joys and sorrows.
Satyajit Ray, the master storyteller, has left a cinematic heritage that belongs as much to India as to the world. His films demonstrate a remarkable humanism, elaborate observation and subtle handling of characters and situations. The cinema of Satyajit Ray is a rare blend of intellect and emotions. He is controlled, precise, meticulous, and yet, evokes deep emotional response from the audience. His films depict a fine sensitivity without using melodrama or dramatic excesses. He evolved a cinematic style that is almost invisible. He strongly believed – “The best technique is the one that’s not noticeable”.
Satyajit Ray’s films are both cinematic and literary at the same time; using a simple narrative, usually in a classical format, but greatly detailed and operating at many levels of interpretation.
Ray directly controlled many aspects of filmmaking. He wrote all the screenplays of his films, many of which were based on his own stories.
He designed the sets and costumes, operated the camera since Charulata (1964), he composed the music for all his films since 1961 and designed the publicity posters for his new releases.
In addition to filmmaking, Ray was a composer, a writer and a graphic designer. He even designed a new typeface. In 1961, he revived and continued to publish the Bengali children’s magazine “Sandesh”, which was founded by his grandfather Upendrakishore Ray .
Satyajit Ray, the master storyteller, has left a cinematic heritage that belongs as much to India as to the world. His films demonstrate a remarkable humanism, elaborate observation and subtle handling of characters and situations. The cinema of Satyajit Ray is a rare blend of intellect and emotions. He is controlled, precise, meticulous, and yet, evokes deep emotional response from the audience. His films depict a fine sensitivity without using melodrama or dramatic excesses. He evolved a cinematic style that is almost invisible. He strongly believed – “The best technique is the one that’s not noticeable”.
Satyajit Ray’s films are both cinematic and literary at the same time; using a simple narrative, usually in a classical format, but greatly detailed and operating at many levels of interpretation.
Ray directly controlled many aspects of filmmaking. He wrote all the screenplays of his films, many of which were based on his own stories.
He designed the sets and costumes, operated the camera since Charulata (1964), he composed the music for all his films since 1961 and designed the publicity posters for his new releases.
In addition to filmmaking, Ray was a composer, a writer and a graphic designer. He even designed a new typeface. In 1961, he revived and continued to publish the Bengali children’s magazine “Sandesh”, which was founded by his grandfather Upendrakishore Ray .
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I am planning with the help of all you to keep this thread flourishing for the birth centenary year of Ray ( 2nd May 2020- 2nd May 2021 ). It is going to be a collective effort of all the lovers of cinema , music and literature . We will be talking about his films , post some quiz , his biography
and many many things more. I will try to post at least 2-3 days in a week in this thread , but I am sure with all your help we will have some posts everyday . Thanks
and many many things more. I will try to post at least 2-3 days in a week in this thread , but I am sure with all your help we will have some posts everyday . Thanks
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Satyajit Ray's Biography
Director, Producer, Screenwriter, Composer, Writer, Graphic Designer
Born: May 2, 1921, Kolkata (Calcutta), India
Died: April 23, 1992, Calcutta, India
Growing up, 1921 - 39
Satyajit Ray was born on May 2, 1921, in an intellectual and affluent family in Calcutta, India.
His grandfather, Upendrakishore Ray (Roychowdhury) was a distinguished writer, painter, a violin player and a composer. He was also a pioneer in half-tone block making and founded one of the finest presses in the country – U. Ray & Sons. He died six years before Satyajit Ray was born.
His father, Sukumar Ray (1887-1923), the eldest son of Upendra Kishore, studied printing technology in England and joined the family business. He too was an eminent poet, writer and illustrator of nonsense literature in the tradition of Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear.
Sukumar Ray fell ill the year Satyajit Ray was born with a dreaded tropical disease of the time – Kala-azar. He regularly contributed poems, stories and illustrations to ‘Sandesh’, a children’s magazine in Bengali which Satyajit Ray’s grandfather had started publishing and printing Sukumar Ray dies when Satyajit Ray was only three years old.
At an age of eight, Satyajit joined Ballygunj Government School, until then he had been taught by his mother.
Young Satyajit Ray
While still at school, he became a film fan, regularly reading Hollywood trivia in magazines like Picturegoer and Photoplay. Western classical music was another interest. He would often pick-up gramophone records at flea markets. He matriculated when he was just short of fifteen.
His mother insisted upon Satyajit joining college. At the Presidency College, Satyajit read science for the first two years and for the third year, he took economics. (An uncle had assured him a job if he graduated in economics.)
At the cost of academics, Satyajit was spending more and more time and energies in pursuit of his two interests- Watching films and listening to western classical music on his gramophone.
In films, his interest had shifted from stars to directors, savouring offering of Ernst Lubitsch, John Ford, Frank Capra, and William Wyler. He became a subscriber of Sight & Sound.
He graduated in 1939.
