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Classic Satyajit Ray
Best-known for his immensely popular Feluda mysteries and the adventures of Professor Shonku, Satyajit Ray was also one of the most skilful short story writers of his generation. Ray s short stories often explore the macabre and the supernatural, and are marked by the sharp characterization and trademark wit that characterizes his films. This collection brings together Ray s best short stories including such timeless gems as Khagam , Indigo , Fritz , Bhuto , The Pterodactyl s Egg , Big Bill , Patol Babu, Film Star and The Hungry Septopus which readers of all ages will enjoy
- GenresFictionIndian Literature
424 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2012
12 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
About the author
Satyajit Ray
676 books1,523 followersSatyajit Ray (Bengali: সত্যজিৎ রায়) was an Indian filmmaker and author of Bengali fiction and regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of world cinema. Ray was born in the city of Calcutta into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature. Starting his career as a commercial artist, Ray was drawn into independent filmmaking after meeting French filmmaker Jean Renoir and watching Vittorio De Sica's Italian neorealist 1948 film, Bicycle Thieves.
Ray directed 36 films, including feature films, documentaries and shorts. He was also a fiction writer, publisher, illustrator, calligrapher, graphic designer and film critic. He authored several short stories and novels, primarily aimed at children and adolescents.
Ray's first film, Pather Panchali (1955), won eleven international prizes, including Best Human Documentary at the Cannes Film Festival. This film, Aparajito (1956) and Apur Sansar (1959) form The Apu Trilogy. Ray did the scripting, casting, scoring, and editing, and designed his own credit titles and publicity material. Ray received many major awards in his career, including 32 Indian National Film Awards, a number of awards at international film festivals and award ceremonies, and an Academy Award in 1992. The Government of India honoured him with the Bharat Ratna in 1992.
Early Life and Background:
Ray's grandfather, Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury was a writer, illustrator, philosopher, publisher, amateur astronomer and a leader of the Brahmo Samaj, a religious and social movement in nineteenth century Bengal. Sukumar Ray, Upendrakishore's son and father of Satyajit, was a pioneering Bengali author and poet of nonsense rhyme and children's literature, an illustrator and a critic. Ray was born to Sukumar and Suprabha Ray in Calcutta.
Ray completed his B.A. (Hons.) in Economics at Presidency College of the University of Calcutta, though his interest was always in Fine Arts. In 1940, he went to study in Santiniketan where Ray came to appreciate Oriental Art. In 1949, Ray married Bijoya Das and the couple had a son, Sandip ray, who is now a famous film director.
Literary Works:
Ray created two of the most famous fictional characters ever in Bengali children's literature—Feluda, a sleuth in Holmesian tradition, and Professor Shonku, a genius scientist. Ray also wrote many short stories mostly centered on Macabre, Thriller and Paranormal which were published as collections of 12 stories. Ray wrote an autobiography about his childhood years, Jakhan Choto Chilam (1982). He also wrote essays on film, published as the collections: Our Films, Their Films (1976), Bishoy Chalachchitra (1976), and Ekei Bole Shooting (1979).
Awards, Honors and Recognitions:
Ray received many awards, including 32 National Film Awards by the Government of India. At the Moscow Film Festival in 1979, he was awarded for the contribution to cinema. At the Berlin Film Festival, he was one of only three to win the Silver Bear for Best Director more than once and holds the record for the most Golden Bear nominations, with seven. At the Venice Film Festival, he won a Golden Lion for Aparajito(1956), and awarded the Golden Lion Honorary Award in 1982. In 1992 he was posthumously awarded the Akira Kurosawa Award for Lifetime Achievement in Directing at the San Francisco International Film Festival.
Ray directed 36 films, including feature films, documentaries and shorts. He was also a fiction writer, publisher, illustrator, calligrapher, graphic designer and film critic. He authored several short stories and novels, primarily aimed at children and adolescents.
Ray's first film, Pather Panchali (1955), won eleven international prizes, including Best Human Documentary at the Cannes Film Festival. This film, Aparajito (1956) and Apur Sansar (1959) form The Apu Trilogy. Ray did the scripting, casting, scoring, and editing, and designed his own credit titles and publicity material. Ray received many major awards in his career, including 32 Indian National Film Awards, a number of awards at international film festivals and award ceremonies, and an Academy Award in 1992. The Government of India honoured him with the Bharat Ratna in 1992.
Early Life and Background:
Ray's grandfather, Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury was a writer, illustrator, philosopher, publisher, amateur astronomer and a leader of the Brahmo Samaj, a religious and social movement in nineteenth century Bengal. Sukumar Ray, Upendrakishore's son and father of Satyajit, was a pioneering Bengali author and poet of nonsense rhyme and children's literature, an illustrator and a critic. Ray was born to Sukumar and Suprabha Ray in Calcutta.
