Author Description

The essays offered here were written between 1970 and 2005. They were not written with the view to form a book. They are now published together in the conviction that, both singly and as a whole, they can contribute to a better appreciation of Satyajit Ray's legacy. The essays deal with Ray as a filmmaker. The date on which each essay was written is indicated as it situates each in the cultural context in which it was conceived. Out of the twenty-nine feature films of Ray, only eight, plus the Apu Trilogy as a whole, are discussed. Moreover, this small collection is not a selection, indicating preferences; nor is it a classification, rating the films. The discussion of Jana Aranya is the only essay that was written for this book to illuminate the evolution that took place from the first to the last film of Satyajit Ray. In order to preserve their historical value, generally, the essays have not been updated. Given Ray's deep involvement in film education, especially in the film societies movement in India, it was felt mandatory to include two articles on the subject, one discussing the situation of the film societies today, and the other, inspired by Satyajit Ray, and proposing a programme of media education for a new type of film society.