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SATYAJIT RAY

Recollections of a phenomenal filmmaker of our times- Part II:

‘Charulata’ - as a path-breaker
(May 2, 1921 to April 23, 1992)



Satyajit Ray

Though Ray seldom responded to critics during his filmmaking career, he wrote an article defending a harsh criticism on Apur Sansar by a Bengali critic. Just like every other p erception in life’s entities, especially in aspects of individuality, Ray too had his personal favourite amongst his creations, which was the film Charulata (The Lonely Wife). This was another film he took steps in defending, when criticized.

Nevertheless, Charulata, by many a critic was regarded Ray's most accomplished film, based on the short story Nastanirh (The Broken Nest) by Tagore. Madhabi Mukherjee's performance as Charu, the young, wealthy and lonely housewife in 19th century Bengal, married to a husband who runs a newspaper, and due to his long-drawn-out involvement at work, her developing feelings for her brother-in-law Amal, have been highly praised by critics. Soumitra Chatterjee who played Apu also plays the role of Amal in Charulata.

Ray believed that Charulata consisted of the least number of flaws amongst his creations, and if given the chance, he proclaimed that it was the only movie that he would re-make in the exact same manner.

Views on filmed plays of Shakespeare

Per Ray’s view, in aspects of filmed plays of Shakespeare, whatever the achievements may have been of Lawrence Olivier, in terms of his adaptations, Ray could never accept Olivier's Shakespeare films as filmic. As opposed to same, in his filmic eye, Ray accepted Grigori Kozintsev as the only director who used features such as apt backgrounds and peasants, hence bringing a different kind of vitality to Shakespeare movies. A vitality enormously successful in Ray’s eye. In due course, Kozintsev was named the People’s Artist of the USSR in 1964.

A simple man, who did not believe in erecting walls

At the instigation of this article, I asserted Ray to be a man of colossal creativity, aptitude and simplicity. That indeed was a statement untaught, yet naturally being born in my heart, via the attributes of Ray that I have carefully observed from intense reading about the luminary, through the years. This included the much renowned works of the said personality as well. After all, the end-products of a filmmaker who writes his or her own script, and even illustrates it, frame by frame, at one point or the other, shall have a correlation of the staging of characters, to that of his or her actual experiences in life. This may not be the case at all given times, yet a general probability.

Amongst those characteristics of Ray, while absolutely appreciating the initial two, which indeed is quite obvious to the world, may I take a moment to underscore the third - simplicity. This feature in Ray may have been acknowledged only by a limited segment, as opposed to the entire world.

It is the attribute, the relentless salutation that taps on my heart, above all.

Therefore, in my eyes, Ray shall remain a luminary, who never lost his glow, even once he departed the nightly sky. Usually, stars are visible only in a nightly sky. Yet, Ray remains a star that blaze in skies of all time.

Only because, Ray never lost the common touch, inside and outside his career as a filmmaker, even following his ascend to stardom, through the years. Only because his vision in the medium of cinema consisted of deeper meaning. Only because, that deeper meaning unfolded via depictions of life’s realities. Realities that traveled constrained peripheries.

Now, even following two decades of his absence from the nightly sky, Ray’s beams, or rather, the beam named Satyajit Ray remain intact, in the skies of all nature, that are the hearts and minds of his many an aficionado, around the globe.

As mentioned before, Ray’s lineage, which could be traced up to at least ten generations, proves to be a family-unit, well established in the business of publishing, as well as all other features surrounding a publication, that are writing, illustrating and philosophy, to name a few.

Nevertheless, Ray was a simple man, who could be reached by anyone, by simply climbing a flight of stairs. His number was in the directory. Anyone who wanted to see him, had unreserved access to him. Ordinary folks, not renowned stars, visited him on Sunday mornings, most of them, void of prior notifying. They included old colleagues from his advertising era, in his past. Others were those who merely felt an affability towards him, most probably due to the unfading strokes he left in their hearts, via his unrivaled filmmaking.

Ray always believed that it was an act of stupidity to raise walls around thyself. For him, the simple means of doing things gave excitement. In his judgment, it was interesting and rewarding.

That was Satyajit Ray, until the day he stopped breathing. That was a man who proved by act, that life had more meaning to it than hovering on cloud nine, the imperceptible or barely visible podium that most humans attempt to float on, once their rank may alter via fame. For Ray, fame meant the contentment he bestowed upon the world via his unparalleled filmmaking.

Happy birthday Mr. Ray! The indebted earth shall certainly miss you!

Concluded

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