The Best of Satyajit Ray

by Satyajit Ray, Gopa Majumdar

Here finally are 21 of the very best of Satyajit Ray's short stories, available together for the first time between two covers. This collection features four new stories, translated specially for this volume. It also contains all eight stories that Satyajit Ray translated himself into English.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, India, Film, Classics, Anthologies, Mystery

301 pages, Paperback

First published January 5, 2001

About the author

Satyajit 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.

Reviews

[Arjun · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the greatest storytellers of all time. Always a great storyteller, but translation of his screenplays to film was his most amazing talent.

And Spielberg totally stole "ET" from this guy. I was som mad when I heard this that I made out with someone during Schindler's List in protest.

[Soum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the book a lot–so much so that 10 mins into reading, I realised I had actually been reading for hours on end, and that I wasn't even wearing my reading glasses!

[Tasu · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

This a collection of didactic stories written in the format of children's tales, but it's definitely not for kids. The stories are charming and they follow a spooky or mystic theme where many have pleasantly surprising reveals at the very end.

Unlike what the back of the book says, the characters are all very forgettable, even if the events that happen to them are not. This collection just seems to have a very one-dimensional character type: reserved and quirky.

Still I enjoyed the stories and they do serve as intended. I feel the translation manages to capture the essence or form of Bengali prose that was likely used (again with a blunt, to the point, children's tale style) and Satyajit Ray is clearly quite knowledgeable of trees.

[Owais · Rating 3 out of 5]

to be honest this is the only indian storybook i enjoyed.Satyajit ray was really a masterstory teller and stories in this collection have that indian flavour of 70's and 60's & are real delight especially TWO MAGICIANS,BHUTO & FRITZ.

[Madhvi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blessed to read Ray’s works! Master story teller! I cherished each and every story immensely!!

[Soham Mall · Rating 3 out of 5]

sweet, but the stories felt repetitive

[Aditi Mukherjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent collection of short stories by Satyajit Ray, some of which are translated into English by him and also by Gopa Majumdar who has translated some of his other works (Feluda).
What a genius he was, weaving tales of everyday life and people with imagination - including aliens and monsters, giant prehistoric eggs and laughing dogs, and so believable. Still, these are not fairy tales. Some may spook you and some will leave you wondering. A delightful read!
#satyajitray #thebestofsatyajitray #shortreview #books

[Arvind]

A pleasant surprise - good read ...

[Selva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually, I read many of the stories but not all. All that I read were brilliant. They appeal to your head more than your heart.

[Nikita Sarda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Satyajit Ray's short stories are one of their kind. I have read over more than 50 short stories considered the best of his collection. To my amazement, set in the Twentieth century, every story plot had been weaved quite effortlessly with fabulous and fantastic beings, kleptomaniacs and amateur actors, a dog who laughs, the ghost of an indigo planter and a young boy’s account of his mother adultery. His tales range from the humorous to the sinister, from the spine-tingling to downright terrifying, from the inexplicable to outright bizarre. Ray’s short stories often explore the macabre and the supernatural and are marked by the sharp characterisation and trademark wit that distinguishes his films. The characters are flawed yet delightful. Their description does not linger on needlessly, but you know exactly what they are about as the story is unravelled.
Here's about one of my personal favourite: https://medium.com/@freebirddiary/pat...

[Saravanakumar S K · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories are best. Especially Patol Babu the Film star, I already had watched this as a short movie in Bombay Talkies movie. Mr. Eccentric was another masterpiece. On Indigo, I found the author has an English man writing about Malaria and mosquitos spreading it in 1868. However, Malaria was only discovered in 1880. Everyone thought this was a Marsh(land) fever until then and had no idea of Mosquito's involvement in the spread.

[Nisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Masterpiece by a master story teller. These stories transported me to my growing up years of the 70’s. The memory of Some characters like Patol babu, Sadananda, Shibu, Bonku babu linger on long by after. A delightful read.

[Tanvi Raul · Rating 5 out of 5]

the most amazing short stories that I have read. Great narration and superb plots! All time favorite re-reads

[Gagan Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eventually, you will end up relating theses stories to their adaptation in most of the contemporary movies

[Shivani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant tales that keep you wanting more, this is one of my favourite compilations of short stories!

[Mohammad Hasan]

How can i read this book here?

[Anindita Das · Rating 5 out of 5]

very nice

[Niraj Khandwala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent stories... such simple language but so full of suspense and drama... such rich descriptions ..it also gives a great idea about India in the olden days.

[Sandeep S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please read this book. Has an excellent collection of short stories . The ending and twist in each part of the story is amazing .

[Anuraag Bai · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Masterpiece by a Master Storyteller. A visually stunning collection of short stories by Satyajit Ray, written in a cinematic way. To the lovers of Indian cinema, the name Satyajit Ray; needs no introduction. Gopa Majumdar also did a great work translating some of the stories. She is best known for her English translations of Satyajit Ray's famous detective series 'The Complete Adventures of Feluda, Vol. 1'.

This is collection of Ray's best works. Unexpected twists, as expected. Creative, gripping, and at times funny, these stories will entertain you. He's a master at setting the scene. Eventually, you will end up relating these stories to their adaptation in most of the contemporary movies. 'Fritz', 'Barin Bhowmick's Ailment', 'Bhuto' and 'Anath Babu's Terror' are my particular favorites. They got some spooky, supernatural and weird touch to them. The way 'Pikoo's Diary' has been written is fun to read. The memory of some characters like Patol Babu, Sadananda, Shibu, Bonku Babu lingers on long after. A great book to read if you like cinematic stories and fancy something with an Indian flavor. A great insight to the Bengali culture and cinema.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Visually stunning stories written in the only way a film director could - cinematically. Using his visual skills as a great director, Ray engages all of the reader's senses to create graphic images and humorous characters. He's a master at setting the scene. 'Fritz' and 'Anath Babu's Terror' are two of my particular favourites. A good book to read if you like supernatural stories and fancy something with an Indian flavour.

[Arvind Rao]

A pleasant surprise - good read ...

[Vibha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting stories

[Ila · Rating 4 out of 5]

The real king of Macabre.

[Anish Barjatya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant short stories.

[vishruti · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved dis books.each and every story is so out of the box and so so amazing.

[Vidhi Bansal · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this one

[Arka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpected twists, as expected. Ray's magic, as always.

[Nakul Sharma]

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[Chinmoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

good