This film is driven by passion and it contains a distinctive message that will stay – Firdausul Hasan.

Firdausul Hasan former President of Film Federation of India and the head of Friends Communication is the producer of many award winning films in both national and state level. His latest film “ Aparajito – The Undefeated “ is scheduled to release today . The film based on Satyajit Ray’s emergence as a film director from an art director of a commercial firm is directed by Anik Dutta. Hasan explains the film and it’s distinctiveness in this interview.

The Statesman on 13th May 2022.

Interview taken by : Somen Sengupta ( 9830541030)

Q – Can this film be called a biopic of Satyajit Ray ?

A- Technically not because the name Satyajit Ray is not carried by any character of the movie – The film is based on a character named Aparajito Ray whom we will see making a an exceptional cinema in early 1950s and his journey will touch real life of Ray – In a nutshell Satyajit Ray’s life and work will be shown in incognito – No character will don any of the historical name of that time.

The story of the film will cover only first few years of his life in cinema – This will show how the dawn broke in Indian cinema through a man named Aparatijo Ray who is none but Satyajit Ray only. You can say here all character are in shadow of some real life character.

Q – Why so ? Was there any issue to identify the film by all real life names ?

A – See Satyajit Ray is the tallest icon of our time – He dominated the cultural space of Bengal nearly for 40 years and even 30 years after his demise no one is near to him to replace. So we did not take the risk of doing a direct biopic where a small deviation could make unwanted controversy. We paid tribute to the maestro in our own way and that is common in the medium of cinema. Our project was explained in details to his son Sandip Ray and he himself has given consent to go ahead after checking matters.

Q - What exactly the movie will cover ?

A – It will show Ray’s emergence as an illustrator in a British Ad company and how his inspiration of making cinema came while doing cover design of books. The key people of his life who backed and motivated him and obviously his unimaginable struggle to make his first film will come on screen .In movie the film will be named “ Pather Padaboli “ – I am sure cine-goers will understand what exactly these all mean.

Q – Which other real life characters will come in shadow in this film ?

A – Most of them with whom Ray had interacted in those days.

Characters resembling Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr BC Ray, Chidananda Dasgupta, Harisadhan Dasgupta his co-workers in Calcutta Film Society and DJ Keymer and obviously his family members all will come.

Q- Will we get to see Kishore Kumar’s character ? We know that Kishore Kumar helped Ray financially while he was making Pather Panchali ?

A – This is the only major character that will not feature in film. We failed to get an actor who would match the look and Anik being a perfectionist finally discarded this part.

Q – The struggle of Ray to make his first film while working in an ad company is well documented and well known – What new thing this movie will brought into light ?

A – His struggle is known but not visualised till now – correct ?

This movie will visualise the historic film in making. In a nutshell I can say this is a film that shows making of an iconic film. The film which will finally rewrite the history of world cinema and will place Indian cinema in international herald is the core subject of this film.

Q – So it goes beyond Ray the man ?

A – Absolutely – See Pather Panchali was not a debut film only for Satyajit Ray himself but many of his team members as well . It was first film of his camera man, the production manager , his technicians and needless to say two child actors Subir and Uma Dasgupta.

It was a debut for many people who never worked in cinema before - Imagine they all laboured for years and made an ageless movie right here in Bengal.

Q – The man playing lead role specially his look is already talk of the town .

A – That credit goes to director Anik Dutta and make up man Somnath Kundu .

The transformation of Jeetu Kamal into Aparajito Ray who actually looks a real life Satyajit Ray is an objective of the movie and I am happy that even before release of the film this look is appreciated. It shows the mass has already accepted that Aparajito Ray of this movie is none other than Satyajit Ray.

Q – How did he execute the character in film ?

A- Let the film release and spectator judge it – As a producer I can only say Jeetu was so dedicated and so profoundly engrossed with the character that he did not talk to anyone of us before the shot. He used to stay in isolation and used to blend with the character of Ray as much as he can.

Q – Is it true that lead actor even gone through an oral operation to make his look more perfect ?

A – Yes he did – He made his teeth setting and tried to make it near similar of Ray.

Q – Anik Dutta also engrossed himself in the film what we understand .

A – Anik is already a big name in industry and he knows the sensitivity of the subject that he is asked to handle. Apart from a vivid research Anik did not do anything else in last two years before the film went to floor. This shows his bonding with the film. Rest you must watch in theatre.

Q – What was the biggest challenge of making this film ?

A – This is a period piece and it demands lot of outdoor shooting specially within the city of Calcutta apart from the film outdoor sequences.

This city is so vastly changed in last few decades that it was near impossible for us to get that mood of Calcutta. We even struggled to recreate the historical Senate Hall of Calcutta University which was demolished in 1960 and where Ray was felicitated on 23rd September 1955 after the release of Pather Panchali.

Except this we did not face any issue rather got good support from all.

Q – Where the film ends ? Does it end with release of Pather Panchali ?

A – No –It shows the global recognition and it also shows the historic phone call of Martin Scorsese the director of Taxi Driver who contacted Ray after the release of Apur Sansar – The film will jump to that stage very artistically and convincingly – Rest let people watch.

Q – As a producer what is your expectation from this film ?

A – Though I do not ignore the financial return of the investment still I must say this is a venture with passion. I produce film driven by my passion and also for an original cultural content that will stay. Yes I look for recognition too.

Q – Will the film see a pan India release ?

A – Yes – Apart from Calcutta it will hit the theatre in Bombay, Delhi, Bangalore , Pune , Hydrabad and Chennai –Later it will have a global release across continents. This is I must say big for a Bengali film.

Q – It is already screened in Bombay.

A- That was a special show at NFDC where we were honoured to have Shyam Benegal and he was overjoyed to watch the movie.

The film will be released commercially on 13th May 2022.

Jeetu Kamal – The actor playing the lead character ( will go in box )

I feel blessed to get this role and I know the weight of the onus on my shoulder. Ray the man who was an institution by himself even when he was not directed a single movie is a man with extra ordinary talent. Knowing this and knowing Ray’s influence in Indian serious cinegoers acting is just like walking on egg shells. l am greatful to Anikda and Hasanda to keep faith on me and also indebted to all crew members who supported me in every shot. I took a silent preparation for this character but I never made myself overburdened – This is a once in a lifetime role that any actor can wish and I am astonished that it came to me at this early stage of my career. I am not very delighted to see people’s appreciating reaction in social media on my decision of doing an oral operation for the sake of the character. I will be indeed delighted if after watching me on screen people keep on talking on my skill of blending with the skin of the character. As an actor I wish that more.

I do not know how the film will be received by common people but I have no doubt that academic learning and on hand experience gained from this film will make me move. (As told to Somen Sengupta)

Debasis Mukhopadhyay – Ray scholar and one of the consultant of the research team of Anik Dutta ( will go in box )

I had the privilege to go through the script and I must say that this is a very well researched work. Anik Dutta and team have conducted an excellent marriage of real life events of Ray with fictional names and viewers will not have any issue to co-relate the time and events. This is the beauty of the film.

The look of the lead actor is amazing and the poster design whatever is exposed in social media are wonderful. This film is going to make a mark not only as a shadow biopic of Ray but also a fine watchable Bengali movie made by Anik Dutta.

I am extremely glad to receive a call from director and was delighted to discuss few points on Ray’s life which are incorporated in the movie. I understand many other Ray scholars were discussed to finalise the script – This is indeed exceptional in case of Bengali cinema.

This is one of the finest homage to Ray on his 101st birth anniversary.

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