SATYAJIT RAY

Satyajit Ray was born in Calcutta on 2nd May 1921. His father, Sukumar Ray was an eminent poet and writer in the history of Bengali literature. In 1940, after receiving his degree in science and economics from Calcutta University he attended Tagore's Viswa-Bharati University. His first movie Pather Panchali (1955) won several International awards and set Ray as a world-class director. He died on April 23, 1992.

Regarded as India's most important director so far, together with Mrinal Sen and Ritwik Ghatak.

Father of Sandip Ray

Was voted the 25th Greatest Director of all time by Entertainment Weekly.

In 1967 he wrote a script for a movie entitled "The Alien". Columbia Pictures was in talks to produce this movie. Peter Sellers and Marlon Brando were rumored to play the leading parts. However, Ray was surprised to find that the script he had co-written had already been copyrighted and the fee appropriated. Brando dropped out of the project and, though an attempt was made to bring James Coburn in his place, Ray was disillusioned, had enough of Hollywood machinations and returned to Calcutta. Columbia was interested in reviving the project in the 1970s and 1980s but nothing came of it. When _E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)_ was released in 1982, many saw striking similarities in the film to Ray's earlier script. Ray believed that Steven Speilbergs movie "would not have been possible without my script of 'The Alien' being available throughout America in mimeographed copies." Spielberg denied this by saying, "I was a kid in high school when this script was circulating in Hollywood".

Great Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa and Ray were acquainted with each other. Kurosawa said of Ray's work, "To have not seen the films of Ray is to have lived in the world without ever having seen the moon and the sun.".

The Legion of Honor is the most prestigious award in France and presented to those having exhibited outstanding lifetime achievement in their chosen field of work. Instead of inviting him over to France for the ceremony, then French president Francois Mitterand personally went to Ray's doorstep in Calcutta to present him with the honor.

Another huge fan of Ray's work was John Huston.

He was a physically enormous man (about 6' 5" and well over 200 pounds), having stood nearly a foot taller than the average Indian of his generation.

Member of the jury at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1961

Was a fan of the Tintin comics and even had some shots of some of the books in his movies.

He won a special lifetime achievement award at the 1992 Acadamy Awards. He's the second Indian to have won an Oscar. The first was Bhanu Athaiya in 1983.

Member of the jury at the Venice Film Festival in 1982.

Is the author of several science-fiction short stories.

A talented graphic artist, Ray designed numerous book jackets and magazine covers. He also designed two typefaces.