Ray of light

Film-maker Rajshree Ojha on why she watches Satyajit Ray’s films all the time
A classic that stands out for me is Pather Panchali. I first saw it when I was around 10 or 12 years old. It was one of the old Saturday movies playing on TV when I was growing up in Kolkata. The most powerful aspect of the film was its visuals,which are etched in my mind.

I vividly remember the scene when the little girl,Durga,and her brother Apu are playing in the bushes and discover their elderly aunt,whom their mother detests but with whom Durga shares her food,lying dead; it was very moving and sad. Then,the scene where Apu is running through the fields behind the train—that,for me,was an image of India.
While Pather Panchali is my favourite Satyajit Ray film,Charulata remains a close second. He was one of the key influences for me. I like the way he told simple stories through strong images. Ray’s scripts weren’t amazing but they were depicted in a poignant way. That’s what makes them memorable as we more often tend to remember images.

I love Ray’s characters too and sometimes I feel my characters are similar to his. I’ve worked with actors that have worked with Ray such as Victor Banerjee; they make the film so real. Even when Ray portrayed fiction,there was so much reality in it. As a child in an urban city,I could connect with the village kid,Durga.
I watch Ray films all the time. When I feel low,I watch old films—they remind you about why you want to make films in the first place.