Christopher Nolan Is A Satyajit Ray Fan! The Odyssey Directer Showers Praise On Apu Trilogy

Cinema

transcends borders and there is no better example of that than Christopher Nolan, whose English film The Odyssey, about Ancient Greek culture, has crosses Rs 100 crore in India. While promoting his latest blockbuster, the Oscar-winning filmmaker visited the iconic Criterion Closet in New York, where filmmakers and actors often pick films that have inspired them. Among the classics Nolan selected was Satyajit Ray's celebrated Apu Trilogy, a choice that instantly delighted Indian cinephiles. Calling Ray "one of the greatest Indian filmmakers," Nolan spoke passionately about the profound impact Pather Panchali had on him.

Christopher Nolan calls Satyajit Ray 'one of the greatest'

Christopher Nolan recently visited the famous Criterion Closet, the legendary storage room at the Criterion Collection in New York that houses more than 1,000 of the world's most celebrated films. In a nearly five-minute video shared by the Criterion Collection, Nolan browsed through the shelves, selecting several films that have influenced him over the years. However, it was his admiration for legendary Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray that particularly caught our attention.Picking up The Apu Trilogy, Nolan said, "And then there's the Apu Trilogy by Satyajit Ray, one of the greatest Indian filmmakers. The trilogy starts with Pather Panchali, which is an absolutely incredible film. It just blew my mind. I haven't yet seen parts two and three of the trilogy, so I'm pretty excited to get this and complete the story."

For those unfamiliar, The Apu Trilogy is widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements in world cinema. The Bengali-language trilogy consists of Pather Panchali (1955), Aparajito (1956), and Apur Sansar (1959). Based on Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay's novels, the films chronicle the life of Apu, following his journey from a poverty-stricken childhood in rural Bengal to adulthood. The trilogy is praised for its humanistic storytelling, with Pather Panchali often considered one of the finest films ever made.Watch the video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9fgFt-Ibik

Hollywood icons' love for Satyajit Ray

Nolan's appreciation of Ray is far from an isolated instance in Hollywood. Over the years, several globally celebrated filmmakers have spoken about the lasting influence of the Indian auteur, with Martin Scorsese being among his most vocal admirers.Reflecting on Ray's legacy, Scorsese once said, "Film is an art that can bring cultural awakenings and new waves of life to people who have never seen such cultures before. I remember going to see my first Ray film in New York at 15 and witnessing a whole new world presented visually before my eyes. Without a doubt, in Ray's films the line between poetry and cinema dissolved." Scorsese also drew parallels between Ray's storytelling and his own artistic journey. He shared that Ray's authentic portrayal of people and their struggles helped him better understand how to represent his own Sicilian heritage on screen.Satyajit Ray also became the first Indian to receive an Honorary Academy Award in 1992, showing just how relevant and revered he was in global cinema.