While we all remember Ray as a master storyteller for his films, he also wrote several books — both in English and Bengali.
Satyajit Ray, born on May 2, 1921 in Kolkata, donned several hats, including that of a filmmaker, screenwriter, lyricist, graphic designer and calligrapher. He kicked off his career with a British-run advertising agency, DJ Keyer, and his advertising fonts became famous in no time.
While we all remember him as a master storyteller for films like ‘Jalsaghar’ (1958) and ‘Charulata’ (1964), he was not only a great filmmaker but also a versatile writer. He is known for his contributions to Bengali literature. He wrote across genres, from detective fiction, science fiction, to horror, satire, and adventure. In fact, his books have also been translated in several languages as well.
Now on the occasion of his birth anniversary, let’s take a memory lane down some of his most iconic and must-read books:
When it comes to detective novels, we all think of Sherlock Holmes as one of the most popular fictional detectives. However, it was only Ray’s Feluda who could give him tough competition when it comes to solving crimes. The Complete Adventures of Feluda consisted of fascinating suspense stories written by Ray, and revolved around how detective Feluda solves complicated crime cases. In his adventures, Feluda is joined by his cousin Topshe and crime writer Jatayu. These stories have been widely read by both adults and children.
The Apu Trilogy films -- ‘Pather Panchali’ (1955), ‘Aparajito’ (1956) and ‘Apur Sansar’ (‘The World of Apu’, 1959) – are some of the best works by Ray. They showcase the journey of Apu — from boyhood, adolescence and finally to manhood. And My Years with Apu: A Memoir offers a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Ray’s legendary Apu Trilogy, and gives rare insights into Indian cinema’s golden age.
The 1976 anthology of English essays, written by Ray, is ideal for anyone interested in film criticism, since it offers commentaries on ‘our films’, that is Indian films including Ray’s own, and ‘their films’ from the world’s greats such as Kurosawa, John Ford, Charlie Chaplin and Francois Truffaut.
The book offers a glimpse into Ray’s early life, and highlights the lesser-known side of Ray, from his personal life to his attempts to understand photography, or his experience of tasting ice cream for the first time. The book is like a collection of his incredible anecdotes.
Alongside Feluda, another famous fictional creation by Ray is scientist professor Shonku – the protagonist of the science fiction series originally written in Bengali. The character of Trilokeshwar Shonku is a genius scientist who undertakes adventures across countries, involving interplanetary travel, robots, and mysterious creatures.
