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Serious Tribute to Satyajit Ray- Birth Centenary
- Thread starterkomaalrani
- Start date
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lone_hunterr
Titanus Ghidorah
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Koi issue nahi par itni badi file drive mein upload karne mein bhut time and net use hoga... DJVU files are smaller and can be compressed or you can open it in any DJVU file reader.....
The book is worth a read its awesome..
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I agree with you i have read this books along with the Marie Seaton, , they are invaluable help. Bit i was fortunate that i attended a workshop on Apu Trilogy, conducted by no less than P K Nair himself. It was so lucid , and he could discuss films frame by frame. He also threw a bonus of documentary, Tagore. That is why i am requesting you who is also enamored with the Ray and read a very important book on him , one of the best ,... to discuss some of the films or some aspect of Ray
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Ray - Biography continues
Satyajit Ray's Encounter With Jean Renoir
1949, Encounter With Jean Renoir
Renoir had come to Calcutta to scout locations for The River. Ray walked into the hotel where Renoir was staying and sought a meeting. Soon Ray was accompanying Renoir on his trips in search of locations to outskirts of Calcutta during the weekends.
Seeing his enthusiasm and knowledge about cinema, Renoir asked him if he was thinking of becoming a filmmaker. To his own surprise, Ray said yes and gave Renoir a brief outline of Pather Panchali, which he had recently illustrated.
Ray had now married his cousin Bijoya in a simple ceremony of signing a register at Bombay. This was followed later with Brahmo ceremony in Calcutta. Bijoya shared his taste in films and music.
Renoir returned to Calcutta later to shoot the film. Renoir hired Ray’s friend Bansi Chandra Gupta as an art director and Harisadhan Das Gupta as an assistant. Subrata Mitra, who would later become Ray’s cinematographer, took stills.
Ray too wanted to be part of the unit, but he was now an art director in an advertising agency, D.J. Keymer and was sent to London to work at the agency’s head office.
Satyajit Ray's Encounter With Jean Renoir
1949, Encounter With Jean Renoir
Renoir had come to Calcutta to scout locations for The River. Ray walked into the hotel where Renoir was staying and sought a meeting. Soon Ray was accompanying Renoir on his trips in search of locations to outskirts of Calcutta during the weekends.
Seeing his enthusiasm and knowledge about cinema, Renoir asked him if he was thinking of becoming a filmmaker. To his own surprise, Ray said yes and gave Renoir a brief outline of Pather Panchali, which he had recently illustrated.
Ray had now married his cousin Bijoya in a simple ceremony of signing a register at Bombay. This was followed later with Brahmo ceremony in Calcutta. Bijoya shared his taste in films and music.
Renoir returned to Calcutta later to shoot the film. Renoir hired Ray’s friend Bansi Chandra Gupta as an art director and Harisadhan Das Gupta as an assistant. Subrata Mitra, who would later become Ray’s cinematographer, took stills.
Ray too wanted to be part of the unit, but he was now an art director in an advertising agency, D.J. Keymer and was sent to London to work at the agency’s head office.
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'Bicycle Thieves' Effect on Satyajit Ray
1950, ‘Bicycle Thieves’ Confirms Satyajit Ray’s Belief in Realistic Cinema
A business trip to London in 1950 proved a turning point. Ray and wife travelled to London by ship, a journey that took 16 days. With him, he was carrying a notebook in which he had made some notes on making a film of Pather Panchali. He wanted the film to be shot on actual locations, no make-up with new faces. The reaction to this had been negative from his friends. Shooting on locations with unknown actors was thought be a totally unfeasible idea. In this six-months long stay abroad, Ray saw about a hundred films including Vittorio De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves. Bicycle Thieves made a profound impression on Ray. Later, in the introduction of ‘Our Films, Their Films’, he wrote- “All through my stay in London, the lessons of Bicycle Thieves and neo-realist cinema stayed with me”. The film had reconfirmed his conviction that it was possible to make realistic cinema with an almost entirely amateur cast and shooting at actual locations.
1950, ‘Bicycle Thieves’ Confirms Satyajit Ray’s Belief in Realistic Cinema
A business trip to London in 1950 proved a turning point. Ray and wife travelled to London by ship, a journey that took 16 days. With him, he was carrying a notebook in which he had made some notes on making a film of Pather Panchali. He wanted the film to be shot on actual locations, no make-up with new faces. The reaction to this had been negative from his friends. Shooting on locations with unknown actors was thought be a totally unfeasible idea. In this six-months long stay abroad, Ray saw about a hundred films including Vittorio De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves. Bicycle Thieves made a profound impression on Ray. Later, in the introduction of ‘Our Films, Their Films’, he wrote- “All through my stay in London, the lessons of Bicycle Thieves and neo-realist cinema stayed with me”. The film had reconfirmed his conviction that it was possible to make realistic cinema with an almost entirely amateur cast and shooting at actual locations.
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Making of Pather Panchali
1950, Search for a Producer
On his return in late 1950, with absolutely no experience in movie-making, Ray collected a group of young men to work as technicians. Subrata Mitra was the cinematographer; he had been a still photographer and had to be coaxed into taking up the assignment. Anil Choudhury became the Production Controller, Bansi Chandra Gupta the art director.
While looking for financial backers, he approached widow of Bibhuti Bhusan Banerjee, the writer of Pather Panchali for film rights. She admired Ray’s illustrations for the book and works of his father and grandfather. She gave her oral assurance and retained her faith in Satyajit Ray despite a better financial offer.
Many offered advise against shooting in outdoor locations as most films were made in studios at that time. He was told by many that rain sequences could not be shot in the actual rains but required a well equipped studio. At the earliest opportunity, Ray rushed out with a 16 mm camera to test-shoot monsoon rains.