Ray completed his B.A. (Hons.) in Economics at Presidency College of the University of Calcutta, though his interest was always in Fine Arts. In 1940, he went to study in Santiniketan where Ray came to appreciate Oriental Art. In 1949, Ray married Bijoya Das and the couple had a son, Sandip ray, who is now a famous film director.
Literary Works:
Ray created two of the most famous fictional characters ever in Bengali children's literature—Feluda, a sleuth in Holmesian tradition, and Professor Shonku, a genius scientist. Ray also wrote many short stories mostly centered on Macabre, Thriller and Paranormal which were published as collections of 12 stories. Ray wrote an autobiography about his childhood years, Jakhan Choto Chilam (1982). He also wrote essays on film, published as the collections: Our Films, Their Films (1976), Bishoy Chalachchitra (1976), and Ekei Bole Shooting (1979).
Awards, Honors and Recognitions:
Ray received many awards, including 32 National Film Awards by the Government of India. At the Moscow Film Festival in 1979, he was awarded for the contribution to cinema. At the Berlin Film Festival, he was one of only three to win the Silver Bear for Best Director more than once and holds the record for the most Golden Bear nominations, with seven. At the Venice Film Festival, he won a Golden Lion for Aparajito(1956), and awarded the Golden Lion Honorary Award in 1982. In 1992 he was posthumously awarded the Akira Kurosawa Award for Lifetime Achievement in Directing at the San Francisco International Film Festival.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 15, 2025
ಸತ್ಯಜಿತ್ ರೇ ಒಬ್ಬ ಅತ್ಯುತ್ತಮ ನಿರ್ದೇಶಕ ಮಾತ್ರವಲ್ಲದೆ ಅತ್ಯುತ್ತಮ ಕತೆಗಾರ ಎಂದೂ ಸಾಬೀತುಪಡಿಸುವ ಕತೆಗಳಿವು.
ಅವರ ಫೆಲೂಡಾ ಸರಣಿ ತಂದು ಅದನ್ನು ಓದಲು ಕಷ್ಟವಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಮಕ್ಕಳಿಗೆ ಹಿಡಿಸುವ ಸರಣಿ ಅದು. ಅದಲ್ಲದೆ ಒಂಚೂರು ಬೇರೆ ಯಾವ ರಸಗಳೂ ಇಲ್ಲದ ಸಪ್ಪೆ ಕತೆಗಳು ಅವು.
ಆದರೆ ಈ ನಲವತ್ತೊಂಬತ್ತು ಕತೆಗಳೂ ರೋಚಕ ಬಗೆಯವು. ರವಿ ಬೆಳಗೆರೆಯ ವಂಧ್ಯ, ಎಮ್ ಎಸ್ ಕೆ ಪ್ರಭು ಕತೆಗಳ ಓದಿದವರಿಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗುತ್ತದೆ.
ಅನ್ಯಗ್ರಹ ಜೀವಿಗಳು, ಭೂತಗಳು, ವಿಚಿತ್ರ ಜೀವಿಗಳು , ವಿಚಿತ್ರ ಅನುಭವಗಳು ಇಲ್ಲಿನ ಕತೆಗಳ ಜೀವಾಳ.
ಮಕ್ಕಳೂ ದೊಡ್ಡವರೂ ಓದಬಹುದು ಎನ್ನುವುದು ಹೆಗ್ಗಳಿಕೆ.
ಅವರ ಫೆಲೂಡಾ ಸರಣಿ ತಂದು ಅದನ್ನು ಓದಲು ಕಷ್ಟವಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಮಕ್ಕಳಿಗೆ ಹಿಡಿಸುವ ಸರಣಿ ಅದು. ಅದಲ್ಲದೆ ಒಂಚೂರು ಬೇರೆ ಯಾವ ರಸಗಳೂ ಇಲ್ಲದ ಸಪ್ಪೆ ಕತೆಗಳು ಅವು.
ಆದರೆ ಈ ನಲವತ್ತೊಂಬತ್ತು ಕತೆಗಳೂ ರೋಚಕ ಬಗೆಯವು. ರವಿ ಬೆಳಗೆರೆಯ ವಂಧ್ಯ, ಎಮ್ ಎಸ್ ಕೆ ಪ್ರಭು ಕತೆಗಳ ಓದಿದವರಿಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗುತ್ತದೆ.
ಅನ್ಯಗ್ರಹ ಜೀವಿಗಳು, ಭೂತಗಳು, ವಿಚಿತ್ರ ಜೀವಿಗಳು , ವಿಚಿತ್ರ ಅನುಭವಗಳು ಇಲ್ಲಿನ ಕತೆಗಳ ಜೀವಾಳ.
ಮಕ್ಕಳೂ ದೊಡ್ಡವರೂ ಓದಬಹುದು ಎನ್ನುವುದು ಹೆಗ್ಗಳಿಕೆ.
