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Satyajit Ray's Heroes and Heroines
Satyajit Ray first placed India on the map of world cinema with his 1955-classic Pather Panchali. In
a career spanning nearly four decades and including twenty-seven feature films, Ray is undoubtedly
the most-known Indian film-maker till date. It will probably not be an exaggeration to state that
in Indian cinema Ray’s profiling of characters and his casting acumen resulted in some of the best
on-screen performances it has ever seen.
This book examines some of the most memorable characters put up by the maverick on the silver
screen.
a career spanning nearly four decades and including twenty-seven feature films, Ray is undoubtedly
the most-known Indian film-maker till date. It will probably not be an exaggeration to state that
in Indian cinema Ray’s profiling of characters and his casting acumen resulted in some of the best
on-screen performances it has ever seen.
This book examines some of the most memorable characters put up by the maverick on the silver
screen.
240 pages, Paperback
Published January 20, 2019
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28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 20, 2019
Despite being a movie buff, I’ve never really understood or even tried to understand the intricacies of cinema. I mainly watch films for entertainment and hoping for a plot which makes me think. Growing up in Bengal, I saw that if there was someone who was worshipped after Tagore, then it was Satyajit Ray. As a bookworm, I got introduced to Satyajit Ray, the author, first through the Feluda comics in Anandamela Pujabarshiki which used to be published once a year. I hogged over the Feluda novels by the time I was 10. I was introduced to the goopy Gyne Bagha Byne series pretty early on in life and continue to watch it everytime it comes on TV. Those three films will always remain my favourite.
Last year, after my board exams got over, I chanced upon Charulata by chance and with that began exploration of Ray. I would say that I prefer the Master over Ritwik Ghatak or Mrinal Sen because of the lucidity in his films.
This book by Amitava Nag took me on a nostalgic trip as it spoke about each of Ray’s movies and their making. This book, as the title suggests, reflects upon Ray through his heroes and heroines. What was really special to me was the foreword by Soumitra Chattopadhyay, Ray’s blue-eyed boy who has played various brilliant roles through ages beginning with Apu in Aparajito to Feluda to Ganashatru and tons of other films. I really liked how this book is extremely reader-friendly and can be understood even by a layperson like me. It doesn’t have complicated jargons and yet manages to unbare Ray in all his enigma. Along with Ray, the author explores the characters of his actors like Chhabi Biswas or the famous Uttam Kumar and shares behind-the-scene anecdotes.
I would recommend this book to all lovers of art and literature.
Last year, after my board exams got over, I chanced upon Charulata by chance and with that began exploration of Ray. I would say that I prefer the Master over Ritwik Ghatak or Mrinal Sen because of the lucidity in his films.
This book by Amitava Nag took me on a nostalgic trip as it spoke about each of Ray’s movies and their making. This book, as the title suggests, reflects upon Ray through his heroes and heroines. What was really special to me was the foreword by Soumitra Chattopadhyay, Ray’s blue-eyed boy who has played various brilliant roles through ages beginning with Apu in Aparajito to Feluda to Ganashatru and tons of other films. I really liked how this book is extremely reader-friendly and can be understood even by a layperson like me. It doesn’t have complicated jargons and yet manages to unbare Ray in all his enigma. Along with Ray, the author explores the characters of his actors like Chhabi Biswas or the famous Uttam Kumar and shares behind-the-scene anecdotes.
I would recommend this book to all lovers of art and literature.
May 25, 2019
If you follow Indian cinema that is celebrated the world over, there is no way you are not familiar with the work of Satyajit Ray. And if you are starting to look up outstanding films and the people behind them, this is a book that will help discover the oeuvre of one of India’s finest film makers and the actors he worked with.
Stayajit Ray’s Heroes & Heroines is a collection of interviews and film writings published earlier and considering that Ray repeated many of his actors in his films, the collection comes together to present not just anecdotes and insights into the filmmaker’s way of creative working but also bio notes of the actors featured in the book. Film aficionados and film students will find this book very helpful in understanding the process of film casting and preparation.
My only complaint is that there were repetitive references to Soumitra Chatterjee, an actor who worked with Ray in 14 out of a total 27 despite there being a separate chapter on the actor. Also, there were only two stand alone chapters on female actors who worked with the film maker.
Stayajit Ray’s Heroes & Heroines is a collection of interviews and film writings published earlier and considering that Ray repeated many of his actors in his films, the collection comes together to present not just anecdotes and insights into the filmmaker’s way of creative working but also bio notes of the actors featured in the book. Film aficionados and film students will find this book very helpful in understanding the process of film casting and preparation.
My only complaint is that there were repetitive references to Soumitra Chatterjee, an actor who worked with Ray in 14 out of a total 27 despite there being a separate chapter on the actor. Also, there were only two stand alone chapters on female actors who worked with the film maker.
February 3, 2019
While the content was engrossing enough to pull an all-nighter to finish the book, the writing style wasn’t particularly impressive. The author keeps repeating himself in various parts/ chapters, which is quite jarring. He keeps quoting his own work/ other works on Ray throughout the book. This one is strictly for Ray’s hardcore fans!
August 31, 2025
A sneak peak into the performances of Satyajit Ray's film. The book is well articulated and the order in which the performers are introduced in the book is breazy. If you are a fan of Ray, like I am then you'll enjoy this book.
July 12, 2022
A unique book which will take many of us to our childhoods and make us understand what actually happened in the manner in which many of these unique movies were made. From the selection of the actors to the funding of the movie to the angle in which Satyajit Ray wanted to shoot a particular scene and the amount of freedom he gave to his actors.
October 23, 2019
There have been many biographies of Ray and nearly every single one of them has shed great light on Ray’s creative process and Amitava Nag’s Satyajit Ray’s Heroes & Heroines is a welcome addition to the literature on Ray. As a single volume, it lovingly uncovers Ray’s enigmatic prowess in making good actors deliver great performances and become unforgettable for audiences across the globe.
Nag’s lucid style sheds light into the way Ray went about infusing life into both the characters he wrote and the actors he chose to play them.
Nag’s lucid style sheds light into the way Ray went about infusing life into both the characters he wrote and the actors he chose to play them.
November 20, 2019
A view from actors point of view. This book will provide a glance to Satyajit Ray's unique way of directing movies.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews