As Satyajit Ray goes viral again, rare photographs show what made him great
A new exhibition and book showcase rare color photographs of filmmaker Satyajit Ray taken by Nemai Ghosh between 1970 and 1991. The images provide an intimate look at Ray's meticulous directing process and his collaborative relationship with his actors.
Why it matters
Preserves the legacy of a globally influential filmmaker through rare visual documentation of his creative process.
The photography of Nemai Ghosh, once an actor in Little Theatre, the theatre company of actor-director Utpal Dutt, and best known for his photo-biography of auteur Satyajit Ray, captured over 23 years, has busy, layered frames. Yet, as in the best of still photography, the focus is always on eloquent moments. Take one image from Faces and Facets: Satyajit Ray in Colour , an ongoing exhibition of 126 colour photos taken by him of Ray at work between 1970 and 1991, also the subject of DAG’s eponymous book released in 2020. In one photo clicked on the sets of Ghare Baire (1984), Ray is directing lead actress Swatilekha Sengupta in front of a mirror. The actress seems to be taking in instructions as the director himself, looking down, fingers placed against the mirror, is focussed intensely on a gesture or detail that he wants in the frame. Ghosh’s lens is as focussed on Ray’s face and hands as Ray’s is on how to perfect that scene or frame.
The article is a straightforward cultural report on an exhibition and historical photography.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in