Director, Producer, Screenwriter, Composer, Writer, Graphic Designer
Born: May 2, 1921, Kolkata (Calcutta), India
Died: April 23, 1992, Calcutta, India
Growing up, 1921 - 39
Satyajit Ray was born on May 2, 1921, in an intellectual and affluent family in Calcutta, India.
His grandfather, Upendrakishore Ray (Roychowdhury) was a distinguished writer, painter, a violin player and a composer. He was also a pioneer in half-tone block making and founded one of the finest presses in the country – U. Ray & Sons. He died six years before Satyajit Ray was born.
His father, Sukumar Ray (1887-1923), the eldest son of Upendra Kishore, studied printing technology in England and joined the family business. He too was an eminent poet, writer and illustrator of nonsense literature in the tradition of Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear.
Sukumar Ray fell ill the year Satyajit Ray was born with a dreaded tropical disease of the time – Kala-azar. He regularly contributed poems, stories and illustrations to ‘Sandesh’, a children’s magazine in Bengali which Satyajit Ray’s grandfather had started publishing and printing Sukumar Ray dies when Satyajit Ray was only three years old.
At an age of eight, Satyajit joined Ballygunj Government School, until then he had been taught by his mother.
Young Satyajit Ray
While still at school, he became a film fan, regularly reading Hollywood trivia in magazines like Picturegoer and Photoplay. Western classical music was another interest. He would often pick-up gramophone records at flea markets. He matriculated when he was just short of fifteen.
His mother insisted upon Satyajit joining college. At the Presidency College, Satyajit read science for the first two years and for the third year, he took economics. (An uncle had assured him a job if he graduated in economics.)
At the cost of academics, Satyajit was spending more and more time and energies in pursuit of his two interests- Watching films and listening to western classical music on his gramophone.
In films, his interest had shifted from stars to directors, savouring offering of Ernst Lubitsch, John Ford, Frank Capra, and William Wyler. He became a subscriber of Sight & Sound.
He graduated in 1939.
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Many of his films are available with the English Sub titles on You tube. Many articles are appearing ( just google ) and some good books too. If nothing else a post on this thread will give us all a chance to remember this great film maker. i have started watching at least one film every fortnight and begun with his last film agantuk
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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.
In December 1942, Ray left Shantiniketan for good, the day Calcutta was bombed by Japanese for the first time.
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.
In December 1942, Ray left Shantiniketan for good, the day Calcutta was bombed by Japanese for the first time.
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lone_hunterr
Titanus Ghidorah
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Satyajit Ray: The inner eye: Biography of master film maker
I cannot think of a more definitive biography than this one! The biography of a master filmmaker is of remarkable detail. Uncommon extras, from something as simple as a section on the maternal and paternal family tree to a page devoted to the pronounciation and origin of the name Satyajit Ray. Another unusual detailed section is NOTES. The notes refer to a reference line or quote and it's source, publication and date. If the section refers to the Apu Trilogy, then any quotes are clearly identified. Another feature is the glossary of words taken from the book, the languages are Bengali and other Indian languages. You will also get a complete Filmography and Bibliography, and the book includes a definitive index. The biography begins with his early life 1921 to his life as a commercial artist and critic. What I believe to be his most famous work, The Apu Trilogy, is well documented and a synopsis is included. There is plenty of insight into his others, The Music Room, The Goddess, Three Daughters, Kanchenjungha, The Expedition, The Big City, The Lonely Wife, The Coward, and The Hero, Calcutta Trilogy, Distant Thunder, Chess Players, and more. And, there is more! This is a wonderful reference to one of the greatest movie directors in history. And, he is also a composer! The version has been updated to cover his death in 1992 and the Ray legacy. A quote on the book from Films and Filming reads: 'A glorious book, a feast of research and insight' If you haven't seen a Satyajit Ray film, do so and read about it here within 420 pages
I cannot think of a more definitive biography than this one! The biography of a master filmmaker is of remarkable detail. Uncommon extras, from something as simple as a section on the maternal and paternal family tree to a page devoted to the pronounciation and origin of the name Satyajit Ray. Another unusual detailed section is NOTES. The notes refer to a reference line or quote and it's source, publication and date. If the section refers to the Apu Trilogy, then any quotes are clearly identified. Another feature is the glossary of words taken from the book, the languages are Bengali and other Indian languages. You will also get a complete Filmography and Bibliography, and the book includes a definitive index. The biography begins with his early life 1921 to his life as a commercial artist and critic. What I believe to be his most famous work, The Apu Trilogy, is well documented and a synopsis is included. There is plenty of insight into his others, The Music Room, The Goddess, Three Daughters, Kanchenjungha, The Expedition, The Big City, The Lonely Wife, The Coward, and The Hero, Calcutta Trilogy, Distant Thunder, Chess Players, and more. And, there is more! This is a wonderful reference to one of the greatest movie directors in history. And, he is also a composer! The version has been updated to cover his death in 1992 and the Ray legacy. A quote on the book from Films and Filming reads: 'A glorious book, a feast of research and insight' If you haven't seen a Satyajit Ray film, do so and read about it here within 420 pages
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Advertising & Graphic Design
1943, Graphic Design & Typography
In April 1943, Satyajit Ray joined a British-run advertising agency, D.J. Keymer, as a junior visualiser. He spend next 13 years here, until he became a full-time filmmaker after success of Pather Panchali.
Ray was fascinated by typography both Bengali and English and produced many innovative advertising campaigns. His designs of two typefaces ‘Ray Roman’ and ‘Ray Bizarre’ would win an international competition in 1971.
( Type faces designed by Ray )
His senior colleague at D.J. Keymer, D. K. Gupta started a publishing house ‘Signet Press’ and Ray was roped in to do the cover jackets. In 1944, D. K. Gupta decided to bring out an abridged version of a novel by Bibhuti Bhushan Banerjee, Pather Panchali. Until then, Ray had not read much Bengali literature. By his own admission, he was even unfamiliar with the bulk of Tagore’s writings. Ray was asked to illustrate the abridged version of the novel. The book itself made a lasting impression. D.K. Gupta, a former editor of a Bengali film magazine, remarked to Ray that the abridged version of the book would make a very good film.
Signet Press also published two books of Satyajit Ray’s father Sukumar Ray; Abol-Tabol (Hocus-Pocus) and Ha-ja-ba-ra-la (Higgledy Pigleddy).
This long association with D. K. Gupta’s Signet Press for designing covers and illustrations for books also provided Satyajit Ray with an opportunity to read Bengali literature. Some of the books, he designed the jackets for, would later be adapted by him for films.
His senior colleague at D.J. Keymer, D. K. Gupta started a publishing house ‘Signet Press’ and Ray was roped in to do the cover jackets. In 1944, D. K. Gupta decided to bring out an abridged version of a novel by Bibhuti Bhushan Banerjee, Pather Panchali. Until then, Ray had not read much Bengali literature. By his own admission, he was even unfamiliar with the bulk of Tagore’s writings. Ray was asked to illustrate the abridged version of the novel. The book itself made a lasting impression. D.K. Gupta, a former editor of a Bengali film magazine, remarked to Ray that the abridged version of the book would make a very good film.
Signet Press also published two books of Satyajit Ray’s father Sukumar Ray; Abol-Tabol (Hocus-Pocus) and Ha-ja-ba-ra-la (Higgledy Pigleddy).
This long association with D. K. Gupta’s Signet Press for designing covers and illustrations for books also provided Satyajit Ray with an opportunity to read Bengali literature. Some of the books, he designed the jackets for, would later be adapted by him for films.
Ray illustrated a primer in Bengali
1943, Graphic Design & Typography
In April 1943, Satyajit Ray joined a British-run advertising agency, D.J. Keymer, as a junior visualiser. He spend next 13 years here, until he became a full-time filmmaker after success of Pather Panchali.
Ray was fascinated by typography both Bengali and English and produced many innovative advertising campaigns. His designs of two typefaces ‘Ray Roman’ and ‘Ray Bizarre’ would win an international competition in 1971.
( Type faces designed by Ray )
His senior colleague at D.J. Keymer, D. K. Gupta started a publishing house ‘Signet Press’ and Ray was roped in to do the cover jackets. In 1944, D. K. Gupta decided to bring out an abridged version of a novel by Bibhuti Bhushan Banerjee, Pather Panchali. Until then, Ray had not read much Bengali literature. By his own admission, he was even unfamiliar with the bulk of Tagore’s writings. Ray was asked to illustrate the abridged version of the novel. The book itself made a lasting impression. D.K. Gupta, a former editor of a Bengali film magazine, remarked to Ray that the abridged version of the book would make a very good film.
Signet Press also published two books of Satyajit Ray’s father Sukumar Ray; Abol-Tabol (Hocus-Pocus) and Ha-ja-ba-ra-la (Higgledy Pigleddy).
This long association with D. K. Gupta’s Signet Press for designing covers and illustrations for books also provided Satyajit Ray with an opportunity to read Bengali literature. Some of the books, he designed the jackets for, would later be adapted by him for films.
His senior colleague at D.J. Keymer, D. K. Gupta started a publishing house ‘Signet Press’ and Ray was roped in to do the cover jackets. In 1944, D. K. Gupta decided to bring out an abridged version of a novel by Bibhuti Bhushan Banerjee, Pather Panchali. Until then, Ray had not read much Bengali literature. By his own admission, he was even unfamiliar with the bulk of Tagore’s writings. Ray was asked to illustrate the abridged version of the novel. The book itself made a lasting impression. D.K. Gupta, a former editor of a Bengali film magazine, remarked to Ray that the abridged version of the book would make a very good film.
Signet Press also published two books of Satyajit Ray’s father Sukumar Ray; Abol-Tabol (Hocus-Pocus) and Ha-ja-ba-ra-la (Higgledy Pigleddy).
This long association with D. K. Gupta’s Signet Press for designing covers and illustrations for books also provided Satyajit Ray with an opportunity to read Bengali literature. Some of the books, he designed the jackets for, would later be adapted by him for films.
Ray illustrated a primer in Bengali