About two years were spent in vain to find a producer. Meanwhile, undeterred Ray had begun assembling the cast and looking for locations.
1952, Cattle eat up the scene
Unable to find a producer, Ray decided that unless he could prove his bona fides by producing a few sequences of the film, he was not likely to find financial backing. He borrowed money against his insurance policy and from a few relatives and friends. The shooting was to be done on Sundays due to his job at D.J. Keymer.
On 27 October 1952, he set out to take the first shot. The scene was the famous ‘discovery of train by Apu and his sister Durga in the field of Kaash flowers’. “One day’s work with camera and actors taught me more than all the dozen books,” Ray would write later.
The following Sunday when they returned to shoot, to their horror they discovered that the Kaash flowers had been feasted upon by a herd of cattle. He had to wait for the next season of flowers to complete the scene.
1952, Casting and locations
Meanwhile, efforts to find a backer and working on other production requirements and casting continued.
The cast was a mix of professional actors and a few with no prior experience in acting. Only Subir Banerjee who played Apu, Karuna Banerjee who played Apu’s mother, and the villagers who played other smaller roles, had no prior experience of acting. The rest had either acted in films or theatre.
Chunibala Devi, an 80-year old, retired theatre actress was cast to play Indir Thakrun. Boral, a small village on the outskirts of Calcutta was to be the major location.
1953, A producer at last
He found a producer, Ana Dutta, who provided some funds with a promise of more after seeing the results and releasing his latest film. Ray took one month’s leave without pay to shoot a few more sequences.
The shooting began in the village. Ray recalls this period as a great learning experience. The film appeared to be shaping up well. It was not long before the funds ran out. The producer’s latest film had been a box-office disaster so he was unable to provide any more finances. However, since the arrangements had already been made for shoot, some of Ray’s wife, Bijoya’s jewelry was pawned and shooting continued for a few days more.
Ray was back to work at Kaymer. The footage was later edited to about 4000 ft. Ray approached many producers with the edited footage and was turned down. Ray’s production manager, Anil Choudhury suggested approaching Dr. B. C. Roy, the Chief Minister of West Bengal for help. The government agreed to fund. On September 8, 1953, a son and the only child, Sandip was born.
1950, Search for a Producer
On his return in late 1950, with absolutely no experience in movie-making, Ray collected a group of young men to work as technicians. Subrata Mitra was the cinematographer; he had been a still photographer and had to be coaxed into taking up the assignment. Anil Choudhury became the Production Controller, Bansi Chandra Gupta the art director.
While looking for financial backers, he approached widow of Bibhuti Bhusan Banerjee, the writer of Pather Panchali for film rights. She admired Ray’s illustrations for the book and works of his father and grandfather. She gave her oral assurance and retained her faith in Satyajit Ray despite a better financial offer.
Many offered advise against shooting in outdoor locations as most films were made in studios at that time. He was told by many that rain sequences could not be shot in the actual rains but required a well equipped studio. At the earliest opportunity, Ray rushed out with a 16 mm camera to test-shoot monsoon rains.
About two years were spent in vain to find a producer. Meanwhile, undeterred Ray had begun assembling the cast and looking for locations.
1952, Cattle eat up the scene
Unable to find a producer, Ray decided that unless he could prove his bona fides by producing a few sequences of the film, he was not likely to find financial backing. He borrowed money against his insurance policy and from a few relatives and friends. The shooting was to be done on Sundays due to his job at D.J. Keymer.
On 27 October 1952, he set out to take the first shot. The scene was the famous ‘discovery of train by Apu and his sister Durga in the field of Kaash flowers’. “One day’s work with camera and actors taught me more than all the dozen books,” Ray would write later.
The following Sunday when they returned to shoot, to their horror they discovered that the Kaash flowers had been feasted upon by a herd of cattle. He had to wait for the next season of flowers to complete the scene.
1952, Casting and locations
Meanwhile, efforts to find a backer and working on other production requirements and casting continued.
The cast was a mix of professional actors and a few with no prior experience in acting. Only Subir Banerjee who played Apu, Karuna Banerjee who played Apu’s mother, and the villagers who played other smaller roles, had no prior experience of acting. The rest had either acted in films or theatre.
Chunibala Devi, an 80-year old, retired theatre actress was cast to play Indir Thakrun. Boral, a small village on the outskirts of Calcutta was to be the major location.
1953, A producer at last
He found a producer, Ana Dutta, who provided some funds with a promise of more after seeing the results and releasing his latest film. Ray took one month’s leave without pay to shoot a few more sequences.
The shooting began in the village. Ray recalls this period as a great learning experience. The film appeared to be shaping up well. It was not long before the funds ran out. The producer’s latest film had been a box-office disaster so he was unable to provide any more finances. However, since the arrangements had already been made for shoot, some of Ray’s wife, Bijoya’s jewelry was pawned and shooting continued for a few days more.
Ray was back to work at Kaymer. The footage was later edited to about 4000 ft. Ray approached many producers with the edited footage and was turned down. Ray’s production manager, Anil Choudhury suggested approaching Dr. B. C. Roy, the Chief Minister of West Bengal for help. The government agreed to fund. On September 8, 1953, a son and the only child, Sandip was born.
Let me make it clear first to all that the name "komaliya" is a patent name. Nobody except me is allowed to address komaalrani as KOMALIYA....
There is nothing left for me to share in this thread as you posted more then I once posted.
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she is right and if somebody tries it we will sue him/her/it apart from physical actions , indivdually we are peaceful , combined we are not
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bahaane naa baanaiye , i am only doing CnP you can also do that , but you can do better , treat it as you blog and share your views , Bangali babu ka kuch ata pata hai