Satyajit Ray's Ravi Shankar

by Sandip Ray (Editor), Satyajit Ray

In the 1950s, Satyajit Ray asked Pandit Ravi Shankar to compose the music for his debut feature, Pather Panchali. It was a race against time as Ravi Shankar had just a few hours to spare in which to compose the music. In the end, the music went on to create cinematic history as much as the film, and Ravi Shankar composed the music for the next two films in the Apu Trilogy as well, Aparajita and Apur Sansar.

Around this time, Ray conceptualized a film on the legendary sitarist. He also worked out a detailed storyboard for the film. However, for reasons still unknown, the film was never made. And the project was forgotten. Now, for the first time, Ray’s storyboard is available. Contextualized through interviews with both Ray and Ravi Shankar on various aspects of their collaboration, and a scholarly introduction by Sankarlal Bhattacharjee on the relationship between the two maestros, Satyajit Ray’s Ravi Shankar: An Unfilmed Visual Script is truly a collector’s edition.

114 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Sandip Ray (Bangla: সন্দীপ রায়) is a film director living in the city of Kolkata, West Bengal, India. He is the only son of the noted Bengali director Satyajit Ray and Bijoya Ray.

Reviews

[Aditya Ansh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good one! Unfilmed Visual script!

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting background of an unfinished Ray/Shankar film project. Lots of narrative concerning their relationship, with the storyboards for the proposed film.