Satyajit Ray Quotes

• Cinema’s characteristic forte is its ability to capture and communicate the intimacies of the human mind.

  Satyajit Ray

  Communication, Mind, Cinema

  Satyajit Ray (2007). “Satyajit Ray: Interviews”

  93 Copy quote

• The only solutions that are ever worth anything are the solutions that people find themselves.

  Satyajit Ray

  People, Solutions

  Satyajit Ray (2007). “Satyajit Ray: Interviews”

  36 Copy quote

• The director is the only person who knows what the film is about.

  Satyajit Ray

  Directors, Film, Persons

  39 Copy quote

• There's always some room for improvisation.

  Satyajit Ray

  Rooms, Improvisation

  Satyajit Ray, Bert Cardullo (2007). “Satyajit Ray: Interviews”, p.99, Univ. Press of Mississippi

  28 Copy quote

• If the theme is simple, you can include a hundred details that create the illusion of actuality better.

  Satyajit Ray

  Simple, Details, Illusion

  19 Copy quote

• Last, but not least -- in fact, this is most important -- you need a happy ending. However, if you can create tragic situations and jerk a few tears before the happy ending, it will work much better.

  Satyajit Ray

  Important, Tears, Facts

  Satyajit Ray (2004). “Complete Adventures of Feluda”, p.575, Penguin Books India

  27 Copy quote

• At the age when Bengali youth almost inevitably writes poetry, I was listening to European classical music.

  Satyajit Ray

  Birthday, Writing, Europe

  93 Copy quote

• I don't understand these national awards, because half of those who sit in judgement over Indian films do not... possess the competence to evaluate a film correctly.

  Satyajit Ray

  Motivational, Awards, Judgement

  30 Copy quote

• When I write an original story I write about people I know first-hand and situations I'm familiar with. I don't write stories about the nineteenth century.

  Satyajit Ray

  Writing, Hands, People

  Satyajit Ray, Bert Cardullo (2007). “Satyajit Ray: Interviews”, p.106, Univ. Press of Mississippi

  24 Copy quote

• My cameraman and I devised a method, which we started using from my second film, which applies mainly to day scenes shot in the studio, where we used bounced light instead of direct light. We agreed with this thing of four or five shadows following the actors is dreadful.

  Satyajit Ray

  Light, Shadow, Actors

  Satyajit Ray, Bert Cardullo (2007). “Satyajit Ray: Interviews”, p.105, Univ. Press of Mississippi

  88 Copy quote

• I had developed this habit of writing scenarios as a hobby. I would find out which stories had been sold to be made into films and I would write my own treatment and then compare it.

  Satyajit Ray

  Writing, Hobbies, Stories

  Satyajit Ray, Bert Cardullo (2007). “Satyajit Ray: Interviews”, p.96, Univ. Press of Mississippi

  18 Copy quote

• I mix Indian instruments with Western instruments all the time.

  Satyajit Ray

  Gdp, Instruments, Western

  Satyajit Ray (2007). “Satyajit Ray: Interviews”

  8 Copy quote

• When I'm shooting on location, you get ideas on the spot - new angles. You make not major changes but important modifications, that you can't do on a set. I do that because you have to be economical.

  Satyajit Ray

  Ideas, Important, Shooting

  Satyajit Ray, Bert Cardullo (2007). “Satyajit Ray: Interviews”, p.99, Univ. Press of Mississippi

  21 Copy quote

• It was only after Pather Panchali had some success at home that I decided to do a second part. But I didn't want to do the same kind of film again, so I made a musical.

  Satyajit Ray

  Home, Second Chance, Musical

  Satyajit Ray, Bert Cardullo (2007). “Satyajit Ray: Interviews”, p.100, Univ. Press of Mississippi

  23 Copy quote

• Particularly in the final stages I always find that I'm rushed. It's dangerous when you're rushed in the editing stage, most of my early films are flawed in the cutting

  Satyajit Ray

  Cutting, Editing, Finals

  Satyajit Ray (2007). “Satyajit Ray: Interviews”

  24 Copy quote

• MAMMOOTTY has presented an outstanding performance in film'New Delhi'

  Satyajit Ray

  Film, Outstanding Performance, Delhi

  20 Copy quote

• There is a ban on Indian films in Pakistan, so that's half of our market gone.

  Satyajit Ray

  Pakistan, Gone, Half

  Satyajit Ray, Bert Cardullo (2007). “Satyajit Ray: Interviews”, p.101, Univ. Press of Mississippi

  17 Copy quote

• I've made seventeen or eighteen films now, only two of which have been original screenplays, all the others have been based on short stories or novels, and I find the long short story ideal for adaptation.

  Satyajit Ray

  Two, Long, Stories

  Satyajit Ray, Bert Cardullo (2007). “Satyajit Ray: Interviews”, p.95, Univ. Press of Mississippi

  9 Copy quote

• Bicycle Thief is a triumphant discovery of the fundamentals of cinema, and De Sica has openly acknowledged his debt to Chaplin.

  Satyajit Ray

  Discovery, Thieves, Cinema

  7 Copy quote

• I wouldn't mind taking a rest for three or four months, but I have to keep on making films for the sake of my crew, who just wait for the next film because they're not on a fixed salary.

  Satyajit Ray

  Waiting, Mind, Salary

  Satyajit Ray, Bert Cardullo (2007). “Satyajit Ray: Interviews”, p.100, Univ. Press of Mississippi

  10 Copy quote

• My films play only in Bengal, and my audience is the educated middle class in the cities and small towns. They also play in Bombay, Madras and Delhi where there is a Bengali population.

  Satyajit Ray

  Class, Play, Cities

  Satyajit Ray, Bert Cardullo (2007). “Satyajit Ray: Interviews”, p.101, Univ. Press of Mississippi

  29 Copy quote

• The conception of background music is changing. You use less and less of it these days.

  Satyajit Ray

  Surfing, Use, These Days

  Satyajit Ray, Bert Cardullo (2007). “Satyajit Ray: Interviews”, p.103, Univ. Press of Mississippi

  18 Copy quote

• I was interested in both Western and Indian classical music.

  Satyajit Ray

  Classical Music, Western, Indian

  Satyajit Ray, Bert Cardullo (2007). “Satyajit Ray: Interviews”, p.103, Univ. Press of Mississippi

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• Sometimes a director is making three films. Perhaps he is shooting a film in Madras and a film in Bombay and he can't leave Madras as some shooting has to be done, so he directs by telephone. The shooting takes place. On schedule.

  Satyajit Ray

  Directors, Three, Done

  Satyajit Ray, Bert Cardullo (2007). “Satyajit Ray: Interviews”, p.100, Univ. Press of Mississippi

  7 Copy quote

• Most of the top actors and actresses may be working in ten or twelve films at the same time, so they will give one director two hours and maybe shoot in Bombay in the morning and Madras in the evening. It happens.

  Satyajit Ray

  Morning, Two, Giving

  Satyajit Ray, Bert Cardullo (2007). “Satyajit Ray: Interviews”, p.100, Univ. Press of Mississippi

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