Who is Satyajit Ray?

Ray the creator of Feluda

 Feluda, Dr Shonku were parts of my childhood and many more of the characters design by Satyajit Ray, he was someone each Bengali child, adult, any age bracket adores, he gave something which any Indian film director could ever give to Indian cinema. 
Ray the creator of Feluda accepted as an icon of the arts of independent India, he lived up to his role with dignity and aesthetic sensibility. His first film was Pather Panchali (1955), adapted from Bengali author, Bibhuti Bhushan Bandyopadhyay’s eponymous 1928 novel, won eleven international prizes and also the inaugural Best Human Document award at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival. He was an author, essayist, music composer, calligrapher, and magazine editor, among other things. But most importantly he brought ‘Oskaar’ to us. Thanks to him, winning an Oscar became an achievable (though slightly frowned-upon) dream in Bengali households. Just like winning a Booker, Pulitzer and Nobel is, thanks to reluctant Bengalis like Arundhati Roy, Jhumpa Lahiri and Abhijit Banerjee. Satyajit ray gave us many movies to think upon, to act upon and to feel upon, he made us believe that Indians could achieve anything at any stage, Satyajit ray gave us many priced possessions and one of it is “Apu trilogy”

                                        

 

THE APU TRILOGY

 

A breathtaking milestone that brought India into the golden age of international art-house film, Satyajit Ray’s The Apu Trilogy follows one indelible character, a free-spirited child in rural Bengal who matures into an adolescent urban student and, finally, a sensitive man of the world. Ray’s delicate masterworks—Pather Panchali (Song of the Little Road), Aparajito (The Unvanquished), and Apur Sansar (The World of Apu)—based on two books by Bibhutibhusan Banerjee, were shot over the course of five years, and each stand on its own as a tender, visually radiant journey. These films—which have risen from the ashes in meticulously reconstructed restorations, after the original negatives were burned in a fire—are among the most achingly beautiful, richly humane movies ever made.

 

Satyajit Ray’s first film, Pather Panchali, is one among the finest films ever made. The film won about a dozen awards at various film festivals world-over. Pather Panchali, eventually, became the first film of a trilogy. After the critical and commercial success of Pather Panchali, Ray made Aparajito. The novel itself was a sequel to Pather Panchali. Ray in his recounts of “My years with apu” and these recounts led him to do another film about apu and for apu. This film was not very successful in between the Bengali audience at the time of its first release, also there was a special screening for President and Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Dr Rajendra Prasad but after the screening Nehru questioned Ray about the film the curiosity grew so much that he was eager to ask about it, he asked Ray “what happens to apu now?” Ray didn’t have anything in his mind, he didn’t even have a third apu film in his mind. He halted the trilogy there and started to read many Bengali stories and novel looking for the future films which he wants to make, One fine day Ray and his Aprajito was invited in Venice film festival and during that film festival Ray and his movie Aparajito was hailed all over the festival and was termed as the masterpiece, everyone in the critics was hailing Aparajito as a movie during the interview during the press conference Ray was asked if he had trilogy in his mind? And surprisingly Ray said “YES”

 

His two subsequent films – Parash Pather (The Philosopher’s Stone) and Jalsaghar (The Music Room) were commercial failures. Ray says in his book ‘My years with Apu’, “After three consecutive failures at the box office, I badly needed a film which would not only make the critics happy but the public as well.” Satyajit remembered his statement at the Venice Film Festival about a trilogy. In just one reading of the novel Aparajita, he had found a subject for his fifth and the final film of the Apu Trilogy.

THE MOVIES IN THE TRILOGY

PATHER PANCHALI (SONG OF THE LITTLE ROAD , 1955)

Apu played by Subir Banerjee

Pather Panchali is about a poor family residing in Bengal village, the family consisted of a priest Harihar , his wife Sarbjaya , their two children that are Durga and Apu , and his aged cousin Indir Thakrun – struggling to make both ends meet. Harihar is frequently away from home on work. The wife is raising her mischievous daughter Durga and caring for elderly cousin Indir, whose independent spirit sometimes irritates her… Apu is born. With the little boy’s arrival, happiness, play and exploration uplift the children’s daily life. Durga and Apu share an intimate bond. They follow a candy seller whose wares they cannot afford, enjoy the theatre, discover a train and witness a marriage ceremony. They even face death of their aunt – Indir Thakrun. Durga is accused of a theft. She falls ill after a joyous dance in rains of the monsoon. On a stormy day, when Harihar is away on work, Durga dies. On Harihar’s return, the family leaves their village in search of a new life in Benaras. The film closes with an image of Harihar, wife and son – Apu, slowly moving way in an ox cart.

Pather Panchali is Ray’s debut film, and the first film of his ‘The Apu trilogy’. The remaining two films of the trilogy, Aparajito and Apur Sansar, follow Apu as the son, the man and finally the father. Pather Panchali has a universal humanist appeal. Though the film deals with the grim struggle for survival by a poor family, it has no trace melodrama. What is projected in stead is the respect for human dignity. The sequences of Apu and elder sister Durga, exploring their little world and sharing secrets are most remarkable aspect of the film. These include the scenes of – discovery of train by Durga and Apu in field of white Kash flowers, the candy seller sequence, and Indir Thakrun’s death. In the inspired ‘candy-seller’ sequence, as Durga and Apu secretly relish tamarind paste, their mother is complaining about hardships to their father. Durga hears a faint bell. She knows it is the candy-seller. Both go out and look longingly at the the pots with sweets in them. Durga sends Apu to ask for money from their father. Mother intervenes, and Apu returns empty handed. But the site of the pot-bellied candy-seller caring two bobbing pots of sweets is too tempting to resist. Both start following him. A stray dog joins the procession as it is reflected in a shimmering pond.

 

Some critics found the film to be too slow. Satyajit Ray wrote about the slow pace –

 “The cinematic material dictated a style to me, a very slow rhythm determined by nature, the landscape, the country. The script had to retain some of the rambling quality of the novel because that in itself contained a clue to the authenticity: life in a poor Bengali village does ramble.”

 

Towards the end of the film, after death of Durga, we see Apu brushing his teeth, combing his hair… going about performing tasks, which would have involved his sister or mother. Sarbajaya (mother) has a lost look… 

Harihar returns, unaware of Durga’s death. In a jovial mood he calls out his children. Without any reaction, Sarbajaya fetches water and a towel for him. Harihar begins to show the gifts he has brought for them. When he shows a sari that he has bought for Durga, Sarbajaya breaks down. We hear the high notes of a musical instrument “Tarshahnai” symbolising her uncontrollable weeping. Realising Durga’s loss, Harihar collapses on his wife.  We see speechless Apu, for the first time taking the centre stage in the story. Till now the story was seen through the point of view of either Sarbajaya or Durga. It is only in these final moments that we see Apu as an independent individual.

 

In the USA, Pather Panchali played at the 5th Avenue Playhouse for a record 36 weeks, breaking the previous record held by The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.

APARAJITO (THE UNVANQUISHED)

Apu leaves the village for the last time, to carry on with his new life in the city

                                                              

 

Aparajito is the second film in "The Apu Trilogy" preceded by Pather Panchali and followed by Apur Sansar. The film is basically about Apu growing up and growing away from his mother. The highlight of the film is the mother-son relationship and conflict. The characterization of Apu and mother are a treat. Karuna Banerjee gives a brilliant performance as Sarabjaya

As usual, the film is devoid of excess both in form and content. The two deaths of Harihar and Sarabjaya are handled with excellence and elegance. At dawn Harihar lies ill with Sarabjaya sitting beside him through the night. He mumbles, "Ganga". He is asking for a sip of holy water from the river 'Ganga'. Sarabjaya wakes Apu to fetch water from holy river. Apu brings the water. Sarabjaya lifts Harihar's head and pours the water in his mouth. Harihar's head drops back on the pillow cut to a shot of pigeons taking off and whirling in the sky. Harihar has been freed of his misery.

In the sequence of Sarabjaya's death - Evening, Sarabjaya bis sitting leaning against a tree outside her house, waiting for Apu's return. A train passes but she does not react, as she knows Apu is not on this train. Next, we see her sitting in the verandah of the house, expressionless. Suddenly, she hears Apu calling her. She is hallucinating at this point hoping that Apu has returned, she drags herself out. As she stands looking for Apu, she sees a group of fireflies swirling by the pond.

Filming this scene posed a technical challenge, as even the faster available film stock could not capture the light emitted by the fireflies. Ray and his crew overcame the problem with an indigenous solution. Ray recounts in his

"My Years with Apu", " We chose the toughest members of our crew, had them dressed up in black shirt and trousers and let each of them carry a flashlight bulb and a length of wire and a battery. The bulb was held aloft in their hands while they illustrated the swirling movements of fireflies in a dance, alternatingly connecting and disconnecting the wire of the bulbs..." the bulbs were held aloft in their hands while they illustrated the swirling movements of fireflies in a dance alternately connecting and disconnecting the wire to the bulbs.

APUR SANSAR (THE WORLD OF APU, 1959)

 Apur Sansar is the third and final film of The Apu Trilogy. Apu (Soumitra Chatterjee) is now a graduate and without job. He lives in a rented room next to a busy railway yard. he finds himself among a large population of the unemployed youth in the city. to pay his rent, he has to sell his books. the job search turns out to be amusing and a tormenting experience.

Unfazed, He is writing a novel based on his life, which he hopes will make him famous. His life takes a turn, however when he meets his old friend Pulu. He coerces Apu to travel to his ancestral village to attend the wedding of his cousin, Aparna (Sharmila Tagore). On the boat ride to the village Pulu read Apu's manuscript and appreciates the work.

On the day of the wedding, the bridegroom turns out to be mentally deranged and the wedding is cancelled. Apu primarily out of sympathy for the bride and some convincing by Pulu, agrees to be the substitute groom. He has not even seen her yet. The marriage takes place and Apu and his young wife return to his Calcutta Apartment. Soon, a warm and caring relationship develops. Apu willingly takes up the clerical job that he has so far avoided. The marital bliss, however, is short lived.

In Apur Sansar, Ray introduced two new actors who would become regulars for Ray films, Soumitra Chatterjee played Apu and Sharmila Tagore played his young wife Aparna. By way of experience, Soumitra Chatterjee was a radio announcer and had only played a small role in a Bengali stage production and Sharmila was just a fourteen-year-old with no previous acting experience, As the shooting began, Ray had to shout instructions to Sharmila during the takes. None of this, however, is reflected on the screen, both turned out be quick learners and gave memorable performances. Soumitra Chatterjee played many roles in Ray's later films (15 films) and became the most sought-after actor in Bengali Cinema. Sharmila Tagore went on to become a very successful actress in Bombay's Hindi films. She returned to work in later films of Ray such as Devi, Nayak, Aranyer Din Ratri and Seemabaddha. The sequences of Apu and Aparna in Calcutta are the most striking and cinematic part of the film. In the beginning of the film, we have seen Apu's room as a bachelor's apartment, now there are two pillows on the bed, curtains on the windows and a plant on the windowsill. The apartment has a clear touch of woman's presence. Apu awakes and finds a hairpin lying between the pillows, still lying in the bed, Apu observes Aparna with a fixed gaze as she goes about doing the households chores. Aparna asks, "Haven't you seen your wife before?" Apu smiles, plays with the hairpin and picks up his pack of cigarettes, as he opens the pack, he finds a note from Aparna inside " You promised not to smoke more than one after meals!" Apu smiles again and puts the pack away, with simple actions and situation, the intimacy is established. After seeing the film Renoir is said to have remarked that intimacy had been suggested without showing even a single embrace.

Apur sansar is said to be the last movie of this trilogy and with this trilogy Satyajit Ray became a legend in the history of Film World and Film lovers, his art his techniques are studied in various institutions. Satyajit ray was one and will be always one "THE APRAJITO" .