A Day with Satyajit Ray
They sat together on the terrace. The beams from the street light reflected in their eyes. Identified each other from the golden beams of the street light. In the late night, they eagerly discussed about each frames of the film just viewed. Worrying least about sleeping. They were exited…About Satyajit Ray and his film ‘Pather Panjali’. The film is aged as old as them. But it was a new experience.
A group of college students from various colleges in Kerala gathered for a film cap organized by ICUF at Thrissur in 1976. For a few days, they are enjoying silent films of Charlie Chaplin, sur realistic films like Cabinet of Dr. Caligary, Vittoria De Cica’s neo realist movie Bicycle Thieves etc…etc… But last film, Pather Panchali, truly excited them.
In 1976 very few students valued cinema seriously. But in Fatima Mata National College we were organized a film club and made a ‘Campus Cinema’, ‘The Gap’, may be first campus cinema in India. ( Thanks to Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Chthralekha!) A short film made by students! As the script writer and hero in that film I got a special invitation to the film camp. The participants, Sunny Joseph, N P Hafiz Mohammed, Ali etc everyday sat together and discussed about the films and film makers with available information. All are exited with Satyajit Ray and his films in the camp. Before finishing the camp, very personally wrote in my mind: “ I’ll meet Satyajit Ray one day and personally discuss about his masterpiece.
In July, 1983 it was happened.
S K Nair, Chief Editor of Malayalanadu publications, called me to his cabin and asked about Satyajit Ray. He was a college professor before entering in to business. So the question formed such a manner.
“What do you know about Satyajit Ray?”
I was smiled. He knows about my passion towards Satyajit Ray, which was reflected in my writings in Malayalanadu Film Weekly, in which I worked as Editor.
“OK. Prepare to meet him for an interview.”
I was surprised.
Dump founded.
“Yes, he is coming to Kerala. Surya Krisnamoorthy informed me about his visit in connection with Ray Film Festival organized by Surya, in Thiruvananthapuram. You must be well prepared.”
We had a long discussion and prepared a list of questions to ask.
Early morning I reached at Tagore Theatre, with staff photographer George Varghese. He was also excited. We met a lot of film personalities together in Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu and Tamil film industry. But this is the first time meeting an international film celebrity.
Surya Krishnamoorthy took us to Kovalam Ashoka Hotel where Ray is taking rest.
In his suit with long kurtha and pyjama and a pipe in his lips the great Satyajit Ray greeted us.
I was well prepared to ask questions. But in his charisma forgot everything. Instead of asking the well written questions, started from a hi and asked about Kerala and its film industry, which is unknown to him.
He was laughed. “ Oh! I don’t know much about Kerala and its film industry. But, heard a lot about this beautiful place, coconut trees, highly literate people and Kadhakali. And I got a beautiful reception here. For last few years I am thinking about a visit to Kerala. A long cherished dream now happened true. I know very few about Kerala. But its film industry is richer than Bengali. A lot of films are producing here. There are outstanding film makers in Kerala”- he explained.
He opened mind about his films: “My films are about India. Especially, about Bengal and Bengali life. I never thought about its journey to other cultures, other countries. I studied a lot about from American cinema of thirties. What I taught about cinema from America is what to do or what not to do in film making and film thought.”
Satyajit Ray always thought about re-creating people in his films. As per his thought, cinema is not for promotions; not for publicity of certain things or values.
He was always with youngsters those who are looking for changes.
He reveled all about the pain and tears behind ‘Pather Panjali’ his masterpiece. His struggle to bring forth his maiden venture to the theatre. The support he got from Government to complete the film.
As a new media he never thought about the replacement of cinema by TV. He believed in the basic principle that film maker must keep commitment to his own film. Otherwise it is of no use. He said.
Satyajit Ray wrote a lot of short stories and novels in Bengali. Edited a children’s magazine started by his grandfather.
I asked permission to translate his story ‘Korves’ in to Malayalam.
He was astonished. “ Oh you know Bengali?”
“ No. I read it in English.”
“ Oh, it was translated in to English ? But I didn’t know.”
Then immediately he took a sheet from the hotel writing pad and signed it fully.
With a big laugh he told: “ Ofcourse, you can translate any of my literary work in to Malayalam. This is my permission”.
We discussed a lot about literature, cinema, campus film, art and politics.
By evening, saying good bye I touched his feet. Immediately, he embraced me and with a big laugh told: “ Rajan, this is not the way to be a film director. Do it well. With hundred percent sincerity.”
That was a great message: ‘There is no shortcut for success!’
-Rajan P Thodiyoor
