Satyajit Ray's birth anniversary: Glance at 7 iconic films of maverick Indian filmmaker

On cult and prominent Indian filmmaker legend Satyajit Ray's birth anniversary today, we walk down memory lane and look at the seven best iconic films of the maverick director who got the international spotlight on vibrant Indian cinema and is a founding pioneer behind the birth of Indian film industry today.

Any discussion of Indian cinema would be incomplete without the mention of Satyajit Ray. Known in the film industry as Manik da, Ray was one of the most eminent Indian filmmakers, and actors always felt privileged to work with him.

Ray’s films were way ahead of his times when it came to his style of portraying his actors in black-and-white films. He created magic with the tiniest resources. It was Satyajit Ray who brought the international spotlight on Indian cinema. Besides being an outstanding filmmaker, Ray was also a skilled and talented writer. His stories, Feluda and Professor, have today become household names in Bengal.

Remembering the stalwart and maverick director on his birth anniversary, here are seven iconic films that are an integral part of Indian cinema.

1. Pather Panchali:

The film, Pather Panchali, is based on a novel written by Bibhutibhushan Bondopadhay. The story revolves around a boy called Apu and his elder sister Durga. The film narrates the tale of a poverty-stricken Bengali family. Pather Panchali is the first part of the Apu trilogy.

2. Aparajito:

It is the second film of the Apu trilogy based on Bibhutibhushan Bondopadhay’s novel. Unlike the first film, Ray did take some cinematic liberties with this one. After the international success of Pather Panchali, Ray wanted to show the audiences more in-depth about Apu’s life. The film is set in Varanasi and displays Apu’s college life.

3. Apur Sansar:

This is the last film of the Apu trilogy. It shows Apu’s childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. In this film, Apu wins a scholarship to Calcutta. It also narrates the tale of his marriage and how he loses his mother and wife.

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4. Charulata:

Charulata is based on Rabindranath Tagore’s novel ‘Nastanirh’. The film narrates the tale of Charulata, married to a workaholic newspaper editor, Bhupati. The film is known for its timeless quality. It shows Charulata’s affection for Bhupati’s cousin, Amal in a very subtle manner.

5. Teen Kanya:

This film got inspired by an anthology written by author Rabindranath Tagore. The film contained three stories - The Postmaster, Monihara, and Samapti.

6. Nayak:

Starring Uttam Kumar, Nayak revolves around the life of a lonely man who shares his deepest secrets with the viewers during a 24-hour train journey.

7. Sonar Kella:

This film is based on Satyajit Ray’s famous mystery novel of the same name. Starring Soumitra Chatterjee as Feluda, it narrates the tale of a detective.