January 3, 2023
Yes, I'm a sucker for stories set in Bengal. Maybe it's because I've spent most of my life here, maybe it's because I now live in an all-too-foreign land and yearn for some semblance of places I know well, or maybe Ray is just the kind of writer who can capture the essence of Bengal in the 70s and 80s. Given that these short stories are all from the past century, a few of them do feel dated but most of them are just simple stories of people going about their life involved in their menial tasks in the city I have come to know all too well.
November 18, 2017
I knew Satyajit Ray was a brilliant director, but I had no idea he wrote stories as well. I chanced upon this book in a bookshop and was curious. My mind was simply blown away. These Stories transported me to a different era, to the days of letters and radios. They are simple and at the same time complex. Some of the stories like 'The Hungry Septopus' and 'Fritz' sent shivers down my spine whereas 'Bonku Babu's Friend' and 'The Two Comedians' made me laugh out with joy. They are timeless gems and there is something in this collection of short stories for everyone to enjoy.
February 19, 2017
This book grips you, from supernatural to horror stories this little book has it all, Indigo, Pterodactyls Egg, Pikoo's Diary. This book is an excellent amalgamation of stories that will leave one on the edge of your seat, Must read for all those who love short gripping tales.
December 4, 2022
49 stories related to all varieties - sad, mystery, thriller, and humor with amazing twists.
November 16, 2023
This is a review after reading 23 of the 49 short stories in this collection. I decided to stop reading after but not because they weren't good. It is one of the collection of stories i have read. I didn't even know that Ray wrote books until I accidentally found this gem in the library (one of the pleasures for which I still visit the library despite having a kindle). His imagination stretches across traditional genres like horror, science fiction and psychological. Psychological element is present in all the stories. Its kind of like reading an Indian version of Poe.
As I mentioned, I stopped reading it after about 50% of the book. I personally love longer narratives (both in books and TV). Despite the fact that I loved almost every story that I read in this collection, I felt that the stories were flying past me leaving me insatiable. But if you love short stories then I totally recommend this book for you.
As I mentioned, I stopped reading it after about 50% of the book. I personally love longer narratives (both in books and TV). Despite the fact that I loved almost every story that I read in this collection, I felt that the stories were flying past me leaving me insatiable. But if you love short stories then I totally recommend this book for you.
October 14, 2020
This has quite simply become the most cherished book.
Ray's cinematic imagination is weaved in his stories as well. He describes the surroundings in his stories as if he is setting a scene and inviting the reader to immerse herself. Each character is distinct from the other that adds to the unexpected and mystic of ray's stories. One experiences adventure, fear, embarrassment, joy, humility and many other colours in these stories. All the elements in his stories are beautifully narrated and used efficiently for a memorable story.
I found myself completely lost in these stories to the point that I would forget about my own pandemic reality. Thus, they offered me the much needed escape even if for a brief moment.
Ray's cinematic imagination is weaved in his stories as well. He describes the surroundings in his stories as if he is setting a scene and inviting the reader to immerse herself. Each character is distinct from the other that adds to the unexpected and mystic of ray's stories. One experiences adventure, fear, embarrassment, joy, humility and many other colours in these stories. All the elements in his stories are beautifully narrated and used efficiently for a memorable story.
I found myself completely lost in these stories to the point that I would forget about my own pandemic reality. Thus, they offered me the much needed escape even if for a brief moment.
October 9, 2019
Lovely stories. Most of the stories are for children but some of them will work for adults as well. Wonderful collection.
May 26, 2025
Some of the stories are out of this world. Loved it.
July 21, 2025
I will keep this book with me forever ♥️
March 4, 2013
You need to transport your mind to 50 years back, to enjoy this book to the fullest. An anthology of macabre and disturbing short stories by Satyajit Ray that has been written with the science and science fiction knowledge that had existed 20 years back. Some stories like 'fritz' are really timeless, and some you may remember from the TV serials that were aired in the national channel in the 1980s. Having read a lot of fiction, I could predict the ending of most of the stories, but still some stories like Khagam ends up sending a chill down your spine, when you picture the scenes in your head.
Overall, a refreshing read.
Overall, a refreshing read.
November 17, 2015
This is something which can anyone, any age group can easily connect to and can easily enjoy it. Every story is just phenomenal, specially the endings. And one more thing, it will definitely bring a smile after every story.
September 6, 2014
Lovely stories. Most of the stories are for children but some of them will work for adults as well. Wonderful collection.
November 13, 2015
No reviews required for this. Its a collector's item and every bookshelf should have it!
February 17, 2015
Phenomenal, and I'd like to make plays from all of these stories!
March 30, 2015
Pikoo's Diary, ONE of the best short story with a different style of writing.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews