Cinephiles gather to celebrate ray’s legacy at the 20th annual quiz

The mid-May weekend saw the celebration of the legacy of iconic filmmaker Satyajit Ray. At Kolkata’s Nandan-3 auditorium, Ekhon Satyajit – a magazine solely dedicated to the works of Ray –

hosted the 20th edition of its annual Ray Quiz. The auditorium turned into a tribute ground and a place of remembrance and reflection as it brought together cinephiles, scholars, students

and admirers of Ray’s classic cinema. Somnath Roy, the founder-editor of Ekhon Satyajit, single-handedly organised the event. The evening was not just about quizzing ardent followers of

Ray’s nuanced filmography, but it also featured an engaging discussion on Jana Aranya, one of Ray’s politically significant films that steps into its 50th year in 2025. Eminent film

personalities, including Sekhar Das, Siddhartha Chatterjee and Subhasis Mukherjee, attended the event, making it a memorable one. Advertisement Film director Sekhar Das delivered a

compelling talk on Jana Aranya. In his talk, he highlighted the layered depiction of urban survival and moral compromise. He also spoke about actor Pradip Mukherjee’s one-of-a-kind portrayal

of Somnath in the film. “Ray’s teaching of the use of silence and pause in acting to Mukherjee was masterfully depicted in the film,” Das said. He further added that though Jana Aranya is a

film of 1975, it still resonates with today’s socio-political climate. “A dichotomy between idealism and reality was showcased in the film that remains strikingly relevant,” he stated.

Advertisement Speaking to The Statesman, Roy shared how it initiated, “After Ray’s death in 1992, I noticed how his popularity among the younger generation became limited to Feluda stories.

I wanted students to know his greater body of work, the masterpieces that made him globally renowned. For this reason, I started Ekhon Satyajit, which consists of numerous writings about

Satyajit Ray. Soon, to make it more interesting and engaging to students, I started with the Ray Quiz, inviting students from various colleges and universities to participate.” Roy further

added how the quiz evolved, “When participation from institutions started declining, I opened it to the general public. This, in turn, elevated the quality of the quiz, as passionate Ray

enthusiasts from around the city, who regularly discuss his films, started taking part.” The Ray quiz is known for its intricately designed, in-depth questions. A question about a missing

detail from a rare movie poster of Devi (1960) was asked. Interestingly, another question was asked as to which of Ray’s films featured The Statesman newspaper reading scene; the answer was

three films – Mahanagar (1963), Sonar Kella (1974) and Shakha Proshakha (1990). As the event came to an end, the message was clear: Ray may not be alive, but his works will continue to live

and inspire generations. Advertisement