Masterpiece, or just a portrayal of poverty?

It is about three and a half decades since Satyajit Ray (1921-1992) has left us.

- AMITABHA BHATTACHARYA

The appeal of the large body of his films remains undimmed in his native Bengal and in countries as different as US, France, and Iran. New books are being published, rediscovering him and reinterpreting his works. Much has been written about his transformative role on Indian film-making, with Pather Panchali, his first, reckoned as a trailblazer. Filmmakers from Martin Scorsese, Wes Anderson to Christopher Nolan, from Majid Majidi and Abbas Kiarostami have acknowledged their debt to Ray in unequivocal terms. Ray’s sustained relevance continues to strengthen his stature, at home and abroad.

Unfortunately, in large swathes of our country, his films have hardly been seen, and he is remembered only by name. Reasons are many, like an absence of cultural sensitivities, inability to appreciate cinema’s full creative potential, and the general lack of public interest to come out of the cozy cocoon of easily available, under-nuanced entertainment. Ray never sought to discriminate between art films and the commercial ones. Hollywood classics moved him, and he appreciated good, commercially successful Bollywood films too.

Majority of Indian cine-goers did not have the occasion or interest to watch Ray films, and his works are often posited against films made to pander to the common public taste. This provides a fertile space for supercilious philistines to spread canard, seeking to gain instant publicity by denting Ray’s image.