103rd birth anniversary of legendary Indian filmmaker, screenwriter, artist and author Satyajit Ray was on May 2. One of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Satyajit Ray was born in Kolkata on 2 May 1921.
Satyajit Ray, who started his career as a commercial artist, became an independent filmmaker after meeting French filmmaker Jean Renoir.
Satyajit directed 36 films, including feature films, documentaries and shorts. He authored several short stories and novels, primarily aimed at children and adolescents. Feluda, the sleuth, and Professor Shonku, the scientist in his science fiction stories, are popular fictional characters created by him. He was awarded a honourary degree by Oxford University.
Satyajit Ray’s contributions to Bengali and Indian cinema are unparalleled. From his debut film “Pather Panchali” to classics like “Charulata,” “Devi,” “Apu Trilogy,” “Ganashatru,” “Mahanagar,” and “Jalsaghar,” Ray’s cinematic repertoire has left an indelible mark on audiences worldwide.
Not only did Ray captivate audiences with his storytelling prowess, but he also catered to diverse demographics. Films like “Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne” and “Hirak Rajar Deshe” appealed to both children and adults alike.
The Government of India honoured him with the Bharat Ratna in 1992.Satyajit Ray’s ancestry can be traced back for at least ten generations. His grandfather, Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury was a writer, illustrator, philosopher, publisher, amateur astronomer and a leader of the Brahmo Samaj, a religious and social movement in nineteenth century Bengal.
Sukumar Ray, Upendrakishore’s son and father of Satyajit, was a pioneering Bengali writer of nonsense rhyme (abol tabol) and children’s literature, an illustrator and a critic. Ray was born to Sukumar and Suprabha Ray in Kolkata.atyajit Ray breathed his last in Kolakata on 23 April 1992.