Satyajit Ray is known to most people as a great filmmaker but few know that he was also a unique combination of a writer, a filmmaker and a critic. His second book on cinema — Deep Focus a joint publication of the Society for the Preservation of Satyajit Ray Films and Harper Collins and edited by the maestro’s son Sandip Ray — was released yesterday by Shyam Benegal. The articles contain Ray’s views on other filmmakers; his experiences at film festivals he competed in and attended as a jury member; what he thought of the art and craft of cinema and a discussion on adapting literary works to the big screen. Though his writings on Alfred Hitchcock and Billy Wilder are not available in Deep Focus , he writes of Sir Charles Chaplin as a complete film maker and master actor and marvels at the nuances of “The Kid” and “Modern Times”. He showers praise as well as criticism on Michelangelo Antonioni. On Jean Luc Goddard, he states that only a master like him can dare to break norms of traditional film making and opt for experiments like the impeccable jump cut and other forms. He refers to Uttam Kumar with whom he worked in “Nayak” and “Chidiyakhana” as an actor of solid substance. The book also has film and production photos, rare portraits and sketches and photographs taken by the master. A book that not only reveals Ray’s involvement with cinema but gives valuable insight into the master’s mind.
Deep Focus: Reflections on Cinema;Satyajit Ray, edited by Sandip Ray, HarperCollins, Rs. 450 .
Bottomline: Gives us valuable insight into the master’s mind
