Satyajit Ray Birth Anniversary Special: 10 Movies of Legendary Director No Cinema Lover Must Miss and Where to Watch Them Online!

Satyajit Ray is more than just a filmmaker for Bengali cinema, particularly and Indian Cinema in general. His Pather Panchali is a favourite not only among Indians but also among many Hollywood directors who swear by its brilliance. It wasn't easy to create such a film; the production faced numerous funding challenges, halting Pather Panchali's shooting multiple times. However, Ray's unwavering determination towards the first instalment of the Apu trilogy eventually brought it to fruition. Aporajito and Apur Sansar are the other two films in the series, which chronicle Apu's journey from boyhood to adulthood. Satyajit Ray Birth Anniversary: Five Lesser Known Facts About The Legendary Filmmaker That You Possibly Didn’t Know.

Ray wasn't solely a filmmaker; he was also a visionary and a prolific writer for children. He commenced his career as a Junior Visualiser in a British advertising agency in India. Later, he transitioned to a publishing house, where he designed book covers. Did you know he was the one responsible for designing the cover of Jawaharlal Nehru's Discovery Of India? Primarily, however, he was a brilliant thinker, and this intellectual depth is reflected in his widely watched and respected films. Alongside numerous National Film Awards, a Golden Lion, a Golden Bear, and two Silver Bears, Ray was honoured with an Academy Honorary Award in 1992.

Here are 10 of his brilliant works that should be part of everyone's playlist who call themselves a cinema lover.

Pather Panchali (1955)

A story of an impoverished Brahmin family, Pather Panchali highlights the turmoils of being poor but the movie is all about hope. Apu's inquisitiveness despite low means is what makes this film so special. The scene where Apu and his sister run to the field to see a steam engine pass by speaks volumes about what the film is all about. Pather Panchali is streaming in Prime Video.

Jalshaghar (1958)

A movie centred on a zamindar who is oblivious to the raging storm outside his princely mansion even when the Indian government had abolished the Zamindari system. A brilliant narration of how non-adjustment with times can lead you to your doom. Jalshaghar is streaming in Prime Video.

Mahanagar (1963)

A very progressive movie with a plotline that still is relevant in 2020. Mahanagar is about a woman who decides to take up employment after her husband's meager salary doesn't suffice for the family. The jealousy of the husband, a homemaker's sudden rise at work, her wide-eyed fascination towards a world beyond the four walls of the kitchen....there's so much in that one movie. Mahanagar is streaming on Mubi and Zee5.

Charulata (1964)

Based on a story by Rabindranath Tagore, Charulata was all about forbidden love. When a bored wife starts feeling gravely drawn to her husband's young cousin, things don't generally end the way you want it to. There's a scene in the film where the wife played by Madhabi Mukherjee snatches glimpses of Soumitra Chatterjee (the young cousin) while on a swing in the garden. The desire in her matched by the rhythm of her oscillation on the swing. Talk about metaphors! Charulata is streaming on YouTube, Mubi and Zee5.

Nayak (1966)

Satyajit Ray works with Uttam Kumar and makes him play himself only as Arindam Mukherjee. Not many would call it their favourite Ray film. Guess that's why the film didn't see much patronage either. But Kumar's portrayal of an unapologetic star who likes to project an image to his fans, mercilessly shot down by a gritty reporter played by Sharmila Tagore, makes Nayak a wonderful watch. Nayak is streaming on Zee5.

Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne (1969)

Movies for kids are something Indian cinema doesn't manage to do well. That's why Ray's Goopi Gayan Bagha Bayan is so special. The king of ghosts grants three wishes to a tone-deaf pair of Goopi and Bagha who have been thrown out of their villages. Everything about this movie is a pure gem! Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne is streaming on BongFlix.

Aranyer Din Ratri (1970)

A movie based on Sunil Gangopadhyay's book by the same name, Aranyer Din Ratri talks about the urban youth who have a very callous approach towards rural life almost to the point of being high-handed. This film is so layered, it addresses the topics of how a woman bailing out a man harms his pride and how she lets him win a game just to soothe the same. Or the scene where Sharmila Tagore writes her number on a currency note claiming that's the only piece of paper she could find after Soumitra Chatterjee insists on paying everything she bought at a fair. Subtle yet firm in its sequences, Aranyer Din Ratri is one of the best Ray movies. Aranyer Din Ratri is streaming on BongFlix.

Sonar Kella (1974)

Satyajit Ray was a brilliant storyteller. His magazine Sandesh had first published the adventures of Feluda, an Indian detective created by the man himself. Sonar Kella is one of his many stories in the Feluda series which still finds new audiences. Sonar Kella is streaming on Zee5. Ray: Ranking All Shorts in Manoj Bajpayee, Ali Fazal’s Netflix Series on Their Faithfulness to Satyajit Ray’s Stories They Are Based On.

Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977)

This was Ray's first Hindi and only feature film, based on Munshi Premchand's story of the same name. The use of the game of chess as a metaphor for what Britishers were doing to Nawab Wajid Ali Shah's kingdom is beautifully projected. Even the silences are masterfully used to make you realise who is walking towards their doom. This is Ray's most expensive film ever. Shatranj Ke Khilari is streaming on Prime Video and Disney+ Hotstar.

Ghare Baire (1984)

Yet again, Ray delves into his favourite cinematic colour: women's emancipation in Ghare Baire. The wife of a rich noble feels drawn to a revolutionist, but her husband doesn't berate her for that. Instead, he prompts her to make a choice she would like and also insists she has a life outside the four walls of his home. The latter means he wants his wife to have an identity more than his better half. The film is streaming on CinemasOfIndia.

That's the thing about Ray. He never really saw his heroines as damsels in distress but a powerful being with a free mind and choices. A rare breed of filmmaker for sure.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 02, 2024 08:11 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).