Literary Works of Satyajit Ray

Apart from being a master filmmaker, Satyajit Ray was also a versatile litterateur known for his eloquent verse. Literature was another avenue for the expression of his creative talents. Be it detective fictions or film anthology, Ray's literary works bore the hallmark of the powerful pen he wielded.

Detective sleuth Feluda is perhaps the most famous of Satyajit Ray's literary creations. Published as a series of short stories and replete with intriguing riddles, these fictional detective tales were a hit with children and elders alike. Ray even narrated two of the Feluda stories in the celluloid, Sonar Kella (The Golden Fortress) (1974) and Joi Baba Felunath (The Elephant God) (1978).

Professor Shanku is another popular creation of Satyajit Ray. This erudite scientist, known for his wacky inventions, was the protagonist of a number of science-fiction stories written by Ray. Ray penned many other short stories that were published as collections of twelve stories characterized by a twist in the end. Ray also dabbled with poetry and his bunch of zany limericks was published in a collection - Toray Bandha Ghorar Dim.

Satyajit Ray's autobiography Jakhan Choto Chilam (1982) mainly chronicles his childhood years. Ray also penned a number of critical essays that elaborate his take on the art of filmmaking. Our Films, Their Films (1976) by Ray is an anthology of film criticism with discussions on Indian films vis-à-vis the works international filmmakers and film movements. Bishoy Chalachchitra (1976) and Ekei Bole Shooting (1979) are two another film-related books by Satyajit Ray.