An Exclusive Interview by Jai Krishna Pant
A Legend in His Lifetime
That is what can be said of Satyajit Ray, the phenomenal movie maker. One of India's greatest directors, Satyajit Ray achieved instant success with his very first film, Pather Panchali. Without looking back, he distinguished himself by producing outstanding movies, winning both national and international awards, each bearing eloquent testimony to his creative genius and versatility.
Ray's
singular contribution has, in no small measure, enabled India to carve out a
permanent niche in world cinema. With his uncompromising direction, Ray has
brought a new dignity and dimension to Indian films. In filmmakers of his
calibre lies the hope of fostering cinema as an art.
That Ray is
known for his characteristic candour and aplomb, besides remarkable consistency
in his views on film and filmmaking, can be judged from the following interview
conducted several years ago (on 7th January 1971 at Taj Mahal Hotel, Bombay):
Pant: Do you consider filmmaking an art
or just like any other trade?
Ray: Filmmaking is very much an art. But
there is an element of trade in it. Much depends on how you use it. The film
medium is the only form of communication which reaches a very large audience. A
book, for example, may reach people ranging from 15 to a few thousand. On the
contrary, a film would reach an audience of 15,000 onwards. The cost of the
film has to be within a limit, and the film has to be sold. Yet, it is an art
essentially.
Pant: What made you take to films?
Ray: I was working as an art director
with an advertising agency in Calcutta for ten years. A fascinating interest in
films grew in me. Later, when I was in England, I watched a lot of films and
looked for an opportunity to make one myself.
Pant: What kind of subjects fascinate
you?
Ray: You can get an idea from my films.
Each one of them has been very different, and I have liked them very much. The
historical aspects of our society form an interesting subject. Many subjects
remain untouched. I have made several films on period pieces and rural stories.
In my film Pratidwandi, I dealt with a contemporary theme.
Pant: You are known for choosing a
variety of subjects for your films and for not believing in repetition. How do
you reconcile with the thought of veering around the same theme of conflict
between old and new values in most of your films?
Ray: In most of my films, the conflict
between the old and the new exists side by side. Such a theme is common in
almost all Indian subjects. Take any subject, and you can always find this
aspect somewhere.
Pant: Though your films are primarily for
an Indian audience, most of them have a foreign market potential. Could you
tell us what it is that a foreign audience finds in your films that the Indian
audience cannot?
Ray: It is not correct to say that my
films have a foreign market potential. I make films without aiming at the
foreign market. I do not know what really interests the foreign audience about
us. I have always chosen Indian subjects for a Bengali audience. Although my
films have been well-received abroad, they have not liked several things. For
example, in one of my films, I showed Indian people eating food with their
hands. The foreign audience did not like it and was rather critical. It is
true, however, that I would not have existed as a filmmaker today but for the
foreign market.
Pant: Do you believe in any political
ideology? Should films have any political outlook?
Ray: I do not believe in any political
ideology. But one cannot avoid being influenced by political ideology. When you
make a film in Calcutta, knowing the political state there, it is possible that
the film may be influenced by political conditions. However, I think films need
not have any political nuances.
Pant: What does entertainment mean to
you, and how do you provide for it in your films?
Ray: Anything that can hold the audience
is entertainment, even a serious film. I have made many serious films, but I
have also made a musical fantasy film. Goopy Gayne Bhaga Bayne was
hailed by many and proved a commercial success.
Pant: Do you visualise the whole film in
your mind before making the first shot, or do you have to improvise during the
shooting?
Ray: The entire film is conceived in my
mind before I start. I know exactly what I want—the characters, the dialogues,
the movements, and the images of the frame, all based on my script. The need
for improvisation during the shooting does not generally arise. Of course, it
depends on the material, but I always aim for a synthesis of all aspects to
remain truthful without compromising.
Pant: Do you believe in a literary
scenario? Do you find any problems in adapting literary works for the screen?
Ray: I would not say much on this. You
do not have many literary scenarios, and they may have problems while filming.
Not all works can be filmed. Adapting a literary work is a process of
transformation. Generally, sixty percent of the scenario can be used. But
certain scenarios lack conception and execution. Here again, much depends on
the technical resources. Editing finally shapes the film. Incidentally, most of
my films are based on published works.
Pant: Don’t you think that because of the
international awards and laurels your earlier films have won, audience
reactions in India are favourable? What do you have to say about the criticism
that you are trying to live on that reputation now?
Ray: The audience expects something psychologically extraordinary from me every time. I agree that audience reactions have been favourable because of the recognition my films have received. My film Pather Panchali was very well-received even when I was not known. The reputation my films have brought is my strength as well as my confidence. It has enabled me to make films with greater zest.
Pant: Don’t you think by not making Hindi
films, you have created an isolated audience?
Ray: I cannot help it, but I expect this
audience to grow. I have not been able to make Hindi films primarily because I
do not know the language well enough.
End of
Interview
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