More than two decades after his death, India and especially Bengal still celebrates the work of master filmmaker Satyajit Ray. The man who put Indian cinema on the international map continues to inspire new age filmmakers, both in India and abroad with his awe inspiring craft. But the filmmaker's talent was not just limited to direction. While he got most of the adulation for the films he made, Ray was also known for his varied interest and work in areas of art, music and literature. Some of these talents were well known, some were lesser known. But Bengal till date celebrates the 'genius' and his work with pride.
Most know that Ray stumbled upon filmmaking much later in his professional career. A fine arts student from Shantiniketan, Ray's interest and mastery on art got him a job with DJ Keymer, a British-run advertising agency, as a 'junior visualiser.' Ray worked at the agency for almost 13 years before quitting the job to take up filmmaking as a full time profession.
A print ad designed by Satyajit Ray
While working for DJ Keymer, Ray also started illustrating for book covers for Signet Press and designed covers for books like Jibanananda Das's 'Banalata Sen', and 'Rupasi Bangla' among others.
Book cover of 'Banalata'
Book cover of 'Rupasi Bangla'
It is around this time that he read and reworked on Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay's 'Pather Panchali'. Ray re worked and wrote a children's edition of the classic and even made illustrations for the book which was titled as 'Aam Antir Bhepu'.
Illustration from 'Aam Antir Bhepu'
A cinema enthusiast, Ray along with Chidananda Dasgupta established Calcutta Film Society, where they screened many foreign films, many of which Ray watched and seriously studied. The society is still thriving in Kolkata, and provides a platform for the screening of new wave experimental as well as world cinema to local viewers.
With the success and international acclaim that his films fetched, Ray slowly started concentrating on the entire process of filmmaking. He directed, wrote the screenplay, and composed music for many of his films including 'Charulata', 'Goopi Gyne Bagha Byne' and others. He even designed costumes for films like 'Hirok Rajar Deshe' and sang one of the songs in the cult classic 'Goopi Gyne Bagha Byne'.
Apart from cinema, Ray also was known for his literary work. He wrote the famous 'Feluda' series, 'Professor Shonku' series and several other short stories. Ray was a writer of a children's magazine called 'Sandesh' as well, which was initially started by his grandfather Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury. Ray revived the popular children's magazine along with Subhas Mukhopadhyay. Ray wrote short stories for the periodical and drew illustrations for it as well.
Book cover of 'Sandesh'
Book cover of 'Sandesh'
Book cover of 'Feluda' series
Most Bengalis also credit Satyajit Ray for making them love their language and the typography. Ray introduced an unique calligraphy of the Bengali text which is still used in several publications and books- and known as the Satyajit Ray style. He also designed four typefaces for roman script named Ray Roman, Ray Bizarre, Daphnis, and Holiday Script, apart from numerous Bengali ones for the Sandesh magazine. Ray Roman and Ray Bizarre won an international competition in 1971. He was also responsible for designing all the publicity material for his films.
Calligraphy done by Ray
Poster of Ray's film 'Devi'
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