Filmmaker Girish Kasaravalli on Thursday said Satyajit Ray, the pioneer of neo-realism in India, brought new sensibility to Indian films and a fresh approach to filmmaking.
He was speaking after inaugurating the three-day Satyajit Ray Film Festival organized by Gandhian Center for Philosophical Arts and Sciences, MAHE in Manipal. Mr. Kasaravalli said that for Ray, film was a pure medium of artistic expression and he came up with a new cinematic idiom. Ray will open the film so that the audience can understand and make their own assessment.
The film festival, which commemorates the birth centenary of master filmmaker Satyajit Ray (1921–2021), is being held at the Planetarium Complex in Manipal.
MAHE Pro-Chancellor HS Ballal spoke about the importance of liberal arts and humanities in making the university complete. He said that the film festival is a step forward in introducing the youth to such cinematic creations.
Vice Chancellor Lt Gen MD Venkatesh said that such film festivals have a critical nature of evaluation of Satyajit Ray’s films and how it relates to contemporary events.
Varadesh Hiregange, the head of the Gandhian Centre, drew parallels between Satyajit Ray and Girish Kasarvalli and said that both the filmmakers broke stereotypes of women through their work.
The opening film Pather Panchali was shown on the first day and after that there was a discussion.
The second day will begin on Friday with the screening of a documentary film on Rabindranath Tagore made by Ray, followed by an interaction with Mr. Kasaravalli at 11 am. Movies to be screened are Kanchenjunga (2 pm), Mahanagar (4.30 pm) and Ghare-Baire (7 pm).
The third day will begin at 9.15 am with a special lecture by Mr. Kasaravalli on “Glimpses of World Cinema”, which will be followed by a closing ceremony. The last film to be screened for the day will be Agantuk (11.15 am).