Satyajit Ray was a multifaceted artist whose influence spanned world cinema and Bengali children's literature. As a filmmaker, he was renowned for his profound understanding of the human condition, crafting timeless works that explored the complexities of life. Beyond his cinematic achievements, Ray enriched the literary world with his engaging narratives, introducing iconic characters like the detective Feluda and the brilliant scientist Professor Shonku. His writing style, much like his filmmaking, was characterized by sharp intellect and a keen sensitivity to human nature.
For readers who enjoyed the adventures of Feluda in Classic Feluda 1, this second omnibus volume holds more delights. Accompanied by his cousin Topshe and the bumbling crime writer Lalmohan Ganguly (Jatayu), Feluda travels from Puri to Kedarnath, from Kathmandu to London in his pursuit of culprits; he tracks down Napoleon's last letter, a forgotten painting by Tintoretto and a stolen manuscript.
For readers who enjoyed the adventures of Feluda in Volume 1, this second omnibus volume holds more delights. Accompanied by his cousin Topshe and the bumbling crime writer Lalmohan Ganguly (Jatayu), Feluda travels from Puri to Kedarnath, from Kathmandu to London in his pursuit of culprits; he tracks down Napoleon's last letter, a forgotten painting by Tintoretto and a stolen manuscript.
A man-eater in the jungles of the Terai. An ancient riddle. The lure of hidden treasure. Visiting the famous hunter and wildlife writer Mahitosh Sinha-Roy in his Jalpaiguri palace, Feluda is presented with a riddle that holds the clue to ancestral treasure. But before he can begin unravelling the puzzle, Mr Sinha-Roy's secretary is found dead in the forest, his body savaged by a big cat. Feluda's investigations lead him deeper and deeper into a scandalous family secret, and bring him face to face with a bloodthirsty royal Bengal tiger in a final confrontation.
More than seventy rarest essays on filmmaking, screenplay writing, autobiographical pieces and rare photographs and manuscripts of Ray'Ray is a most singular symbol of what is best and most revered in Indian cinema' - Adoor Gopalakrishnan'Satyajit Ray, I salute you. The greatest of our poets of the cinema' -Ben KingsleySatyajit Ray (1921-1992), one of the doyens of world cinema, gave a unique aesthetic expression to Indian cinema, music, art and literature. His writings, especially, autobiographical works, thoughts on filmmaking, screenplay writing and eminent personalities from art, literature and music, among others, are considered treasure troves, which largely remained unseen and therefore less known till date.Satyajit Ray Miscellany , the second book in The Penguin Ray Library series, brings to light some of the rarest essays and illustrations of Ray that opens a window to the myriad thought-process of this creative genius. With more than seventy gripping write-ups and rare photographs and manuscripts, this book is a collector's item.
Just at the stroke of the half hour, the floor under our feet shook, and in that very instant, the sphere exploded into a thousand bits and scattered on the floor. Then, from the ruins was heard an eerie, disembodied voice declaiming, 'I know what comes after death!'[/b]In this last volume of Professor Shonku's escapades, the brilliant and benevolent scientist travels around the world once more to face near death situations. Each nerve wracking experience is faithfully recorded in his diary. We learn of Shonku being outwitted by his own invention, the [i]Tellus[/i] computer; his helplessness when his arch-rival in Rome deliberately misplaces his wonder drug, [i]Miracurall[/i]; and the thrilling discovery of a [i]three-and-a-half-thousand-year-old[/i] sparkling diamond necklace and a papyrus in an ancient tomb in Cairo. Join the incredible Shonku on his many exhilarating adventures accompanied by his two long-time friends, his feline companion Newton, and his faithful retainer, Prahlad.Presented in a brilliant translation by Indrani Majumdar and the late author, this volume brings alive the wildly imaginative world of the weird and wonderful Professor Shonku.
Focusing on the journey of an influential filmmaker, this memoir reveals the challenges and triumphs behind the creation of the "Apu" trilogy. It details Satyajit Ray's pivotal choice to leave a stable advertising career to pursue filmmaking, his struggles with funding, and the mentorship he received from renowned directors like Jean Renoir. The narrative also highlights his innovative problem-solving and the recognition his work garnered both in India and internationally, providing an intimate look at his artistic evolution.
With the Apu Trilogy - Pather Panchali, Aparajito and Apur Sansar - in the fifties, Satyajit Ray caught the attention of film enthusiasts all over the world. The trilogy is the story of growing up in India. It traces Apu s growth from childhood - cruelly poor but brightened by a passion for creativity and learning - to battered maturity. This 50th Anniversary volume, containing a foreword and working sketches by Ray presents the first authorized publication of these scripts in their entirety along with extensive interviews with Ray himself. Fresh material special to this edition includes an expansive interview with Ray by Shyam Benegal, himself a leading filmmaker with several award winning films to his credit. In the interaction between the two directors, Ray talks about early influences, the experience of making the Apu Trilogy, the importance of music and the portrayal of women in his film as well as other aspects of his craft. This edition also includes a complete filmography.
Feluda and Topshe are on vacation in picturesque Gangtok when they stumble upon the mysterious murder of a business executive. There are many suspects—the dead man's business partner Sasadhar Bose, the long-haired foreigner Helmut, the mysterious Dr Vaidya, perhaps even the timid Mr Sarkar. Feluda unravels the knotty case with his usual aplomb and tracks the criminal down in a far-flung monastery.
Professor Shonku cannot dismiss without proof the possibility that unicorns do exist somewhere on earth. In fact, Charles Willard, a fellow scientist, claimed to have actually seen them in Tibet, but, unfortunately, died shortly afterwards. So, when Shonku learns that another expedition is starting off for Tibet, he jumps at the opportunity to trace Willard's route and find the unicorns. Tibet is just one of the exotic places Professor Shonku's exploits take him in this volume of stories. In the Sahara he comes face to face with a massive pyramid-like structure no one knew of earlier; he travels underwater in a submarine with two Japanese scientists to investigate the sudden appearance of deadly red fish that have taken to eating humans; in the caves of Bolivia he meets a primitive man who has been painting his dwelling with animal figures and strange mathematical formulae; and on a peculiar island which has appeared out of nowhere in the Pacific Ocean horrific plants suck out all his learning from his brain